You wind along the twisting highway, the Mediterranean to your left and the numerous, looming silent sentinels that make up the area’s windfarms to your right. The African coastline appears so close you can almost smell the spices drifting over from the street bazaars of Morocco. You know now that you are only a few miles from one of the most remarkable places in all of Europe.
If you park up in the Old Town you can explore the maze of narrow cobbled streets that characterise this beautiful seaside town. You can take a visit to the old castle and let your imagination wander back a couple of centuries to the ferocious battles that took place here. But if are in town to check out just why so many people visit the “Wind capital of Europe”, then you’ll go straight to one of the golden beaches of Tarifa.
Renowned for its wind-surfing and kite-surfing, hippies and bohemian atmosphere, Tarifa is an alternative hotspot on Spain’s southern coast. Its clear blue waters are where the Atlantic Ocean merges with the Mediterranean Sea and where water-sports enthusiasts from all over the globe meet to take advantage of its high winds and perfect surfing conditions. So close is it to the African continent that you can actually see houses and cars in neighbouring Morocco. From sunrise to sunset, Tarifa’s beaches are a haven for surfers, hippies and sunworshippers. Even after sundown the beaches are a hive of activity, with beach parties keeping the party going
into the early hours and even into the following afternoon.
The people here are friendly. Both visitors and locals alike always have broad smiles on their faces and many a traveller may find themselves being treated like a long-lost friend by complete strangers. And this is what helps make Tarifa the unique place it is: a place where there is no snobbery and where everyone is equal and welcome.
Up until around 35 years ago, Tarifa was a very different place. The strong coastal winds of the small fishing village – regarded as a curse for centuries – were the bane of the Tarifenos lives. Sand storms and the constant billeting from the wind
is said to have been the reason for Tarifa having the highest suicide rate in all of Spain. But it was these very winds that were to turn around the fortunes of Tarifa. Word spread among the then small worldwide surfing community about a town in southern Spain that had waves akin to those of Hawaii, the surfers Mecca. They began to descend on Tarifa, bringing their laid-back attitudes and friendly ways with them. Word again spread, and soon the beaches were filled with surfers, wind-surfers, bikers and hippies all enjoying the sunshine and waves. Since kitesurfing took off a number of years ago, Tarifa has become one of the most visited spots worldwide for this relatively new sporting discipline.
Tarifa is also the gateway to the Costa de la Luz and was once the most important shipping route between Africa and Europe. Its proximity to Africa made it a much fought over site and Tarifa has been controlled by many different powers since it was given its name in 710 when Muslim leader Tarif Ben Malluk landed there. Visitors are drawn to Tarifa not just for the watersports but also for the rich history that is still evident in the town. The Old Town is surrounded by medieaval gates and walls, and the castle looking out over the African coastline is the oldest surviving castle in all of Spain.
Nowadays, Tarifa is a far more cosmopolitan place that it used to be. There is the bustle and buzz of bars, cafes, seafood restaurants, market places and laid-back chiringuitos. All sorts of unusual clothing, jewellery and craftwork can be picked up in one of Tarifa’s many small stores littered around the Old Town, and hip vegetarian cafes serve up refreshing alternatives for the more environmentally-minded visitor.
What really makes Tarifa the bohemian and alternative place it is are the people. The town has an enviable international feel to it. Like-minded Spaniards, Italians, Dutch, Swedes, Germans, Africans and South Americans among many others come together in Tarifa. And during the summer months Tarifa is definitely the “in” place to be on the coast. Make-shift parties and summer chill-outs are the norm on the beaches, and the town is the place where people can – among other things – watch a roof-top movie projected onto a whitewashed wall, have dinner while watching a meteor shower or take part in a roadside game of volleyball. It’s a relaxed and friendly place and as the southernmost point on the European continent, Tarifa is a dream destination not just for the bohemian crowd, but for those seeking a stress-free break in one of the most beautiful spots in all of Spain.
