Windsurfing In Italy

GUIDE TO WINDSURFING IN ITALY

Windsurfing Guide Italy

Italy is mostly known for its pasta, wine, Mafia and the always changing government. There are also many places to enjoy windsurfing, with 1000's of km of coastline, plenty of large lakes, and most of all varied wind patterns, it is hard not to find a place to ride throughout the year.

In Italy there are famous windsurfing locations, which put the country in the spotlight, more than once a year.  It might be a surprise, but it is not along the hundreds of kilometres of coastline,  that hosts the most famous windsurfing spots, but the mountains. A fresh water lake based in the Southern Alps, surrounded by snow-covered mountain peaks on the one hand but offering Mediterranean climate and Italian flair on the other hand is Italy’s windsurfing capital.

The small town of Torbole at Lake Garda is the venue of multiple world championship events, of all classes, world cup competitions, freestyle events and much more. The extraordinary landscape, warm temperatures and last but not least the daily thermal winds “Vento” and “Ora” make this place unique.

There are some fantastic windsurf spots on the Island of Sardinia. For example Porto Pollo and other less famous locations that offer excellent wave sailing conditions. Chia in the South of the island comes up with a really good wave, and works with almost every wind direction. The West coast offers not only a beautiful scenery, but at Capo Mannu you can find the biggest wave in the Mediterranean Sea.

The second biggest island of Italy is Sicily which hosts one of the most radical spots around, called Puzziteddu and is about 10 km from Marzara del Vallo on the South-west coast. It has an impressive wind consistency of 280 days of wind a year. If you visit Sicily in summer time, the straight between the Calabrian coast and Sicily provides a thermal boost with around 25 knots every day. The right spot here is Tremestieri, just 10 km South of Messina.

Of course the Italian mainland can also shine with some great windsurfing locations, like the port city of Livorno, in the Tuscany region. The coastline where the ferry boats depart to Sardinia is also known for radical surfing action, especially when the South-eastern desert wind “Scirocco” is blowing. From the spring to autumn Talamone is probably the windiest place around. A strong thermal wind with 20 -25 knots is delivered here almost every day.

Also,the region of Lazio near to the capital Rome offers an infinity of spots for almost any wind direction. For example with South-east winds the best spots are north of Rome: Banzaii, Sant Agostino, La central and Civitavecchia. When West wind is blowing one cannot beat the bay of Latina, good waves and great summer thermal winds.

Switching over to the Adria. In the South the Peninsula called Gargano is the most well know place among windsurfers. But if you go even further down to South there are plenty of good places like: Alimini, Santa Maria di Leuca or Porto Cesareo on the Ionian Sea. Also,the northern part of the Adria can show up with some nice windsurfing destination. Termoli, probably the best spot of that area, works the best with North-eastern wind.

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