Surf lessons with qualified instructors
Surfing is learned in the water, not from a video. A typical session lasts 90 to 120 minutes: warm-up and theory on the sand, and the rest in the water, paddling and popping up. The instructor picks the break based on the day’s tide and swell, and brings board and wetsuit.
- Typical duration
- 90 – 120 min
- Gear
- Board and wetsuit included
- Season
- April – November
What you will learn
Your instructor adapts the content to your starting point, but this is the usual progression.
Beginner
Water safety, rip currents and respect for other water users. Lying down, paddling and popping up in the white water, until you glide straight and repeatedly.
Intermediate
Getting out to the peak, paddling into unbroken waves, taking off on the face and riding along it. Reading sets and positioning in the line-up.
Advanced
Linked manoeuvres — bottom turn, cut back, re-entry —, choosing the right board for the conditions and sessions on more consequential breaks.
What is included and what you bring
Included in the lesson
- A board suited to your level and weight
- Wetsuit
- Choice of break based on the day’s tide and swell
- The instructor’s liability insurance
What you bring
- Swimsuit
- Towel and dry change
- Water-resistant sunscreen
- Water
Exact duration and group size are set by each instructor: in surfing, groups of 1 to 6 people at the same level are the norm.
How much it costs
No prices published yet
The price shown here will be the real range of the offer published by verified instructors. Until there is offer, we show no figure at all.
Best time of year
From May to October the water is mild and conditions steadier. On the Cantabrian coast autumn brings the best waves for those who already paddle, and in the Canaries you can surf all year.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sept
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Peak season
Where to practise
Places appear here as soon as there is at least one published instructor.
No places with published offer yet
We open area by area. As soon as a place has verified instructors, it will appear here with its conditions.
Reference areas in Spain
Areas where this sport has a tradition and demand. Their presence here does not mean instructors are already published there.
Surf instructors
No instructors published yet
We're opening area by area. If you're an instructor and want us to open yours, join the waiting list.
Surf reviews
No reviews yet
We only publish reviews from lessons actually taken and paid for on Alpify. They'll appear here once there are some.
Safety and qualifications
The real risk in surfing is not the wave: it is rip currents, the bottom and the other people in the water. That is why the first lesson always starts on land: where to paddle out, how to get out of a rip and what to do if you lose your board. The instructor decides whether the day suits your level and, if it does not, moves beach or cancels.
Required qualification
- Surf coach qualification recognised by the Spanish Surfing Federation or an equivalent international certification (ISA).
- Current water rescue and lifesaving training.
- Liability insurance explicitly covering surf instruction.
We verify qualifications sport by sport: an instructor can be published for one sport and still under review for another. We also check that their liability insurance covers that specific activity.
Frequently asked questions about Surf
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