Nearby Talamone 22 km · Riva dei Tarquini 29 km · straight-line distance
summer NW thermal sea breeze
13:00 · 15:00
early to mid afternoon, roughly 13:00-15:00 for summer thermal sessions
The marks are the clock times the record names, laid on a 24-hour day. The bar between the first and the last covers those hours; it is not a promise of wind.
The wind
locals call it summer NW thermal sea breeze; Libeccio (SW) in gradient/synoptic systems
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
mixed
fills in: early to mid afternoon, roughly 13:00-15:00 for summer thermal sessions
Typical strength
14-20 kt in the summer thermal; stronger and gustier on Libeccio days.
Also on record
14-20 (thermal), stronger and gustier on Libeccio days
The quiver, in words
9 m and 12 m as core summer sizes; 12 m+ or foil for light days; 7 m more useful for spring/autumn Libeccio than high summer.
Direction to shore
mostly onshore to cross-onshore depending on exact beach sector and wind angle
Dominant direction
NW thermal in summer; SW Libeccio in stronger wave systems
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan16
- Feb18
- Mar19
- Apr8
- May8
- Jun, riders' month3
- Jul, riders' month8
- Aug, riders' month3
- Sep, riders' month8
- Oct16
- Nov18
- Dec10
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+)
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.
- 16%Jan15°
- 18%Feb14°
- 19%Mar15°
- 8%Apr16°
- 8%May19°
- 3%Jun24°
- 8%Jul27°
- 3%Aug27°
- 8%Sep25°
- 16%Oct22°
- 18%Nov19°
- 10%Dec16°
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+) · water °C below · season highlighted
| Month | Windy days | Force 4+ | 12 kn or more | Knots | From | Peaks at | Air | Water | Readings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 16% | 26% | 21% | 8.5 kt | SSE | 14:00 | 9.1°C | 15.2°C | 62 |
| Feb | 18% | 25% | 23% | 8.6 kt | SSE | 14:00 | 9.8°C | 14.4°C | 57 |
| Mar | 19% | 31% | 24% | 10.2 kt | SSE | 14:00 | 11.4°C | 14.9°C | 62 |
| Apr | 8% | 22% | 13% | 8.8 kt | SSW | 15:00 | 13.5°C | 16.4°C | 60 |
| May | 8% | 18% | 10% | 8.6 kt | WNW | 15:00 | 18.2°C | 19.4°C | 62 |
| Jun | 3% | 13% | 3% | 8.4 kt | SSE | 14:00 | 22.7°C | 23.6°C | 60 |
| Jul | 8% | 16% | 10% | 8.9 kt | WNW | 16:00 | 26.5°C | 26.7°C | 62 |
| Aug | 3% | 10% | 8% | 8.4 kt | WNW | 16:00 | 26.2°C | 27.4°C | 62 |
| Sep | 8% | 22% | 12% | 8.3 kt | S | 16:00 | 21.9°C | 25°C | 60 |
| Oct | 16% | 27% | 21% | 8.7 kt | SSE | 15:00 | 19°C | 22.4°C | 62 |
| Nov | 18% | 23% | 20% | 8.9 kt | SE | 13:00 | 13.9°C | 19.2°C | 60 |
| Dec | 10% | 21% | 16% | 7.5 kt | NW | 14:00 | 10.5°C | 16°C | 62 |
modelled
A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.
Modelled from the operational forecast archive at 1.5–7 km (2023-2024), daylight hours only, not a ground station: it resolves thermal, lake and valley winds far better than coarse reanalysis but still tends to understate a strong local thermal. A windy day has at least three consecutive daylight hours at 12 knots or more. The typical daily max and the direction are columns of the table above, month by month. Highlighted months are the riding season from the spot record.
High-resolution weather model (modelled) · Open-Meteo historical forecast archive — best-match operational model (ICON-D2 / AROME / ICON-EU / GFS by region), not a ground station · 2023-2024
The water
Type
open Tyrrhenian sea; choppy in thermal wind and wavy on Libeccio
Standing depth
No standing-depth kite area; this is open sea rather than a shallow lagoon.
Tides
Small Mediterranean range. Capalbio tables show roughly 0.06-0.18 m in a late-August 2026 sample, and predictions for this beach are referenced to Civitavecchia as the tide port, so accuracy falls off with the distance.
Temperature
25.6°C summer · 14°C winter
Wetsuit
July-August usually boardshorts/lycra or shorty; spring and autumn need a full suit; winter needs proper cold-water rubber.
Your level
The scene
What riders come here for
Launch and rules
three ways on to the water, and what each one asks of you
With a school or a boat
1 school names this spot
On your own
Room to launch: large outside peak beach crowds
Somewhere else
Talamone, 22 km
Every spot within 40 km is on the map at the top of this page, with its distance under it.
Rescue
Launch
Long sandy beach around Chiarone and Capalbio, with beach establishments along it, some of them running kitesurf, windsurf and sailing courses. Launch from the designated stretch, not in front of the protected reserve.
Space
large outside peak beach crowds
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Bring 9 m and 12 m for summer, plus a foil or a bigger kite to make the light thermal days count.
- Wait for the afternoon in summer, roughly 13:00-15:00; the morning is usually dead.
- Treat Libeccio wave days as intermediate to advanced, above all in the shorebreak.
- Do not ride on Lago di Burano and do not launch from the protected reserve frontage.
- Ask a local school or a beach establishment which stretch is the authorized launch corridor before rigging in July or August.
- Capalbio Scalo station is several kilometres from the beach, so plan the last leg by taxi, bike or car.
Getting there
Airport
Rome Fiumicino (FCO) is the practical main airport; Pisa (PSA) is another option.
Route
Drive the Tyrrhenian coast road to Capalbio and Chiarone. Capalbio Scalo is on the Rome-Grosseto line, but the station is several kilometres from town and beach, so the last leg is taxi, bike or car.
Transfer
100 min
Cost level
medium to high in peak summer
Staying
Capalbio, Capalbio Scalo and Chiarone/Marina di Capalbio have hotels, agriturismi, beach establishments and rentals; Orbetello/Monte Argentario and Montalto di Castro provide more nearby options.
No-wind days
Giardino dei Tarocchi, medieval Capalbio, Lago di Burano WWF walks and birdwatching, Orbetello lagoon, Feniglia, Monte Argentario, Cosa archaeological site and Maremma food/wine.
FAQ
When is the best time to kite at Capalbio?
June to September is most consistent, when a northwest afternoon thermal typically fills in around 13:00-15:00, though even August can have glassy days.
What is the wind like?
The summer thermal runs about 14-20 knots, while Libeccio in gradient systems can be stronger but gustier and less predictable.
Is Capalbio suitable for beginners?
Beginners can ride on easier thermal days with lessons, but it is open sea with chop and no standable lagoon, so it is less forgiving than nearby lagoon spots.
Are there rules or restricted zones?
The protected Lago di Burano WWF reserve behind the dunes is off-limits to kiting, so riders should use the designated launch stretch.
What hazards should riders know about?
Shore break and chop build on strong Libeccio days, and open-sea drift is a bigger risk here than at flat lagoon spots.
Last updated: August 2026