If you are looking for a Famara surf school, the good news is that it is hard to go wrong: the village schools have been on the same beach for years, teach every day and sell the beginner lesson at almost identical prices. What changes is the format, the extras (video, pick-up, accommodation) and whether you also want to learn to kitesurf.
Score
- Price
- 4.5/5€50 for a 2-h group lesson, the same direct as on platforms
- Variety
- 4.5/5Single lessons, multi-day courses, camps, kitesurfing, yoga
- Safety
- 3.5/5Beach with currents; always better with an instructor
- Transparency
- 4/5Rates published; reviews selected by the schools
- Access without a car
- 3/5Buses 20 and 31, few departures a day
For
- Stable beginner price: about €50 for 2 hours in a group
- Lessons every day of the year; in summer, small waves to start on
- Small groups and patient instructors, according to the reviews the schools display
- Options with hotel pick-up and video of your session
- A village of sandy streets, fresh fish and views of La Graciosa
Against
- Strong currents: the beach has recorded at least 11 drownings since 2004
- Without a car, getting there is slow: few buses and none direct from the south
- No independent ratings that let you rank the schools
What each Famara surf school offers
Calima Surf
Calima Surf is at Avenida El Marinero 13-A in Caleta de Famara and has been running since 1996. The school says it set up Spain's first surf camp and takes more than 7,500 students a year. Group lessons from €50, private from €150, children from €50, kitesurfing from €120 and diving from €75. It offers a refund if you have not learnt to surf within 5 days: read the terms carefully before counting on it. Website: https://calimasurf.com/en/
Red Star Surf
Red Star Surf has been teaching in Famara since 2010. A 2-hour half day from €50 and a 4-hour full day from €70, with video analysis. It sells surf camps from €229 for 3 nights and adds kitesurfing, yoga and Spanish lessons. It says it works with qualified instructors and lifeguards, and shows a 4.8 rating from its guests on its website. Website: https://www.redstarsurf.com/
Surf Lanzarote
Surf Lanzarote has been a family business since 1998, with a surf school in Famara (accredited by ISA, FCS and FES, according to its website) and a windsurf school at Las Cucharas, in Costa Teguise. Its camps cost from €354 per person per week, and accommodation from €390 a week. It is the option if you want to combine waves in Famara with wind in Costa Teguise. Website: https://surflanzarote.com/
Famara Surf School
Famara Surf School focuses on beginner and intermediate lessons. The Google reviews shown on its website mention its instructors and a kite school, EPIC. Website: https://famarasurfschool.com/
Prices: direct versus platforms
| Format | Direct price | On platforms |
|---|---|---|
| Group lesson, 2 h | from €50 (Calima, Red Star) | €47.50–50 on GetYourGuide |
| 4-h lesson | from €70 (Red Star) | €70 on Tiqets |
| Private lesson | from €150 (Calima) | — |
| Surf camp | from €229 / 3 nights (Red Star) · from €354 / week (Surf Lanzarote) | — |
The price of the basic lesson is practically the same everywhere. GetYourGuide listings sometimes add pick-up and videos for the same €50, and the booking goes through a platform with its own customer service. Booking direct gives you access to longer courses, camps and accommodation.
GetYourGuide2 - 4 hours
Lanzarote's First Surf School – 2-hour or 4-hour classes
5.0 (293)
from €50Check availability
GetYourGuide2 hours - 5 days
Lanzarote: Famara Surf Lessons & Courses for All Levels
4.8 (220)
from €50Check availability
GetYourGuide3.5 hours
Famara Surf Lesson with Pickup & Video Clips When Possible
4.8 (206)
from €50Check availability
GetYourGuide2 - 4 hours
Lanzarote: Surf Lessons in Famara, 2- or 4-Hour
4.9 (95)
from €50Check availability
See all on GetYourGuide →Prices checked on 5 October 2026
When the waves come to Famara
Calima advertises lessons every day of the year. The north and north-west groundswell arrives from October to March: that is the good season if you can already stand up. In summer the waves are smaller, ideal for your first lesson. Summer is also when the trade winds blow harder, which makes it the kitesurfing and windsurfing season.
The beach is more than 5 km long, from Caleta de Famara to the foot of the Risco cliffs, and lies within the Archipiélago Chinijo Natural Park. At low tide it turns into a mirror of wet sand; at high tide, parts of the beach disappear. More details in our guide to the north of Lanzarote and to beaches.
What travellers say
The reviews the schools themselves publish repeat three things: small groups, patient instructors and the relaxed feel of the village. On kitesurfing, one review warns that the Famara spot has its challenges for beginners.
On GetYourGuide, surf lessons in Famara score between 4.8 and 5.0 out of 5, the most-reviewed with 293 reviews from customers who booked. No platform compares all the schools against each other, so focus on the specifics: group size, whether wetsuit and board are included, pick-up and timetable.
How to book and how to get to Famara
How to get to Famara by bus
- From Arrecife, the guagua (bus) line 20 leaves on weekdays at 06:20, 09:45, 14:00, 17:45 and 20:45 for Caleta de Famara.
- From Costa Teguise, line 31 leaves from the Hotel Salinas on weekdays at 09:30, 11:00, 15:40 and 19:10.
- On Sundays the 31 has more departures: 10:00, 11:30, 13:15, 15:00, 16:30 and 19:30.
- Check timetables and notices at https://arrecifebus.com before setting off: at the moment, because of roadworks in Teguise, the 31 moves its Convento and Ayuntamiento stops.
From Playa Blanca or Puerto del Carmen you will have to change buses in Arrecife or Costa Teguise: a lesson with pick-up saves you the morning. Our guide Lanzarote without a car explains the connections.
To book, check what each option includes (wetsuit, board, pick-up, video) and the listing's cancellation policy: on the platforms it depends on each product, and the schools set their own terms, so ask about them when you book.
- 1Caleta de FamaraTownDirections ↗
- 2Playa de FamaraBeachDirections ↗
- 3Playa de las CucharasBeachDirections ↗
- 4ArrecifeTownDirections ↗
- 5Costa TeguiseTownDirections ↗
Alternatives
If you are more interested in wind than waves, our guide to water sports compares windsurfing and wing foiling at Las Cucharas. Paragliders take off from the Risco above the same Famara beach: we cover it in our review of the paragliding companies. For a day out with children, see our guide to Lanzarote with kids; and if you want something in the south, jet skis leave from Puerto del Carmen and Playa Blanca.
How much is a surf lesson in Famara?
A 2-hour group lesson costs from €50 at Calima Surf or Red Star, and the same on GetYourGuide. A 4-hour lesson costs from €70, and a private one from €150.
What is the best surf school in Famara?
There is no independent rating that ranks them. Calima is the longest-established (1996) and has a learn-to-surf guarantee; Red Star includes video on the 4-hour day; Surf Lanzarote combines surfing in Famara with windsurfing in Costa Teguise.
Can you learn to surf in Famara in summer?
Yes. There are lessons all year, and in summer the waves are smaller, which is better for beginners. The big waves arrive from October to March.
How do you get to Famara without a car?
By bus 20 from Arrecife or 31 from Costa Teguise. From the south you have to change, so a lesson with hotel pick-up is worth it.
Is Famara beach dangerous?
It has strong currents and several recorded drownings. With a school and an instructor the risk is a different matter, but for swimming stay near the Caleta or where there is a lifeguard.
