Tarifa – this small town in Andalusia immediately etched itself in our hearts. As soon as we arrived, we realized that spending a whole month here had been a good decision. We hadn’t heard much about the area, but we still wanted to get a feel for the city. After our tour through Morocco, we were really looking forward to Spain and, above all, the sea.
An almost endless, wide sandy beach, turquoise-blue sea, crystal-clear water – is this really Tarifa? Does it look that beautiful? We’ve already lost a piece of our hearts in many places around the world, and Tarifa now joins this list. Today we’ll reveal the best tips and highlights for Tarifa. In another post, we reported on our top highlights in Andalusia. Feel free to take a look.
- Why Tarifa?
- Weather & The best time to travel
- Arrival – How to get to Tarifa
- Where to stay – On the beach or in the old town?
- Accommodations for your stay
- The coolest cafes in town
- Chilled bars right on the beach
- The beautiful old town
- The beach of Tarifa
- Excursions in the surrounding area
- Booking Tarifa tours
Why Tarifa?
Especially during the off-season (September to the end of May), the area is the absolute “place to be.” It’s not as expensive as in the high season, not as crowded with summer tourists, and the weather is usually still good in the off-season. Getting to Tarifa is quite easy, and it doesn’t even cost the earth.
From here, it’s also recommended to visit a few other villages and towns. It’s even only 12 kilometers to Africa (Morocco/Tangier)! So if you don’t feel like living in a big city, prefer spending time by the sea, enjoy being outdoors, and occasionally hanging out in cool cafés, then Tarifa is the right place for you.
Weather & the Best Time to Visit
You can travel to Tarifa year-round. However, it’s quite hot and crowded during the high season (July & August). Therefore, in our opinion, the best time to visit Tarifa is the low season in April and May, as well as September, October, and November. The prices are reasonable, the weather is perfect, and you don’t have to expose yourself to the crowds.
In the summer, the Spaniards also go on their well-deserved vacation; Andalusia, and Tarifa in particular, is particularly popular. If you don’t feel like being in Germany in the winter, this place is a good choice even then. Especially for focused work on projects. By the sea! While you won’t find 25 degrees Celsius, it’s still better than in cold Germany. For us, Tarifa is clearly a year-round favorite. We were there for the entire month of April and always had good weather (sometimes just a bit stormy). On some days it was even quite hot, especially during our excursions into the mountains and inland.
Arrival – How to get to Tarifa
Tarifa is located on the southern tip of Spain, right next to Gibraltar. There is no airport here, but the surrounding cities do, such as Jerez de la Frontera, Seville, or even Malaga. The good thing is that you can fly to one of these cities really cheaply from many German airports with low-cost airlines (Easyjet, Ryanair, Norwegian, Vueling). You can currently get a round-trip flight with Ryanair to Seville for just €50, and you can even get a round-trip flight to Malaga for as little as €40. From Seville, it’s just under 2 hours by car to Tarifa, and from Malaga, just under 1.5 hours.
From the respective airport, it’s best to grab a rental car. This way, you’re always flexible and can also drive to other cool places. Rental cars are generally very cheap in Spain. You can get a small car for as little as €70 for two weeks. Crazy, right? You can, of course, also take the bus from A to B, but the rental car option is much more comfortable. But if you’re not planning any excursions, you don’t need a car.
Some travelers also come from Germany by car. The actual driving time is almost 26 hours or more. You should definitely plan stopovers on this tour and not rush straight through to Andalusia. Also, keep in mind that you’ll have to pay tolls along the way and will certainly spend a lot on gas. With a few cool stops, such a tour is sure to be really cool and adventurous (especially with a caravan or camper).
Stay – On the beach or in the old town?
The city isn’t particularly large; distances can usually be covered within 10 to 15 minutes. The city consists of three areas: the old town, the beach, and the city center. The old town is, of course, one of the most beautiful parts of Tarifa. Getting there by car might be a bit tricky, especially with parking. There are many hostels and hotels in the old town.
On the beach, you’ll find many apartments and houses along and around Calle Mar Mediterraneo. We also find this area the most beautiful—right by the sea with plenty of cafés! You’ll also find good accommodations between the old town and the beach, but the area isn’t quite as charming. The costs, of course, depend on the season. We paid just under €660 for a month (just under €22 per night) for our double room with bathroom in a “surf house.” Unfortunately, this accommodation is no longer available on Airbnb.
If you plan to stay there for a long time, negotiate with the landlord. You can probably even find something for €400-500 per month. You can also book a few nights in a hostel or hotel first and then look for an apartment on site and ask locals. You can find good accommodations primarily on Airbnb and Hostelworld. Pay particular attention to reviews from previous guests. You can also find a large selection of everything on Booking.com.
Accommodations for your stay
There are some low-budget accommodations, such as the South Hostel Tarifa*. This hostel is relatively new and one of the best in the city. The Tarifa Kite Hostel and the Sulok Hostel* in the old town are also popular. The latter scores highly for its cleanliness and cool decor. A bed in a shared room at a hostel usually costs between €15 and €20 (depending on the season).
Digital nomads love La Cocotera Boutique Hostel & Coworking*. Here, you’ll find fast internet and a cool atmosphere for working, with a terrace for chilling. Private rooms are even available starting at €23 per night if you book early (off-season).
Want more comfort and style? Then check out the Surfers Residence*. These new apartments were opened by a German who also runs a kitesurfing school. You can get a double room for around €55 per night (minimum stay between 5 and 7 nights). The Chillout Hotel Tres Mares* is also a cozy place to stay and sleep. A night in a double room starts at just €60.
Private rooms in a hostel or guesthouse usually start at €40 to €50 per night. Tarifa isn’t exactly the cheapest place. If we had both stayed in a shared room in a hostel, we would have paid much more. For two people, it’s worth looking for a private room or an apartment. And if you’ve won the lottery, you can of course also stay in expensive and sometimes luxurious hotels here.
The coolest cafes in town
Tarifa has many cozy and visually cool cafes. Whether in the beautiful old town or right on the beach – there’s something for every taste. And the best part: most cafes also have really good and stable internet. Here are some recommendations:
Surla – This café is right on our doorstep on the beach. We’ve spent a lot of time here, sipping lots of lattes, and working a lot. The internet was always great, and we could work on our laptops easily. The Wi-Fi password is changed every now and then and is posted on a sign at the front of the bar. Café Surla also serves incredibly delicious salads and coffees (from €1.50).
Stoked – Right next door to Surla is the Stoked Café. This place is really relaxed, stylish, and simply cool. Lots of locals and travelers hang out here. The internet is working, and the menu leaves almost nothing to be desired.
Café 10 – Café 10 is located in the old town. Here you can enjoy a really good breakfast and sip coffee. You can also sit at the table with your laptop and get your to-dos done. However, it gets quite busy in the morning and at lunchtime. Since the café isn’t particularly large, a free seat isn’t guaranteed.
Chilled bars right on the beach
La Cocotera – This hostel is popular with digital nomads because it also has a coworking space with a great terrace. If you want to work in peace and, above all, among like-minded people, this is the place to choose.
Café Azul – Café Azul is located just before the main gate to the old town. They serve delicious crepes and generally have a great breakfast selection. This café is also one of the most popular in the entire city! It’s also ranked number 1 on TripAdvisor. This café is also run by a German expat.
Café del Mar (Beach) – This place is perfect for working. The café is right next to Surla and opens around 12 noon. When the weather is good, most people sit outside, enjoying the sea and the sun with a delicious drink or coffee.
Other cafés: Wet Café, Café Diez, Coco Rock Café, Cafe Babel, Bubba Cafe, and others. And if you ever want to chill right on the beach with a good connection, head to the cool “Waves Beach Bar.” It’s a bit outside of town, but it has great Wi-Fi.
The beautiful old town
We especially like this small and charming town for its alleys, cool shops, and cafés. You can stroll through the streets and let yourself go. Time and again, you’ll end up in small, pretty alleys and streets. What we really like about the town are the many great boutiques and shops. I (Bolle) could shop myself to death here.
Almost everywhere you can find these cool wooden boards with pretty prints, decorative items in a casual surfer look – exactly our thing. To get an overview, you should go to the tourist information office in the old town. Although the old town is not large, you can sometimes find it easier to find your way around with a map and the information it contains.
You will quickly discover a few historic buildings. Among others, the old town houses the 16th-century Church of San Mateo, the small Town Hall, the library, several statues, the Guzman El Bueno Fortress/Castle, the Church of S. Francisco, the Small Frog Fountain, and the Traditional Market (Plaza de Abastos).
The old town is surrounded by a city wall. We walked through all the alleys in just under two hours and took some great photos along the way. There are so many cool shops in the old town and so many cafés and bars – strolling is especially fun.
Tarifa Beach
The beach is one of the longest and most beautiful in all of Andalusia. There are only a few rocky interruptions here and it stretches all the way up to Portugal. Its pristine beauty is impressive, especially considering the otherwise very developed Costa del Sol. You won’t see a single sun lounger on the beach here. Not a single one!
The sand is soft, the water crystal-clear and turquoise-blue—simply perfect! Occasionally, you’ll even get lucky and catch a few waves on your surfboard. Often, however, it’s quite windy, and you won’t catch a single usable wave. Good for kitesurfers, bad for surfers! Nevertheless, you can still surf in Tarifa between November and May. The best spot is “El Balneario” in front of the Bienestar Beach Bar. In El Palmar (30 minutes drive) there are also great spots and several surf schools.
The city is also considered the wind capital of Southern Europe. And what does that tell us? Exactly: kite surfing! This is precisely why the city is so popular. Even in the off-season, we were able to observe hundreds of kites in the sky. However, due to the length of the bay, the crowds are spread out over many kilometers. There are more than 50 kite schools in the area, including Wavebandits, Free Your Mind, KTS, Best Pro Center, and Gone Kiting Tarifa. An hour with equipment costs around €30, not exactly the cheapest hobby.
Excursions in the surrounding area
Vejer de la Frontera
There’s also a lot to discover in the surrounding area. So if you’re staying longer, you can go on some cool excursions with a rental car and boat. We really liked Vejer de la Frontera. It’s one of those pretty, white villages in the mountains. We simply went with the flow and enjoyed the great weather that day.
Off to Ronda
You shouldn’t miss Ronda either. This city lies at an altitude of around 720 meters. Here you can stroll leisurely through the alleys, enjoy delicious food, and take some truly great photos. Ronda is a special city with bridges and the impressive El Tajo Gorge. More about this here: Ronda Sights & Highlights.
Conil de la Frontera
Conil de la Frontera is only about 50 minutes from Tarifa. If you want to spend a relaxing day at the beach, then a trip is worthwhile. The town’s narrow streets are lined with one restaurant after the next. You definitely won’t go hungry here. You’ll also find some cool shops there. Otherwise, there’s not really much to see there.
Cape Trafalgar
Before you go, you’ll pass Cape Trafalgar. The beach and the dunes are really beautiful, as is the view from the lighthouse. There’s also a cool little beach bar on the beach with drinks and ice cream. We thought the spot was simply stunning! This place is perfect, especially if you’re looking for a relaxing day at the beach without much wind!
Seville, Malaga and Co.
Seville, Malaga, Gibraltar, Morocco. How cool is that? Spain and Africa are only 12 kilometers apart. In good weather, you can see the African continent from Spain’s coast. Simply magical!
Book Tarifa Tours
Would you rather take a cool tour? At Get your Guide, you’ll find a wide selection of activities. How about a day trip to Morocco, for example? Or a trip to the famous Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba?