6 of Scandinavia's best surf spots

Getting tossed around in icy waters isn't everyone's idea of fun, but it's all part of the experience for surfers in Scandinavia. While in summer months the mercury creeps up a little, the region's dedicated - and growing - community of surf fanatics will tell you that it's the late autumn and winter months when the best waves come crashing in, even if that means braving sub-zero temperatures.

But whether you're ready to battle stormy swells or just want to dip your toe in the water as a beginner, surfing in Scandinavia has you covered. Here are six of the best places to hang ten, Scandi style.

This archipelago in northern Norway boasts some of the region's most spectacular scenery - and surfing locations. In recent years, the collection of islands has become recognised globally as a must-try surf spot, thanks to the waves served up by the Atlantic against a backdrop of towering, rugged cliffs.

Local surf aficionados will tell you the best waves come in autumn and winter, but be warned that Lofoten sits within the Arctic Circle, meaning it gets very, very cold out in the water at that time of year.

And it's not just for pros. "Lofoten attracts all types of people," says Fredrikke Sofie Jerring, a keen surfer and co-owner of the Lofoten Apartments, an old fish processing plant that's been converted into holiday rentals. "We have everything from beginners who wants to try to surf for the first time in majestic and wild surroundings, to expert surfers who want to experience the rough and cold water."

Whatever your level, Unstad beach - where you'll find the Lofoten Surf Center offering lessons and rentals - is a good place to start.

Related: The 7 best sailing spots for making the most of Lofoten's extraordinary beauty

Nicknamed "Cold Hawaii," the small northern Danish town of Klitmøller has become a real Scandinavian watersports hot spot in recent years. Windsurfing, kitesurfing and stand up paddleboarding (SUP) have all taken off in the old fishing town with a population of just over 1,000.

In part, this is thanks to its most famous resident, Casper Steinfath. He became the first European to win a Stand Up World Series event in 2016, is a six-time SUP world champion, and in May 2021 crossed the Kattegat Sea between Denmark and Sweden by hyrdofoil - another historic first.

Not everyone in Klitmøller is as hardcore as Steinfath of course, and the Cold Hawaii Surf Camp is one of a number of hang-outs dotted along the town's beachfront that provides surf lessons and rentals for the more casual surfer. Run by dedicated surf enthusiasts Vahineura Itcher and Mor Meluka, the camp also offers accommodation for those who want to make a stay of it.

As with many of the locations on this list, Klitmøller gets its best swells between October and March. That's when the stormy North Sea throws its most challenging waves at the Danish coast, but if that sounds a little daunting, it's possible to surf year-round here too, with calmer breaks in the summer months.

Another spectacular Norwegian surf spot, Hoddevik made it to The Guardian's list of the world's best surfing locations in 2016 and its star has dimmed little since then.

Its renown means this small village in Stad is perhaps not as empty of people as it once was, but the surfing conditions remain some of the best in the region and its white sandy beach flanked by dramatic green mountain slopes make it a picture perfect location for much more than just surfing.

The consistency of the waves here make it a good place for beginners and intermediate level surfers. Lapoint, who run surf camps around the world, have an outpost here where you can book lessons or get the equipment you need, and surfing is possible all year round. Come in late summer and you'll even find relatively warm waters for this part of the world, though wetsuits are still required.

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Jutting out from the southwestern edge of Iceland, the Reykjanes peninsula is known to be both beautiful and brutal for surfers. Surfing here is comprises mostly unpredictable reef breaks and once again the best waves arrive during late autumn and winter, meaning freezing temperatures for anyone who braves the waters.

Such conditions mean this is a place where you really need to know what you're doing - both in terms of your surfing ability and knowledge of the area. You'll want to have researched a surf trip here carefully, studying both the landscape and the weather to ensure you get the best waves. If you're uncertain, track down a member of Iceland's small but growing surf community, or talk to a tour operator such as Adventure Vikings.

The pay-off is the chance to surf in a truly unique location, surrounded by glaciers and not far from an active volcano. Honestly though, we're not going to judge you if prefer to check out one of Iceland's spectacular spa offerings instead.

While the island of Torö, around an hour from downtown Stockholm, is one of Sweden's most-established surfing locations, Varberg (which sits on the other side of the country, just south of Gothenburg) likes to think of itself as the kingdom's true surf capital.

The area has long been a getaway destination for Swedes, with its health resort past echoed by its impressive array of spas today. This, and Varberg's beautiful sandy beaches, mean it's a popular tourist town rather than a remote retreat, and Varberg's reputation as a surf spot means you're unlikely to find yourself alone in the line-up either.

The upside of all the attention is that there's plenty of infrastructure here for surfing novices or surf tourists. The Surfers Paradise store should have all you need to hit the waves with, and then of course there's all those spas to choose from when you're ready to come in from the sea.

Once again, the cold water waves that occur during the winter months are what most serious surfers will come to Varberg for, but if you're more inclined to dabble, you'll find kite-surfing, windsurfing and other watersports courses available throughout the summer.

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In 1982, Robby Naish came to Hanko for the World Windsurfing Championships. The legend goes that the locals were so taken with the acclaimed watersports pioneer, they began making their own boards - and Finland's surfing culture was born.

Located on the country's southern coast, the Hanko peninsula is surrounded on three sides by water and regularly buffeted by strong winds, conditions that have attracted a growing crowd of surf enthusiasts over the last four decades.

In contrast to many of the other places on this list, if you arrive in Finland in the winter looking to surf you're likely to be disappointed - unless you want to take to snow kiting or ice-top windsurfing. Instead, the best times to visit for surfers are in early spring or late autumn, when the weather is rougher but the ice has melted or is yet to form.

And just in case you're not feeling chilled enough from the surfing, Hanko is also a popular winter swimming destination.