Tarifa: Europe's southernmost town on the Costa del Kitesurf

The southernmost town in Europe usually welcomes its visitors in a very spirited manner - in the Spanish way. The wind blows through the streets, sand is carried from A to B and back again on the beach and there are lots of colourful dots on the water. Tarifa is the capital of wind and kitesurfing. It is also one of the few places in Andalusia where it is still quite bearable even in the extremely hot summer months.

Tarifa: Welcome to the kitesurfing mecca

It is a 30-minute drive from Algeciras. A winding road leads with almost continuous views of the Moroccan mountains (which are only about 15 km away across the Strait of Gibraltar) down to the European Mecca of kitesurfing . A small side note: if you do this route in July or August, it is quite possible that you start in Algeciras when the outside temperature is around 45 degrees. When you arrive in Tarifa , it will feel like spring there, as it can easily be 20 degrees colder. The perfect place to escape the Spanish heat for a while while still staying in Spain.

But be careful: this plan only works when Poniente is blowing through the city. If Levante blows through the city, Tarifa, like the rest of Andalusia, is like a sauna visit during these months. In general, the climate outside of the high season summer months is much more pleasant and perhaps more suitable for a visit.

Tarifa: Big Air Kitesurfing

What is this actually about? Poniente and Levante are the names for the two winds that are present on the Andalusian Costa de la Luz. Levante comes from the Balearic Islands and blows with considerable force through the Strait of Gibraltar, arriving in Tarifa at 50 knots or more and transforming the small town on the southernmost tip of Europe into a paradise for big air kiters . The world leaders in this discipline find their playground here and fly spectacularly through the air at ten meters plus. With Poniente, the world in Tarifa looks a little different. This wind comes from the Atlantic, brings cool sea air and a few small to large waves with it, depending on the wind strength. On these days, the kite scene meets at the spots in Valdevaqueros and shows the bathers who's in charge in Tarifa: water sports enthusiasts.

In the evening, the scenery impresses with incredibly beautiful sunsets, an endless twilight and an unbelievably bright sky. At this time, it is best to be in a quiet spot on the beach and let yourself be captured by the meditative atmosphere or treat yourself to a drink in one of the beach bars, the so-called chiringuitos . The party continues there even when the light of the sun has completely disappeared. Depending on your personal taste in music, everyone is sure to find their favorite place here. A not-so-secret insider tip is the Waves Beach Bar on Playa de los Lances , where kite surfers in particular meet to party after a good session. Here, especially in the summer months, you can escape the crowds of tourists in the city center and just have a good time. But a large number of surfers, tourists and locals also meet in the tiny streets of the city center. As is well known, Spanish nightlife starts very late and then goes on until the early hours of the morning. This way of life does not stop in Tarifa either. But in Tarifa everything is a bit smaller than elsewhere. For example, one or two tapas bars may only have room for five people, while the pub opposite only serves three tables in front of the door. But that is precisely what makes this place so incredibly charming. Whether it is bars, shops or the paths leading to them - everything is small, cozy and colorfully decorated. It is also rarely quiet. Either you can always hear a bit of music coming from somewhere or the wind blows through the city so much that everything is constantly moving. In some bars you can even find the wind forecast for the next day instead of a traditional menu.

Kitesurfing town with charm

If you still have energy the next day after a night in Tarifa, you will discover lots of little shops while strolling through the alleys. After a small, extremely fine snack in the patisserie, the shopping tour can begin. And here it is really difficult to go home empty-handed. If you then want to do a little sightseeing, you can either visit the village's fortress or walk the footbridge between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic to the Isla de Tarifa and really find yourself at the southernmost point of Europe .

Or you can take the ferry to Tangier for a few hours and get a taste of Moroccan air. If you drive a little way along the Atlantic coast from Tarifa, you will also find countless beaches, a few small towns as far as Cadiz or Jerez de la Frontera and a lot of beautiful natural places. The sand dunes of Valdevaqueros or Bolonia complete the offer. All in all, you can pass the time very well here, or simply forget about time and suddenly you have to leave again.

In short , Tarifa can be described as a feel-good place for surfers and wind lovers between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic . Spanish lifestyle meets surfer culture. This combination gives the place a very special flair and is definitely worth a visit (or several).