Kitesurfing in Italy

Italy is a boot-shaped peninsula in the Northern Mediterranean Sea with more than 4,000 kilometers of coastline offering a variety of spots to riders of all levels and disciplines. You can sail in the flat water of the lakes or in the waves of its major Islands, always ending the day with good wine and delicious food!

HIGHLIGHTS OF ITALY

A VARIETY OF CONDITIONS FOR RIDERS OF ALL LEVELS

Italy is not comparable to any other country in the world. The whole coast, the northern lakes and its major islands offer a variety of spots in spring, summer and autumn. During winter, snow-lovers can have fun snowkiting in the Alps or in the Apennines.

A PARADISE FOR LOVERS OF DELICIOUS FOOD AND GOOD WINE

Italian food is loved and imitated all over the world, with an absolutely enviable food and wine legacy. Each region has its own culinary traditions. All of them can be discovered and tasted - perfect after a nice day of kitesurfing!

PERFECT FOR NATURE LOVERS

Italy is a great country for wind sports, but also for nature lovers and outdoor sport enthusiasts. Its seas with their crystal clear waters are wonderful places to explore while diving and are often awarded with the famous Blue Flag, a certification given to clean beaches and coastlines. You can walk along endless nature trails and climb one of Italy’s many mountains, including Mount Etna, an active volcano in Sicily. It's the highest peak in southern Italy and it's on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The country is also famous for its many spas, ideal for relaxing and regenerating in historic structures that date back to the ancient Romans 

HISTORICAL CITIES, MUSEUMS AND CULTURE

Italy has more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than any other country in the world. From large cities to quaint villages, Vatican City to Rome, to the archaeological excavations of Herculaneum and Pompeii, you can literally walk through history! And of course there’s art, fashion, sports cars and music that can be enjoyed in some of the most beautiful cities, theaters and galleries in the world. 

KITESURFING IN ITALY

Like with food and culture, each region in Italy has something unique to offer kiters.  You can sail in lakes surrounded by the green mountains of the north or enjoy the warmth of Sicily in the south with its famous Stagnone lagoon, surf the waves in Sardinia or one of the many spots along the east and west coasts. All of the spots are easily reachable by car and you can travel by train, plane or ferry which connects the islands with the mainland.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO KITESURF IN ITALY?

The best time to kitesurf in Italy is from March to October. Most of the spots in spring and summer have good wind everyday thanks to the thermal effect, while in the winter the wind is more intense.The water is warm during the spring and summer and requires only a short wetsuit but if you go kiting in autumn and winter, don’t forget to bring a long wetsuit. In lakes, colder waters require a long wetsuit all year round.

WHAT ARE THE BEST KITESURF SPOTS IN ITALY?

Lake Garda and Lake Como

Located in the north of Italy, close to the border, these two lakes are perfect for kitesurfing thanks to thermal winds.

Photo: Lake Garda

On Lake Garda, the thermal winds called "Peler" blow from the North from dawn until the early hours of the morning, and after a break the "Ora" begins to blow from the South from noon until sunset.

On Lake Como the “Tivano” blows from the northeast very early in the morning. The “Breva” begins to blow mid-morning from the south and lasts for the rest of the day.The lakes tend to have choppy water, but with strong winds there are also some waves. You can also rent a boat to get to parts of the lake with the most favorable wind conditions.

Tuscany : Talamone, Marina di Grosseto and Castiglione della Pescaia

Photo: Talamone

Located in central Italy, Tuscany is famous for its landscape of villages and hills. The region is ideal for kiters thanks to its unspoiled 400 kilometers of Tyrrhenian coast, especially the stretch between Livorno and Maremma, where there are several spots suitable for riders of all levels and disciplines.

Photo: Marina di Grosseto

Talamone is a bay reserved for water sports, with flat, shallow water and a sandy seabed. Marina di Grosseto and Castiglione della Pescaia, located a little further North along the coast, overlook a long sandy beach with open sea conditions and choppy water. All these spots, especially during the summer, have thermal wind from the northwest that starts blowing from noon until sunset. Perfect for those who love to sleep in the morning and kitesurf in the afternoon!

Photo: Castiglione della Pescaia

Puglia: Frassanito and Porto Cesareo

The Salento peninsula in Puglia, the "heel of Italy's boot", overlooks two seas, the Ionian Sea and the Adriatic Sea, and is suitable for kitesurfing year round thanks to the temperate climate. The best time to kite is spring and autumn, when the beaches aren’t as crowded. 

Photo: Porto Cesareo

On the Adriatic coast, Frassanito with the wind from the north and its famous reef becomes a perfect spot for wave lovers. On the Ionian coast, the wind from the south makes Porto Cesareo a spot suitable for freestyle lovers, with its shallow and flat water, and for those who love wavestyle, there are kickers generated from the reef.

Sardinia: Punta Trettu, San Teodoro, Badesi and Porto Pollo

Sardinia is one of the major islands in Italy, loved by riders of all disciplines and perfect for all levels, with uncrowded beaches and crystal clear waters constantly beaten by the winds mainly coming from the southeast and northwest. The island is well connected with the peninsula by ferries that dock in the ports of Cagliari and Olbia, and with planes arriving from the main European capitals.To the South, along the coast that goes from Villasimius to Funtanamare, there are many perfect spots for kitesurfing. Punta Trettu, a strip of land surrounded by the sea that creates a flat water lagoon with a shallow seabed, mainly beaten by winds from the northwest and southeast, is very popular among freestyle lovers.

Photo: Punta Trettu

In the north of the island, the winds are colder and gusty and the temperatures are a bit lower than in the south. San Teodoro and Badesi can offer days with strong wind and waves up to 2 meters high, perfect for wave lovers.Porto Pollo is a spot overlooking the Strait of Bonifacio, with turquoise water, strong winds from the west and northwest and two large bays with a sandy seabed. Riders have the choice of flat water or small waves, making it an ideal spot for all styles.

Photo: Porto Pollo

Sicily: Stagnone and Puzziteddu

Sicily, another major island, is also a paradise for riders thanks to its clear waters, golden beaches, mild climate and thermal winds in summer. The island is easily reachable by plane landing at Trapani-Birgi Airport or Palermo Airport, and the spots are just a few kilometers from the airports and can be reached by car.The most famous spot is the Stagnone. A huge flat water lagoon that guarantees conditions suitable for riders of all levels almost year round. This spot is especially loved by freestylers.

Photo: Stagnone 

Puzziteddu, a spot in the southwest of the island, thanks to two peaks created by the rocky reef which generates regular waves from 1 to 3 meters high. During the summer the waves are not as frequent but the spot becomes perfect for freestyle lovers.

ABOUT THE COUNTRY

A BRIEF HISTORY OF ITALY

Italy is also called "Bel Paese" or beautiful country given its natural beauty, rich culture and abundance of historic sites. You can not only enjoy art, architecture, food, wine, music and fashion, but also natural attractions such as lakes, mountains and coastlines, places suitable for all types of visitors and all budgets.Italy’s islands and coasts overlook the Mediterranean Sea, and it has a mountainous border with France, Austria and Slovenia. Rome, its capital city, has no shortage of historic sites, including the colosseum and Vatican City. And of course, there’s the world famous Italian food and wine, each region with its unique cuisine. If you’re looking to relax, check out the ancient Roman baths that are scattered throughout the peninsula and if you’re into outdoor sports you can choose between various marine or mountain activities. Italy offers something for everyone, no matter the time of year - thanks to the temperate climate. 

WHAT TO DO WHEN THERE’S NO WIND

Most cities in Italy are no more than a 2-hour drive from the coast so there’s a lot to do when there’s no wind. That’s why Italy is the perfect destination for combining a kitesurf holiday with culture, food and wine. A visit to the cities of art is a must. They include Rome with the coliseum, Florence known for its Renaissance art and architecture, Venice with it’s world famous canals and Milan which is popular among fashionistas with its luxury boutiques. It is essential to taste the traditional regional dishes while drinking a good glass of wine, which can be enjoyed in the many wine cellars open to the public.If you’re a nature lover, you can explore the many protected natural parks on trails which you can access on foot, horseback or bicycle.  There are plenty of mountains to climb and you can also paddle along the country's extensive coastline, which also offers scuba diving in one of the many marine protected areas.For those who want a bit of tranquility, the country boasts nearly 5,000 beaches where you can spend unforgettable days relaxing in the sun along turquoise waters.  If you need total relaxation,get pampered at one of the 3,700 ancient spas, from the free to the more exclusive ones.

GETTING TO ITALY

Italy is easily accessible by plane from major cities around the world thanks to daily international flights. Once you arrive in Italy, you can choose to travel by plane, by train using the state railways that cover the whole territory, or by car using the dense road network which connects all corners of the peninsula.To reach kite spots, it’s recommended to have a car which, if you arrive from abroad, can be easily rented at the airport.It’s also possible to take your car on the ferries that connect the smaller islands and the two major islands to the mainland.In the cities, the public transit network allows you to move comfortably between historic buildings and museums, but for the more sporty and eco-friendly the best choice is to rent the many city bikes for a few euros and enjoy the cities in total freedom at a perfect speed.

USEFUL RESOURCES

Italian Tourism Agency 

National Italian Railway

Italian Coast Guard

SIMILAR KITESURFING DESTINATIONS

Spain

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