Last updated: September 2026 · written by the team who windsurf these spots.
For reliable summer wind and warm water, the Aegean is the safe bet. The Meltemi blows across Greece and western Turkey from late June to September, day after day. Add Fuerteventura’s trade winds, Sardinia’s afternoon thermals and Dakhla’s flat lagoon, and you have a whole summer of sailing within a short flight of home.
After winter sun instead? See our winter windsurf destinations.
Where’s the most reliable summer wind? Greece and the Meltemi
The Meltemi is the summer wind of the Aegean, and nothing in Europe is more dependable. It comes from the north, sets in around late June and holds through September, often for days on end. Strength depends where you go: a manageable force 3 to 4 up north around Limnos, a solid 5 to 6 down in the Dodecanese on Karpathos, Kos and Rhodes. Beginners aren’t shut out, with shallow sandy bays like Keros and Chicken Bay to learn in. The sea sits at 23 to 26 degrees, so a shorty does the job. More in our windsurfing in Greece guide.
What about the Canaries? Fuerteventura
In the Canaries, summer is the windy season, not winter, and Fuerteventura gets the best of the Atlantic trades. From April to September they fill in most afternoons. At Sotavento in the south the wind can push past 30 knots and touch 40, blowing cross-offshore and gusty, so pick a centre with rescue on the water. Its lagoon is the reason beginners go: flat, shallow water that forgives mistakes, with open sea alongside for waves and speed. The water holds 20 to 22 degrees all year. Reckon on four and a half hours from the UK, covered in our Fuerteventura guide.
Where’s good for learning or the family? Sardinia’s Porto Pollo
This is the one for learning, and for the family. Porto Pollo is a bay near Palau on Sardinia’s north coast, where the Strait of Bonifacio funnels wind straight in. It’s windiest in the shoulders, May and September, but the summer thermal still fills in most afternoons through July and August. The bay comes in two halves: flat water on the sheltered side for first gybes, chop and small waves on the other for jumping. Schools sit right on the beach. The sea’s around 24 to 25 degrees in high summer, and Olbia is a little over two hours away. See the Sardinia (Porto Pollo) guide.
Is Turkey any good for flat water? Alacati
For flat water, it’s hard to beat Alacati, near Cesme on Turkey’s west coast. The bay is shallow with a standing area about 500 metres across, so if it goes wrong you wade back rather than swim. The Meltemi comes sideshore off the land from June to September, usually 15 to 25 knots. That suits beginners finding their gybe and freeriders drilling moves. July and August push the sea past 25 degrees. Izmir is roughly a four-hour flight. More in the Alacati guide.
Which spot has near-guaranteed wind? Dakhla, Morocco
Want wind you can bank on? Dakhla, on a spit of desert coast in southern Morocco, blows 70 to 80 per cent of days from June to August, at around 24 knots. Its lagoon is the draw: shallow and flat a long way out, as good as it gets for beginners and improvers, with wave spots outside for later. The Atlantic keeps it cooler than the Med at 21 to 23 degrees, so pack a shorty. The catch is getting there. No direct flights, so you route through Casablanca or Agadir and lose a day to travel. Everything else is in the Dakhla guide.
Any short-haul with proper wind? Portugal and the Nortada
This is the short-haul pick if you want it windy. Portugal’s summer wind is the Nortada, a northerly that pours down the west coast from June to September. It’s dependable and often strong, which pulls in a wave and bump-and-jump crowd more than first-timers. Guincho, near Lisbon, is the famous one: gusty and full-on, either light or 40 knots with little in between. Calmer lagoon spots exist too. The water’s the sticking point. Atlantic upwelling holds it near 20 degrees even in August, so bring a summer wetsuit. Lisbon is about two and a half hours out. See the windsurfing in Portugal guide.
Is Tarifa a summer bet? Tarifa, Spain
Tarifa sits where the Atlantic squeezes into the Med at the foot of Spain, and it’s the windiest place in Europe, blowing May to November. Two winds share the job. The Levante comes from the east, strong and offshore at force 5 to 8. The Poniente comes off the Atlantic, onshore and softer. Respect the Levante: it’s for sailors who know what they’re doing, not a first week away. The sea’s cooler than the map suggests at 22 to 23 degrees. It’s three hours to Gibraltar, then about 45 minutes west along the coast. More in the Tarifa guide.
A quick comparison
| Spot | Best months | Wind | Flat or wave | Summer sea temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greece (Meltemi) | Late June–September | Meltemi, northerly; F3–4 north, F5–6 in the Dodecanese | Shallow beginner bays to bump-and-jump | 23–26°C |
| Fuerteventura (Sotavento) | April–September | Atlantic trades, cross-offshore, up to ~40kn | Flat lagoon plus open-sea waves | 20–22°C |
| Sardinia (Porto Pollo) | May–September | Mistral and afternoon thermal, W–NW | Flat one side, chop and small waves the other | 24–25°C |
| Alacati (Turkey) | June–September | Meltemi, sideshore, 15–25kn | Flat and shallow, 500m standing area | 25°C+ (Jul–Aug) |
| Dakhla (Morocco) | June–August | Trade winds, ~24kn, 70–80% of days | Flat lagoon (waves outside) | 21–23°C |
| Portugal (Nortada) | June–September | Nortada, northerly, dependable and often strong | Wave (Guincho) plus calmer lagoons | ~20°C |
| Tarifa (Spain) | May–November | Levante (E, F5–8) / Poniente (W, F3–6) | Chop and waves, some flat inshore | 22–23°C |
Who this isn’t for
If you want a beach holiday with the odd sail, Greece and Dakhla in high summer will wear you out, because the wind barely stops. If you can’t stand a wetsuit, the cooler Atlantic water at Dakhla, Portugal and Tarifa isn’t for you. And if you’re brand new, stay off the strong stuff. A Tarifa Levante or a blown-out day at Guincho is no place to learn. Start where it’s flat and shallow, at Alacati, Sardinia or a Greek bay, and get a few lessons in first.
Common questions
When is the best month for a summer windsurf holiday?
July and August are the surest for wind across the Aegean, Turkey and Morocco. June and September are quieter and usually cheaper, with plenty of sailable days. The Meltemi and the Nortada both peak in high summer.
Do I need a wetsuit in summer?
In the Med and the Aegean, a shorty or even boardshorts will do by July, with the sea in the mid-20s. The Atlantic spots run colder, so take a summer wetsuit for Dakhla, Portugal or Tarifa. Fuerteventura is the mild exception at 20 to 22 degrees.
Where should a beginner go?
Somewhere flat and shallow you can stand up in. Alacati in Turkey, Porto Pollo in Sardinia, the Dakhla lagoon, and the shallow bays on Karpathos and Limnos all fit the bill.
Where is the strongest, most reliable wind?
The Dodecanese Meltemi around Karpathos, Kos and Rhodes, and Dakhla in Morocco, both blow force 5 to 6 day after day. Tarifa is the windiest in Europe, but its offshore Levante asks a lot of you.
How far are these from the UK?
Most are a short flight: about two hours to Sardinia, two and a half to Portugal, three to Gibraltar for Tarifa, and four to four and a half hours to Greece, Turkey and Fuerteventura. Dakhla is the far one and needs a connection.
