One of the world’s prime destinations for windsurfers and kitesurfers due its almost constant winds.
One of the most relaxed of Andalucían locations, Tarifa is one of the world’s prime destinations for windsurfers and kitesurfers due to the almost constant winds that blow across its long, long sandy beach. A pretty town with a distinct Moorish character, Tarifa is sure to please, not least for the fact that you can nip across to Morocco for lunch on the fast ferry. Summertime isn’t the best period to visit, as the small town becomes too congested, and it’s difficult to find accommodation.
Formerly a Roman settlement, and probably a Phoenician one before that, Tarifa is named after the leader of the initial Moorish invasion of Spain, Tarif ibn Malik, who established a base here on his initial exploratory foray to the peninsula in AD 711. The fortress and town were recaptured in the late 13th century, but proved tough to retain. The town’s hero is Guzmán El Bueno, a knight from León who was defending the castle against Moorish attackers. The invaders captured his son and threatened to kill him if Guzmán wouldn’t yield. The knight allegedly threw down his own dagger to them, saying “I would rather have my honour and no son than my son and no honour”. The boy was killed, the city held on, and Guzmán became the first duke of Medina Sidonia for his pains. A similar story occurred during the siege of the Alcázar of Toledo in the Spanish Civil War.
A much-commented phenomenon is the high number of suicides in the Tarifa area. While the location would seem ideal for escaping from the worries and tensions of everyday life, theories suggest that the almost constant winds have some undocumented effect on the psyche. The same winds, however, are being usefully employed (apart from filling windsurfers’ sails that is) in the giant wind farms that line the hilltops above town.
Tarifa’s well-run tourist office (Paseo de la Alameda s/n, 956-680993, turismo@aytotarifa.com, daily 0830-1500, summer 1000-2100) is just outside the old town. They have lists of accommodation, tour operators, and watersports companies.
There’s not a huge amount to see in Tarifa, but who’d complain when you’ve got 10 km of sandy beach with views of Africa thrown in for free? One of the best viewing spots is the small mirador and garden on Plazuela del Viento, a couple of blocks east of the castle. Another fine, if rubbish-strewn, viewpoint is the Mirador del Estrecho, a few kilometres east of Tarifa on the main road.
The main church in town is the Iglesia de San Mateo (daily 0830-1300 and 1730-2100, free), whose huge block-built Baroque façade is hard to miss. The interior is more elegant in 15th-century Gothic, brightened by stained-glass windows. The sculpture of the saint himself is an exquisitely rendered piece by Martínez Montañés, several of whose works adorn Sevilla’s cathedral. In a side aisle is an interesting Visigothic tombstone....
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