La Plaia
Catania's long sandy beach, facing the Ionian Sea below Mount Etna.
La Plaia is a sandy beach nearly 20 km long south of Catania, facing the gulf with Etna in the background. Open to the east, it gets the Ionian storms and is the main spot for Catania's surf community.
With a westerly wind after the storm, clean peaks appear along the whole beach.
Spot facts
| Wave type | Beach break |
|---|---|
| Direction | Lefts and rights |
| Level | All levels |
| Best swell | E, SE, NE |
| Best wind (offshore) | W, NW, SW |
| Tide | All tides |
| Size | 0.5–2 m |
| Best season | October to April |
| Crowd | Medium |
| Localism | Low |
Surf forecast
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Hour-by-hour forecast for 14 days, with stars for your board and level, and the whole site without ads.
Model forecast for open water a few kilometres offshore: it can't see sandbanks or the shelter of headlands and jetties. The rating (0–5) is worked out from this spot's ideal swell and wind. Use it as a guide and check the sea before paddling out. Data: Open-Meteo (DWD, ECMWF; CC BY 4.0)
Which board to bring
A funboard or longboard on small days; a shortboard or fish with more swell. How many litres? Work out your volume with the volume calculator.
What to bring to surf La Plaia
The water is around 15 °C in winter and 25 °C in late summer. This is what we'd bring for this spot's water, level and boards.
The autumn-to-spring suit for water at 12–16 °C.
View on AmazonFor water from 17 °C.
View on AmazonThe safest, easiest board to learn on here.
View on AmazonKeeps your board from drifting off or hitting someone.
View on AmazonThe classic fish fins: speed in soft waves.
View on AmazonHold and smooth turns for a single fin.
View on AmazonAmazon affiliate links: if you buy through them, Shapers Europe earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Localism and vibe
Quiet vibe; some crowd near the city.
Surfing style
Open beach break.
Hazards
Currents in big swell and river mouths.
Map
Other spots nearby
Palermo
Palermo's bay between Monte Pellegrino and Capo Gallo, with waves in a northerly swell.
Isola delle Femmine (Palermo)
Reefs facing an islet west of Palermo, with the best-quality waves in the area.
Castelvetrano (Trapani)
South-coast beaches beside the Greek temples of Selinunte.
San Vito Lo Capo (Trapani)
A Caribbean-looking beach in north-west Sicily that wakes up with the tramontana.
Indicative information gathered from surf guides and surfers' experience. Conditions change with the sandbanks: check the forecast and ask at the beach.