Tarifa occupies the southernmost point of continental Europe — a narrow promontory where the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea meet in the 14km Strait of Gibraltar. Across the water, Morocco is just 14km away, visible on clear days as a clear brown silhouette. The geography creates one of the world's most consistently windy spots: two alternating wind systems, the Levante (warm E/SE wind) and the Poniente (cool W/SW wind), ensure that Tarifa experiences strong wind on over 300 days per year.

This wind history shapes everything about the town — from the low white houses with heavy wooden doors built to withstand the Levante, to the culture of the people who live here. Tarifa was primarily a fishing village until the 1980s, when European windsurfers discovered Los Lances and the town's reputation spread globally. Kitesurfing arrived in the early 2000s and now dominates the beach — on a strong Levante day, Los Lances hosts hundreds of kites simultaneously and the sky is a constant, shifting mosaic of colour.

Beyond kitesurfing, Tarifa offers world-class surf breaks within 45 minutes of town (El Palmar, Conil), whale and dolphin watching in the Strait, and one of Andalusia's most atmospheric old towns — tight Moorish streets, excellent tapas, and a culture that blends Spanish mainland with Moroccan proximity in ways that feel genuinely unique. The overnight ferry to Tangier departs from Tarifa harbour twice daily.

Getting to Tarifa: 1 hour from Málaga airport on the A7 motorway; 2.5 hours from Sevilla; 45 minutes from Algeciras. The nearest large town is Algeciras (30 minutes), which has the main train connections. Car hire from Málaga is the most practical approach for multi-sport trips combining Tarifa kiting with inland Andalusia.