Stockholm

Most of Stockholm ’s population seem to visit annually just for this, though the capital itself is anything but dull. Almost 2-million people live in Stockholm and the surrounding area – that’s a real metropolis by Scandinavian standards. As if it weren’t enough that this magnificent city is surrounded by water, you can even launch from its centre! The wind is usually much better at the coast though... The funnel-shaped bays of Fituna and Erstaviken are extremely popular with the Stockholm crowd, since easterly and south-westerly airflows are reliably accelerated by a local sea-breeze. East of the city, the enormous ‘Skerry Garden’ is also impressive. It comprises over 20,000 isles, many of which are served by ferries. But most surfers are drawn to Torö, south of the city, where one of Sweden’s fastest and most powerful waves breaks; it can get really big in stormy southerly winds. It can get pretty big north of the city in Väddö too – northerly winds do the groundwork over the Bay of Bothnia, finished off nicely by the rock reef at Bylehamn to produce clean waves. The region’s remaining spots appeal more to freeriders and are easily accessible with windsurfing kit. Despite narrow or rocky launches at times, the kite scene has flourished as the season lasts 11 months up here – April to October on the water and December to March on snow and ice!