Rota, Spain
Watch this spot We email you when Rota is worth the trip.
About Rota
Known for kitesurfing and windsurfing, by the OpenStreetMap map of the area. The shore faces SW, so wind from the NE blows out to sea (our estimate from the coastline). Facts: verified.
Water about 21°C: 2 mm shorty. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
A spot for kitesurfing and windsurfing, as OpenStreetMap maps it, on a shore facing SW. Wind from the SW blows onshore, wind from the NE blows out to sea, and wind from the NW or SE runs along the shore. It is sheltered to the open sea. The sea floor shelves very gently: 10 m deep about 2.0 km out (1 in 200). The sea is about 16°C in January, its coldest month (3/2 wetsuit), and 24°C in August, its warmest (no wetsuit). For windsurfing at intermediate level the best months are usually March, April, May and November, with about 2 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Rota.
Saved: this link opens the same trip
The link holds the trip itself: nothing about you is kept. Check the forecast again before you book.
Book the trip
From Chicago: about 17 h 40 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to XRY, changing at Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD). About 7 flights a week that month.
See flights ORD → XRY · Skyscanner from about £415 returnAdGetting there. 50 min from the airport to Rota.
Accommodation.
Stay in RotaAd
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Rota (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Rota 1 min by car · rooms from £70 a night
Places to stay in Rota · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Windsurfing lessons in Rota · GetYourGuideAdBoard and rig hire in Rota · GetYourGuideAd
Budget 
Mid-range 
Luxury Where it is
Rota on Google Maps · Directions
The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.
One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Forecast
Best on Fri 23: 10 kn gusting 14, side-shore. Water: chop.
The score for windsurf, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoor
| Day | Score | Wind | Gusts | Shore | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 0, poor | wind from the east-south-east, 10 knots | 16kn | cross-off | chop |
| Mon 19Oct | 0, poor | wind from the east-south-east, 2 knots | 8kn | cross-off | flat |
| Tue 20Oct | 0, poor | wind from the west, 9 knots | 13kn | side-on | chop |
| Wed 21Oct | 19, poor | wind from the west-north-west, 10 knots | 14kn | side | chop |
| Thu 22Oct | 0, poor | wind from the north, 4 knots | 9kn | cross-off | chop |
| Fri 23Oct | 21, poor | wind from the west-north-west, 10 knots | 14kn | side | chop |
| Sat 24Oct | 0, poor | wind from the north-north-west, 4 knots | 12kn | cross-off | chop |
| Sun 25Oct | 0, poor | wind from the north, 6 knots | 12kn | offnot safe | flat |
| Mon 26Oct | 0, poor | wind from the east-north-east, 3 knots | 10kn | offnot safe | chop |
| Tue 27Oct | 0, poor | wind from the east-north-east, 2 knots | 9kn | offnot safe | chop |
Day scores are the conditions out of 80. Wind is the day's best reading: the mean and the gusts in knots (10 kn is about 19 km/h); the arrow points where it blows to. Shore: "side" is side-shore, blowing along the beach, the safe way; "side-on" and "on" blow in towards it; "cross-off" and "off" blow out to sea, and offshore scores nothing for kite and windsurf. Water is the open sea's waves near the spot: flat under 0.3 m, chop to 0.8 m.
The season
Good windsurf days in a typical week, each month, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).
- Jan1of 7
- Feb1of 7
- Mar2of 7
- Apr2of 7
- May2of 7
- Jun1of 7
- Jul1of 7
- Aug1of 7
- Sep1of 7
- Oct1of 7
- Nov2of 7
- Dec1of 7
Typical, not a forecast. Reanalysis wind misses some local thermal winds, so a spot known for an afternoon breeze may do better than this.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for windsurf. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly ORD to XRY, changing at MAD, then 50 min by road. About 17h 40 door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Not enough of the right wind: 9 kn gusting 13, side-onshore. Water: chop.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Not enough of the right wind: 10 kn gusting 14, side-shore. Water: chop.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Not enough of the right wind: 4 kn gusting 9, cross-offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: chop.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Not enough of the right wind: 10 kn gusting 14, side-shore. Water: chop.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Not enough of the right wind: 4 kn gusting 12, cross-offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: chop.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly ORD to XRY, changing at MAD, then 50 min by road. About 17h 40 door to door
Rough cost
About £860–£1,655 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing. A guide from typical prices, not a quote. Kit hire is not in it yet: we have no sourced price for it.
- Flights £415–£865
- To the UK airport £35–£65
- Taxi £50–£85
- Stay £185–£310
- Food £175–£330
Book the trip
Where to stayAd
Places to stay · Booking.com (ad)Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.