Culture, nature and beaches/islands Travel

Highlights of Tarifa, the southernmost town of Spain

Marieke Willems2 weeks agoleave a comment

Tarifa is the southernmost city of Spain and also of the European mainland. The cozy town is only 14 kilometers from Africa. From the beach in Tarifa you can see Morocco on the other side of the Strait of Gibraltar. What are the highlights of Tarifa in Spain?

The highlights of Tarifa, the southernmost town of Spain!

Tarifa

It’s located in southern Spain in a special location, namely the one where the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean meet. This cozy old town is a breeze of streets that strongly reminds you of North Africa. Tarifa was unknown for a couple of decades, but with the rise of kitesurfing, this has finally changed. Today, it is an international surf mecca with bars, cafés, trendy (tapas) restaurants and a lively atmosphere. It is a unique combination of Andalusia and Morocco. Also for the non surfers among us it is definitely nice to visit.

The highlights of Tarifa in Spain

1. Surfing

In recent years, Tarifa has grown from a sleepy town to the windsurf and kitesurf capital of Europe. Because of its location at the narrowest point of the Strait of Gibraltar, it’s almost always windy in Tarifa. This, in combination with the vast beaches makes Tarifa a paradise for windsurfers and kitesurfers. Don’t forget, wind or kite surfing is no sport in Tarifa but a lifestyle! On a summer day, the shore is colored with colored kites and sails. This is a beautiful thing to see! The vast beaches in Tarifa are a must-see for every sun worshiper.

2. Spotting dolphins and whales

If you want to do something other than surfing or laying on the beach, you can spot dolphins. The Strait of Gibraltar is one of the best places in Europe to spot dolphins and whales. From April to October, Tarifa has daily tours from which you can admire these beautiful animals closeby. These tours can easily be booked at your hotel or at one of the travel agencies.

3. A daytrip to Morocco

From Tarifa you can take a day trip to Tangier in Morocco. It’s about half an hour by boat. This can be arranged independently or via an organized tour. A return ticket for the boat costs € 32, -. Do not forget to bring your passport, otherwise you can not go to Tangier!

How do you get to Tarifa?

Airports in the vicinity of Tarifa:
• Malaga, 160 km
• Sevilla, 206 km
• Jerez, 121 km

From these three airports you have the option of renting a car or to take a bus:
By car, it is about a 2 hours drive from Malaga and three hours from Seville and Jerez. By bus it takes four to five hours on average, due to the many stops that the bus makes. A single bus journey costs between €15 and €20 from one of the three cities mentioned above. In Tarifa there is no train station, but the train station in Algeciras can be reached in 20 minutes by bus.

Are you looking for more great beaches in Spain? You should visit Malaga en check Best beaches in Malaga!