Nearby Numana 10 km · La Pineta 20 km · Porto Potenza Picena 24 km · Kite Beach Civitanova 31 km · Senigallia 32 km · straight-line distance
When it fills in
It fills around lunchtime and runs to sunset. Mornings are rarely worth rigging for.
The wind
locals call it Scirocco, Ostro
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
thermal
fills in: It fills around lunchtime and runs to sunset. Mornings are rarely worth rigging for.
Typical strength
15 to 30 knots on the E/SE base that this bay works on, from around midday to sunset.
The quiver, in words
No local size table. Indicative for a 75-85 kg rider across the 15-30 knot band the bay works in: 12 m at the bottom of it, 9 m through 18-22 knots, 7 m once the Scirocco is properly funnelling at 25 and up.
Direction to shore
The bay opens to the east and north-east under Monte Conero, and E through SE is the base direction here: it blows in off the water, side-onshore, with the headland funnelling the Scirocco so it lands stronger than the general forecast suggests. Ostro from the south comes in more along the beach and roughens the water. West and north-west blow off the land, over the Conero.
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan27
- Feb14
- Mar26
- Apr25
- May, riders' month16
- Jun, riders' month13
- Jul, riders' month15
- Aug, riders' month15
- Sep, riders' month38
- Oct18
- Nov40
- Dec44
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+)
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.
- 27%Jan11°
- 14%Feb11°
- 26%Mar13°
- 25%Apr15°
- 16%May18°
- 13%Jun24°
- 15%Jul28°
- 15%Aug28°
- 38%Sep26°
- 18%Oct22°
- 40%Nov17°
- 44%Dec13°
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 | 27% | 44% | 35% | 11.2 kt | NW | 13:00 | 7.3°C | 10.9°C | 62 |
| Feb | 14% | 32% | 25% | 9 kt | WNW | 13:00 | 8.3°C | 10.6°C | 57 |
| Mar | 26% | 44% | 37% | 10.4 kt | SE | 14:00 | 10.2°C | 12.7°C | 62 |
| Apr | 25% | 45% | 38% | 10.9 kt | SE | 14:00 | 12.7°C | 15.2°C | 60 |
| May | 16% | 35% | 24% | 9.9 kt | NW | 14:00 | 17.9°C | 18.3°C | 62 |
| Jun | 13% | 32% | 28% | 9.5 kt | SE | 14:00 | 23.3°C | 23.7°C | 60 |
| Jul | 15% | 34% | 23% | 10 kt | SE | 15:00 | 26.4°C | 27.7°C | 62 |
| Aug | 15% | 31% | 18% | 9.4 kt | NW | 14:00 | 25.7°C | 28.3°C | 62 |
| Sep | 38% | 45% | 38% | 11.4 kt | NW | 13:00 | 21.1°C | 25.6°C | 60 |
| Oct | 18% | 29% | 26% | 9.6 kt | SE | 15:00 | 18.1°C | 21.6°C | 62 |
| Nov | 40% | 57% | 52% | 12.5 kt | SSE | 14:00 | 12.2°C | 16.9°C | 60 |
| Dec | 44% | 52% | 48% | 12.7 kt | WNW | 10:00 | 8.9°C | 12.7°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
sea
Tides
Kiting here reportedly does not depend on tide.
Temperature
26.4°C summer · 11.5°C winter
Wetsuit
Lycra for the May-September air temperatures, a wetsuit October-May. Water reportedly runs 24-27 C in early August and 11-12 C in early March.
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
6 schools name this spot
On your own
Room to launch: medium
Somewhere else
Numana, 10 km
Every spot within 40 km is on the map at the top of this page, with its distance under it.
Rescue
Launch
Stony beach in the bay of Portonovo under Monte Conero, with a medium launching and landing area; lessons and rentals are run from the Capannina bathing establishment, open 09:00 to 19:00 in season. Two named riding spots sit in the bay, the water off the little church of Santa Maria and Spiaggia della Torre.
Space
medium
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Find out whether a marked corridor is open before you ride between 1 May and 20 September 2026.
- Wear boots or reef shoes: the launch is stones, not sand.
- Save the flat sessions for Scirocco; when Ostro is on, expect chop and small waves.
- Park by La Capannina and walk the gear down to the bay.
- Stay off the water at peak bathing hours in June-August unless a local school has cleared the access.
- Find out whether a marked corridor is open before you ride in the bathing season, the third week of May to the third week of September 2026.
- Rig for the afternoon: the E/SE base fills around midday and runs to sunset at 15-30 knots.
- Put 1530 and the Numana coastguard office, 071 7360377, in your phone before you go on the water.
- Know where the Santa Maria church line falls: south of it the reserved band shrinks to 100 m, north of it you are held out to 300 m.
Getting there
Airport
Ancona Falconara Airport (AOI)
Route
Portonovo is just south of Ancona. Follow the signs out of Ancona for Riviera del Conero and Portonovo, and park by La Capannina. Ancona Falconara is the nearest airport.
Cost level
medium
Staying
Portonovo, Sirolo, Numana and Ancona are the practical accommodation bases; no kite-specific lodging is listed.
No-wind days
windsurfing · surfing · canoe · SUP · trekking · bike · Riviera del Conero beaches
Photos
FAQ
When is the best time to kitesurf at Portonovo?
May through September is best, when a Monte Conero venturi effect reinforces the thermal Scirocco.
Is Portonovo suitable for beginners?
No, it is rated for intermediate and advanced riders; no source confirms it as a beginner spot.
What is the wind like at Portonovo?
Thermal Scirocco from the SE gives flat, lake-like water, while Ostro from the S brings more chop and waves.
Are there rules or restricted zones at Portonovo?
A 2026 Ancona ordinance keeps navigation 300 m from shore except at marked corridors, with a further rule limiting kitesurf transit during the bathing season to at least 500 m from shore unless using a launch corridor.
Are there kite schools at Portonovo?
Yes, schools including Conerostyle, Conerokite and MKS Kiteschool operate in the area.
Last updated: August 2026