Costa de la Luz, Cádiz

Prime time for the Costa de la Luz, Cádiz is winter and spring as Atlantic lows pass over the Gulf of Cádiz, when clean waves (up to mast-high) break on beaches like Punta Candor and Cortadura. Southerly wind blows cross-shore from the left, northerly (on the trailing edge of a low) from the right – but only locally, as this wind direction doesn’t blow all the way down to Tarifa. Sometimes even die-hard Tarifeños hit Cádiz! There’s still good reason in summer too, even though the Levante is neither as strong nor frequent. If Tarifa’s too much and Caños is too busy, you can waveride almost alone on a 4.5m at places like Cortadura and La Ballena (if there’s still swell). Between spells of Levante, a thermal westerly fills in at up to 20 knots on beaches like Sancti Petri and Valdelagrana – perfect for kiting.