Tarifa is the southernmost point in Europe, the closest to the African continent and known to all as the capital of surfing and windsports. And it is that this privileged location can boast even prehistoric remains, Phoenician vestiges and, of course, Romans.
Tarifa lies on the Costa de la Luz («coast of light») and across the Strait of Gibraltar facing Morocco.
Jerez Gate
One of the most emblematic images of Tarifa comes from the Medieval Walls that were declared of Cultural Interest in 2003. After disappearing the Puerta del Mar, located in the west, and the Puerta del Retiro to the east (now the location of the statue of General Copons and Navia), the Puerta de Jerez of S.XIII currently represents a whole icon of the city. From the moment you pass through its entrance, the modern city gives way to a historic center of labyrinthine streets that are extraordinarily well preserved.
San Mateo Church
We go down the street of Our Lady of La Luz that spreads the historical area in two parts, full of picturesque shops and good taste for decoration as well as very respectful of the homogeneity of the environment. The best area for tapas at noon. The historic center of Tarifa presents from typical, traditional and Andalusian cuisine, to Arabic, Argentine and Mexican cuisine, with typical dishes such as Andalusian gazpacho, fried fish or oxtail.
At the end of the street, already heading east of the old town, we see the Church of San Mateo, built on the remains of an old mosque within the enclosure of its Alcazaba.
The most spectacular, in addition to its atmosphere, its huge organ and its religious atmosphere, are its vaults of Gothic ribbed.
Medieval Walls
One of the great architectural values of Tarifa is its own walls where a restored part has been opened since Palm Sunday in April 2015.
Castle of Guzman the Good
Strolling through Tarifa gives you access to multiple viewpoints, other religious buildings or churches of importance (such as that of San Francisco) but, above all, to Guzman el Bueno Castle, already in the westernmost area in front of the seaport. An imposing medieval fortress whose initial function was defensive at the time of Arab conquest, although it had different uses during the attacks of the Berber pirates, the War of Independence .
Port
Possibly it would not be an attraction that we would highlight if it was not the closest port to North Africa in all of Europe and with a very high frequency of ferries that communicate with Tangier.
It is the third in maritime passenger traffic in all of Spain, and even already has a part for sports recreation.
Santa Catalina Castle
This privileged location on which Tarifa sits, gives rise to other unique buildings such as the Castle of Santa Catalina that was born from a small hermitage, a copy of an Italian castle, rising 24 meters above sea level.
Islas de Las Palomas, Pigeon Islands and meeting point between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean.
Someone who considers what to see in Tarifa should not leave the meeting point between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. They say that on certain days you can contrast the calm of the first on one side with the tides and agitation of the Ocean on the other.
The most recommended point of the visit is the viewpoint of the Strait of Gibraltar, which in the clearest days leaves beautiful views of the African continent.
Other suggestions in Tarifa that Iberinbound Travel, iberinbound@iberinbound.com advises are:
. Sign up for a surf school and learn one of the trendy sports in this area (or also Windsurf).
. Visit an impressive archeological complex of the Roman villa Baelo Claudia in Playa de Bologna, on an ancient Phoenician settlement.
. Take a ferry to Tangier and get to know a different world a few kilometers away, returning the same day.
. Take a whale watching tour (dolphins or whales) or even migratory birds.
. Do prehistoric tourism by visiting the naturalist paintings of Cueva del Moro or the Algarbes necropolis.
. To witness the African Film Festival of Tarifa held in May.
. Go shopping on Baladola del Salado Street with surf items and other innovative clothing designs.
Tarifa is that emblematic place that we could expect, where two seas and two continents meet, a natural park, surfing beaches and a lot of history and that at the hand of Iberinbound Travel, leaders in Group tours if they are Pilgrimage, Educational, Students, Leisure , ad-hoc groups, Shorex, MICE. It can become an unforgettable memory.
