Beach
both
Level 4/10

Sopelana

Biscay, Spain
🌀Strong rips👥Crowded

Sopelana is Bilbao's go-to surf beach—a cliff-backed stretch of sand easily accessible by metro from the city, where multiple peaks offer options for surfers of varying abilities. The convenience of urban access means crowds, especially given the region's passionate surf culture, but the beach is long enough to find space. The dramatic cliff backdrop adds visual drama to every session, while nearby cafes and changing facilities provide creature comforts. For visitors to Bilbao seeking a surf fix, Sopelana delivers reliable waves within easy reach of the Guggenheim.

10-Day Forecast
Today
21
30
Poor
0.4m
@8s
6km/h
Mon
22
7
Poor
0.5m
@8s
13km/h
Tue
23
25
Poor
0.4m
@8s
9km/h
Wed
24
6
Poor
0.4m
@10s
10km/h
Thu
25
20
Poor
0.8m
@7s
14km/h
Fri
26
44
Poor
0.5m
@11s
8km/h
Sat
27
53
Fair
0.7m
@11s
9km/h
Sun
28
56
Fair
0.8m
@10s
7km/h
Mon
29
51
Fair
0.8m
@11s
14km/h
Tue
30
71
Good
1.6m
@11s
10km/h

Today's Conditions

Find Flights
Swell
0.4m
NW(322°)
Score: 2/25
Period
8s
Short period / windswell
Score: 6/25
Wind
6km/h
NE(46°)
Score: 17/25
Weather
27°C
0.0mm40%
Windswell Component
0.1mESE@1s
Secondary Swell
0.2mNNW
Forecast Confidence
100%
Sources: open-meteo-marine, open-meteo-weather
Best Session
morning
AM: 4 km/h SE|PM: 6 km/h W
Lighter winds early (4 km/h)
Mid tide at 10am (0.7m)

Location & Conditions

Loading map...
0°45°90°135°180°225°270°315°NESW
Swell
Wind
View in OpenStreetMap
Showing forecast for today

Tide Times

3:37 am
Low tide - -1.83m
10:02 am
High tide - 0.68m
3:50 pm
Low tide - -1.54m
10:18 pm
High tide - 0.87m
Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

30
Poor
Components
Swell Direction20/25
Swell Size2/25
Swell Period6/25
Wind17/25
Raw Score45/100
Adjustments
🌊 Tide+1
⚠️ Weak Component-5
📉 Undersized Swell-9
🚫 Undersized Capmax 30
Adjusted Score32/100
Confidence
Multiplier×1.00
Final Score30
🌊 Partly in the tide window👥 Summer Holidays
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Spot Details

Swell Requirements

Optimal direction
NW (315°)
Direction range
285° - 350°
Size range
0.6m - 2.5m
Ideal size
1.9m
Height multiplier
0.97×
Ideal period
12s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction
S (180°)
Offshore range
140° - 220°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide
low to mid
Optimal range
0.3m - 1.8m

Water temp

15°C

Wetsuit

4/3mm fullsuit

Difficulty

4/10

Crowd level

7/10

👥 Summer Holidays (Jun 20Sep 7) — expect extra crowds

Access: Metro accessible from Bilbao.

Best Season

Peak: Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar

Secondary: Apr, Sep

Winter best. Close to Bilbao.

Getting There

Airport
BIO
Drive time
20 min
Data quality
verified

Strike Log

Community Discussion