Surfing in Levanto
Levanto is located on one of the most interesting stretches of the Ligurian coast, between the Cinque Terre and the province of Genoa. This area's wind is ideal for those who love surfing, windsurfing, and bodyboarding.
For the last ten years, the fame of Levanto's waves has done nothing but spread. Countless articles have been printed in magazines focusing on water sports, with interviews from famous surfers, Italian and foreign alike, who praise the optimal weather and water conditions in Levanto. This may be the only place in Italy where you'll find double over head waves, which are the result of a strong southwesterly wind that comes into the gulf, bringing waves that can get up to 4 meters high in the winter months.
For this reason, Levanto has become perhaps the most popular destination for surfers in Northern Italy over the last few years.
Its expansive gulf is conducive to the creation of good surfing waves, especially when southwesterly and northwesterly winds are blowing in, but even the Sirocco winds give water-sport seekers something to work with.
Levanto has a vast bay with many different "hot spots". The peak times for each location depend on the direction the winds and sea storms are coming from.
The following are Levanto's five main spots:
This is located near the pink house built on the big cliff on the south side of the bay.
Because of its sheltered position, it can sustain the strongest storms; this is usually where the surfers go when the other spots in the bay aren't surfable.
La Pietra packs a very powerful right, and sometimes barrels.
This spot in the middle of the bay is best for medium-large storms generated by southwesterly and northwesterly winds. The seafloor is all sand, so that makes it considerably less dangerous than "la pietra". There are some good-sized, high-quality rights that form here, but Levanto owes its fame to the left that this spot rolls in known for being the biggest and longest in all of Italy.
Looking out at the water from the beach, this spot can be found to the right of the wharf in the center of the bay, just in front of cafe Piper (its namesake).
The bottom is sandy here as well, but right around the depth of the line up, there is a seawall that sometimes breaks the surface
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Both rights and lefts form here, but since the wharf is to the right of the crest, people generally surf the lefts. With good weather conditions, these waves can gain good hight and reasonable length.
You can find this spot between the crest at Pipetta and the wharf on the north side of the bay.
With its location towards the north, surfers are often able to catch some waves when there is a strong Sirocco blowing in from the side.
The seafloor here provides for waves of excellent quality, especially near the wharf, where you often get a good barrel.
This can be found in the stretch of water in front of the beach establishments. Surfers generally go to the area by the cliff, which is to your right when you look out at the water.
The bottom is rocky here, but not too dangerous since the water is quite deep. Surfers do need to pay attention to the large shoal in the middle of the bay, however.