Zarautz

At 2.5 km, Zarautz is the longest beach in Gipuzkoa and on the whole Basque coast.

What it actually is

Zarautz is the beach Gipuzkoa actually uses: a real town rather than a resort, with apartment blocks, a long promenade and, in August, Basque families rather than foreign visitors. It faces the open Bay of Biscay, so it picks up swell the enclosed bays never see.

Surf, tides and when not to swim

That has made it the teaching beach of the coast, with more than five surf schools and a competition calendar. But this is an Atlantic beach with real tides: at high water on a big swell the sand narrows to a strip against the promenade wall. Beginners should stay in the lifeguarded central section.

Frequently asked questions