Nearby Calambrone 25 km · straight-line distance
When it fills in
Winter and shoulder-season westerlies are synoptic and can blow at any hour. In the warm season the Maestrale is reinforced thermally and fills in through the afternoon, with the morning the lighter half of the day.
The wind
locals call it Maestrale, Ponente, Libeccio
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
mixed
fills in: Winter and shoulder-season westerlies are synoptic and can blow at any hour. In the warm season the Maestrale is reinforced thermally and fills in through the afternoon, with the morning the lighter half of the day.
Typical strength
Average wind is 15-20 kt; spring and summer thermals can regularly reach 15-20 kt.
Thermal or synoptic
thermal reinforcement in warm season plus synoptic westerlies
Also on record
15-20 kt.
The quiver, in words
14-18 m.
Direction to shore
NW/Mistral and WSW/Libeccio are side-on to side-shore on the south-facing beach.
Dominant direction
Western quadrant winds, especially Maestrale, Ponente and Libeccio; specifically NW/Mistral and WSW/Libeccio.
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan, riders' month29
- Feb, riders' month19
- Mar, riders' month34
- Apr22
- May11
- Jun8
- Jul8
- Aug5
- Sep18
- Oct, riders' month24
- Nov, riders' month35
- Dec11
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+)
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Jan, Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov.
- 29%Jan15°
- 19%Feb14°
- 34%Mar15°
- 22%Apr16°
- 11%May19°
- 8%Jun23°
- 8%Jul27°
- 5%Aug28°
- 18%Sep24°
- 24%Oct22°
- 35%Nov18°
- 11%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 | 29% | 48% | 40% | 10.4 kt | NE | 14:00 | 9.4°C | 14.5°C | 62 |
| Feb | 19% | 32% | 32% | 9.1 kt | NE | 15:00 | 10°C | 13.6°C | 57 |
| Mar | 34% | 45% | 37% | 11.2 kt | S | 14:00 | 11.6°C | 14.6°C | 62 |
| Apr | 22% | 33% | 25% | 10 kt | WSW | 15:00 | 13.6°C | 16.2°C | 60 |
| May | 11% | 24% | 21% | 9.2 kt | W | 15:00 | 18.2°C | 19.3°C | 62 |
| Jun | 8% | 20% | 13% | 8.8 kt | W | 15:00 | 22.8°C | 23.4°C | 60 |
| Jul | 8% | 11% | 10% | 8.5 kt | WNW | 16:00 | 26.2°C | 27°C | 62 |
| Aug | 5% | 21% | 15% | 9.1 kt | W | 16:00 | 26.2°C | 27.5°C | 62 |
| Sep | 18% | 32% | 23% | 9.8 kt | NE | 15:00 | 22°C | 24.4°C | 60 |
| Oct | 24% | 34% | 31% | 9.7 kt | WSW | 15:00 | 19.2°C | 22°C | 62 |
| Nov | 35% | 48% | 43% | 11.6 kt | WSW | 13:00 | 14°C | 18.4°C | 60 |
| Dec | 11% | 24% | 18% | 8.5 kt | ENE | 13:00 | 10.5°C | 15.6°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
Standing depth
Shallow off the beach and you can stand at both tide states, on a bottom that shelves gently. How far out is disputed: somewhere between about 50 m and about 100 m from the sand. Rocky shallows sit close in near Lillatro, so the sand is not uniform.
Tides
The Tyrrhenian range is small and does not gate a session: you can stand at either state. What the tide changes is the surface, with low water the flattest and high water putting chop on it.
Temperature
25.6°C summer · 13.7°C winter
Wetsuit
Summer water averages about 24.3-25.6 C around Vada/Rosignano Solvay; February averages 13.7 C, so a full wetsuit is expected in winter.
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
3 schools name this spot
On your own
Room to launch: large
Somewhere else
Calambrone, 25 km
Every spot within 40 km is on the map at the top of this page, with its distance under it.
Rescue
Launch
The main kitesurf launch is Circolo Nautico Lillatro at the north end of the bay; there is also the river mouth in the middle of the beaches and a southern access open only in winter. Rosignano's 2026 decree separately authorizes two launch corridors at Vada, loc.Pietrabianca, for the Centro Surf Vada concession, a different facility from Lillatro: one directly in front of the concession and a second beside the existing groyne to its west, usable only with south winds.
Space
large
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Default to Lillatro at the north end, then check which corridor is open for the current season before you rig.
- Bring 14-18 m; that is the size range that actually gets used here.
- Stay clear of the bathers and of the water off the Solvay discharge.
- After a Libeccio or Ponente blow, look offshore for the Maestrale wave, the Sabbione in front of Lillatro.
- During the bathing season keep 200 m off the beach except inside the marked corridors, and use them only to launch and land, not to leave gear.
- Wear a helmet and an impact vest; that is the local standard, not a suggestion.
- In summer take the afternoon, when the Maestrale gets its thermal reinforcement. Mornings tend to be the light part of the day.
- Go slowly through the shallows near Lillatro; there are rocks under the surface and Solvay debris that moves between seasons.
- Ride on your own and nobody is covering you: assistance here comes only with a school or club session.
Getting there
Airport
Pisa Galileo Galilei (PSA).
Route
Come off the A12/SS1 at the Rosignano Solvay exit, then SP39 toward Vada and the Lillatro turnoff just outside Rosignano Solvay.
Transfer
About 45-60 minutes by car from Pisa.
Staying
Rosignano Solvay, Vada and the Costa degli Etruschi have local seaside accommodation; no kite-package lodging is listed.
No-wind days
Beach time, Rosignano/Vada coast, nearby Costa degli Etruschi towns and surf when waves arrive without wind.
Photos
FAQ
Is Spiagge Bianche Vada suitable for beginners?
Yes, shallow water reaching about 50 m from shore makes it good for beginners and freestyle, while stronger Libeccio or Maestrale days suit more advanced riders.
What is the wind like?
Western-quadrant winds, especially Maestrale, Ponente and Libeccio, average 15 to 20 knots, with Maestrale reinforced thermally in the warm season.
Where do you launch?
The main launch is at Circolo Nautico Lillatro at the north end of the bay, with other access at the river mouth and a southern entry open only in winter.
Are there rules or restricted zones?
A 2007 Livorno ordinance restricts kitesurfing to riders 14 or older, and in 2026 Rosignano authorized two launch corridors at Vada, requiring riders to stay at least 200 m from shore during the bathing season.
Last updated: August 2026