Small-group surf lessons
Two daily 1.5-2h sessions with certified instructor and low ratios (5-8 students). Tide and level matched daily. Board and wetsuit included.
Camps
Surf
Surfcamp in Salinas, Asturias
Learn to surf where Spanish surf was born: five days of lessons in Salinas, an open beachbreak and a living community.
From 374 € /person
No commitment · We design it with you
§02 — The place
Where Spain learned to paddle waves
Salinas isn't just another Cantabrian beach: this is where Spain's first surf school was born, and summer here smells like wax and wet neoprene. Three kilometres of sand stretch between the Avilés rivermouth and Cousteau's peña, and every afternoon they fill with boards, twelve-year-olds paddling out, and veterans reading the tide from the boardwalk. Your week follows that rhythm: dawn class on the incoming tide, late lunch, free surf when the wind drops. That's it. That's enough.
§03 — Why it stands out
Why it stands out
- 01
The cradle of Spanish surf
In 1963 the Ulacia brothers opened Spain's first surf school here. Sixty years later, it's still the place where more people learn to surf each summer than anywhere else in the country.
- 02
Scalable beachbreak
Three kilometres of sand with peaks for every level: the eastern end is gentle and good for learning; the middle holds more serious sets; the western end has clean rights. You choose where to paddle out each day.
- 03
Surf Memorial and Cousteau
On top of La Peñona, a bust of Philippe Cousteau and plaques honouring the pioneers remind you that Salinas isn't just a beach: it's a founding place. A five-minute walk up is part of the trip.
- 04
A real surf community
The International Surf Festival has run nearly thirty editions and the boardwalk holds shapers, surf shops and surfer chigres. This isn't a transit-tourism beach: it's a village that lives with the sea year-round.
§04 — Who it fits
Who it fits
With friends Adventure Ecotourism Family Seasonal Experiences
Good fit if you've never surfed or only had a few sessions and want a full week to lock it in. Also if you already paddle but want to improve wave reading on a friendly beachbreak. Works well for friends travelling together, parents with teenagers, and solo travellers looking to find a tribe fast.
Not a fit if you're chasing big empty waves —Salinas is a school, not Mundaka—; if you need spa, starred dining or a packed parallel agenda; or if you're coming in winter (December-March) expecting warm water: the Cantabrian drops to 12 °C and the north wind bites.
No commitment · We design it with you
§05 — What you can live
What the camp includes
An editorial showcase of what the destination offers. Nothing to book here - we shape it when you write to us.
Adventure
— The active side: guided or self-guided activities, no sugar-coating the gradient.The active side: guided or self-guided activities, no sugar-coating the gradient.
Free surf with video coaching
For those already paddling: guided sessions filmed from shore with technical feedback before going back out. Ideal to correct wave reading and manoeuvres.
SUP at the Avilés rivermouth
Flat-day or calm-morning plan: SUP up the Avilés estuary with a guide, watching the industrial-to-natural transition of the rivermouth.
Theory session: reading tides and wind
One hour in classroom with charts, swells and apps (Magicseaweed, Windguru). You learn to plan your own session, beyond the camp. The knowledge you take home.
Culture & heritage
— What makes this place different: heritage, crafts, local history.What makes this place different: heritage, crafts, local history.
Avilés old town
5 km away. Medieval arcades, palaces, the Niemeyer Centre and a historic centre listed as a monument complex. A car-free afternoon of wandering.
International Surf Festival (if dates match)
Every summer since 1996. If your week overlaps, expect competitions, beach concerts and a long-weekend surf vibe. Ask us for dates.
Food & drink
— Eating well without the manual - local product, village pace.Eating well without the manual - local product, village pace.
Cider and cabracho at a chigre
A chigre is the unpretentious Asturian cider house. Avilés and Salinas itself hold several where you can pour cold cider and try local cabracho (scorpionfish).
Surfer picnic between sessions
Avilés market in the morning, picnic on the Salinas boardwalk at noon: casín cheese, empanada, scanda-bread. What the people who live here actually eat.
Where to sleep
— Where you sleep - inns, rural houses, hotels with character in the valley.Where you sleep - inns, rural houses, hotels with character in the valley.
Surf hostel (shared room)
The most social and affordable plan. 4-6 bed rooms, shared kitchen and board rack in the yard. For solos and small groups who come to meet people.
Apartment on the boardwalk
For families or groups of friends who want independence: own kitchen, two bedrooms, the beach 100 m away. Book ahead in July-August.
Rural house in Castrillón
If you prefer village to boardwalk: traditional Asturian houses 3-7 km from the beach, with garden and parking. Best option if travelling with a dog.
Nature
— Landscape unfiltered: what you see on foot, without the car.Landscape unfiltered: what you see on foot, without the car.
Walk up La Peñona to the Surf Memorial
A five-minute walk from the boardwalk. Panoramic view of the 3 km of beach and the bust of Philippe Cousteau honouring Spain's surf pioneers.
Cape Peñas and lighthouse
20 km away. Asturias' northernmost cape: 100 m cliffs, an 1852 lighthouse, a short trail to the viewpoint and, with luck, fishing eagles.
30-60 min away
— Half-hour side trips if you've time left or it rains.Half-hour side trips if you've time left or it rains.
Bayas beach and dunes
8 km west. Wilder and emptier than Salinas, with a protected dune system. A good fallback when north wind messes up Salinas.
Oviedo by train from Avilés
45 min on the suburban train. Cathedral, pre-Romanesque heritage (San Julián de los Prados) and Gascona Street cider houses. A full day plan without needing a car.
§06 — The practical side
Camp practicalities
- Best season
- Summer · Autumn
- Fitness level
- Easy
- Typical length
- 4-9 nights
More practical details
Physical level & requirements
Medium fitness. Surfing is more tiring than it looks: a two-hour class means paddling 30-40 times with active core. If you swim poorly or don't float comfortably, say so: schools adapt. You don't need to be an athlete, but arriving trained on back and shoulders (a month of pull-ups or swim) makes a real difference in how you finish the day.
How to get there
Best time: May to October. June and September are the gold months: small-to-medium waves, water 17-19 °C, fewer people than August. July-August, crowded with risk of north wind. Winter (Nov-Mar) is for surfers already rolling.
Getting there: Asturias airport (OVD) 7 km away. Renfe to Avilés (45 min bus from station to Salinas). By car via A-8 (Cantabrian motorway), exit 442.
Gear: schools supply board and wetsuit. Bring booties if your feet are sensitive, mineral sunscreen (hours of reflected sun) and a windbreaker for the pause between sets. Summer suit is 3/2 mm; September-October, 4/3 mm.
Tides and wind: check Magicseaweed or Windguru. Best windows are usually two hours before high tide to two hours after. Optimal wind: south/southwest (offshore). Watch for strong south in summer: it lifts the Nalón river plume and turns water murky.
Recommendations
Get up early at least one day and walk the boardwalk before class: dawn in Salinas with the tide coming in justifies the trip even on flat days. Save an afternoon for La Peñona to see the whole beach from Cousteau's bust —five minutes walking, completely changes the place's scale. If you have energy after surfing, the Cape Peñas cliffs are 20 km away and the perfect counterpoint: lighthouse, vertical meadows, fishing eagles. And don't leave without trying cabracho (scorpionfish) at an Avilés chigre.
§07 — Bookable packages
Bookable packages
§08 — Questions
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to know how to swim?
Yes, you need to manage in open water. You don't have to be a strong swimmer, but you must float calmly and not panic if a wave rolls you. If unsure, mention it when booking: schools group by level.
Is it good for kids?
From age 8-10 it works very well, especially in summer when water is warmer and waves more manageable. Children's groups run separately with dedicated instructors.
How many hours of surf per day?
Usually two 1.5-2h water sessions, one morning and one late afternoon, adjusted to the day's tides. Rest: free time, optional free surf, land-side plan.
What if it rains all week?
You surf anyway —the wetsuit insulates and water is the same temperature. We only cancel for dangerous swell. In that case, schools run theory, video coaching and alternative plans.
Is lodging included?
Our base packages cover lessons. Lodging is added on preference: surf hostel with shared room, apartment, or village rural house. Ask us.
What if I already know how to surf?
The camp adapts: guided free surf with instructor feedback, video analysis and work on specific manoeuvres. It's not for competition level, but ideal to make the most of a week of waves with someone reading them for you.
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