A small, still authentic Spanish town with a labyrinth of narrow white streets, a colourful, working fishing harbour, a castle, a market on Tuesdays, more and more small boutiques now attracting not only the surfers but the more sophisticated from further afield, restaurants, cafés and bars galore, and a nightlife.

The ferry for Tangier leaves several times daily from the harbour (35 minutes across). The view across the busy shipping strait to Africa is fabulous – ‘I never thought Morocco could be so near’ you hear many say.

It has something for everyone.

What you will find on Tarifa Inside'

Westwards we take you as far as Vejer de la Frontera which is an easy half day excursion. Eastwards we take you via El Cuarton and El Pelayo, where there are some attractive places to stay, to Algeciras which is the nearest larger town with a great ‘fruit and veg.’ market daily and a worthwhile general-and-clothes market on Tuesdays. Gibraltar is usually a ‘must’ for English visitors given its history. All are easy half-day excursions.

Recommended places to visit - 'Westwards'

All the recommended excursions take a full day – but are really worth it!

Going Westwards I take you as far as Cadiz and Medina Sidonia. The fields are ablaze with sunflowers from end May into June.

Eastwards, I hope you will visit Castellar de la Frontera (another former ‘frontier’ town established by the Moors), a unique small white village perced on a hilltop with its castle (currently being converted into a Parador i.e. a state-owned hotel). It is less ‘hippy’ than it used to be!

Recommended places to visit

Most of these excursions you can also do in a (long) day (such as Jerez , and even Genalguacil and Ubrique) but I personally would recommend you incorporate them into your travel programme on your way to or from Tarifa, staying a night or two. There are so many places to stop en route, such great views (‘miradors’ = easy stopping places to admire the view) and picnic spots.

I do not include Sevilla or Ronda as these are in absolutely every guide book. However, I do thoroughly recommend a two night stay in the little white village of Cartajima from which you can easily visit Ronda.

The excellent restaurants I recommend you would be highly unlikely to find without a ‘pointer’!

Recommended places to visit

How come there is a section on Morocco on a website about Tarifa, you may well ask!

Firstly, it is only a 35 minutes ferry crossing from Tarifa to Tangier (so in fact Tangier could conceivably come into the section ‘Round About’), and secondly I so enjoy visiting Morocco myself with my starting point being Tarifa, that I want to share it with you. It does take a certain ‘mind-set’, it is Africa and not Europe , and for some it can be a real culture shock. I remain convinced that if you follow my recommendations (elaborated by and bookable through Tarifa Holidays) you will enjoy it, feel safe, not be hassled and return exhausted but richer for the experience.

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