Location: Tarifa
Top Things to do in Tarifa
What to do and see in Tarifa, Andalucia: The Best Things to do
The pristine white beaches of Tarifa are just as majestic as the 800-year-old castle that stands proudly in this southern Spanish town. Windsurfing or kitesurfing is an absolute must, and the sea sparkles with the promise of bustling marine life—perfect for enthusiastic scuba divers. At night, Tarifa itself sparkles with bars, nightclubs and tapas bars galore.
Restaurants in Tarifa
1. Los Lances Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 635 reviews
Reviewed By olafbeltman
This beach is fnatastic for kitesurfing, but also for a day relaxing on the beach. Tarifa is a fnatastic old town with a great atmosphere.
2. Playa de Bolonia
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,047 reviews
Reviewed By nickliszka - London, United Kingdom
Nothing more to add - than I'm kicking myself for not visiting more!! Have been windsurfing in Tarifa for > 20 years - so always too busy to explore The beach last week brought tears to my eyes - unsurpassed beauty, a great walk, stunning sunshine, light winds and thanks to the tail end of a depression, wondrous waves Will pay homage to this beautiful beach every visit in future
3. Playa de Valdevaqueros
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 826 reviews
Reviewed By teresacO8184EV - Celbridge, Ireland
great beach .really good for surfing with a great view of Africa and massive sand dunes and a super beach bar full of atmosphere
4. Punta Paloma
5. Church of San Mateo
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 142 reviews
Reviewed By garryjh - Huntingdon, United Kingdom
A most place to visit on any visit to the Old Town, it is the HEART of the community, we have seen weddings, funerals and confirmations all taking place in this wonderful church
6. Castillo de Guzman el Bueno
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 449 reviews
Tarifa is a bridge between Europe and Africa and divides the Mediterranean from the Atlantic. The city occupies a strategic place in a legendary zone, “The Pillars of Hercules”. That’s the reason why it was inhabited from prehistoric times to this day, by Phoenicians, Romans, Muslims and Christians, upon this rocky peninsula, the most southern point of Europe. The castle was built in 960, by the Omeyyad Caliph Abd al-Rahman III, giving rise to the defensive enclosure that we see today, one of the best preserved in Spain. The Castle, which today show what has resulted from the addition of defensive structures (gates, towers, barriers), as well as from its palatial constructions, accumulated since the XV century up to the times of I Marquis of Tarifa in the XVI century. The castle preserved its military function for a for a millenium. In 1989 it was placed in civil hands, beginning with the restoration and archeological work that has made it known to us.
Reviewed By AltabasTravels - London, United Kingdom
We visited tarifa and took a walk to the Guzman castle and very nearly didn't go in... We had already seen a couple of historical Spanish buildings by this point in our trip and weren't really sure we wanted to see another. But the price on the door was very low and if nothing else it looked like we would get a good view from the tower and ramparts. We were very pleasantly surprised with the castle overall. Plenty of very informative plaques covering the history of the castle plus the wider history of tarifa and its importance in spain's history And we did get some fantastic views from the top too!
7. Isla de Las Palomas
8. Iglesia de San Francisco de Asis
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 46 reviews
Reviewed By MarkW55 - Castle Douglas, United Kingdom
We saw this church from the roof terrace of our hotel and, while strolling around the old town, decided to visit. The lovely bougainvillea outside gives the small square a picturesque atmosphere and the interior of the church is well worth visiting too.
9. Puerta de Jerez
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 150 reviews
Reviewed By SuttonTravelNut - Reigate, United Kingdom
Unless I'm missing something, I can't see any reference to "Strolling the streets, alleyways and squares of the old town" in the list of things to do in Tarifa! Yes, the Puerta de Jerez is lovely, but it's what's beyond it that I found fascinating, and well worth dedicating a fair amount of time to. If you read reviews of nearby towns just across the water in Morocco, people put considerable effort into reviewing their explorations of the old medinas - well in my opinion Tarifa's "medina" is just as worthy, and due to the lack of people who see you as a walking money bag, a lot more relaxing. I strolled for hours down alleyways, often to find small secluded squares at the other end just waiting to be seen. Exiting the squares on the opposite side lead to more intriguing areas to explore. This is also where you will find small shops and bars tucked away, as well as stunning churches and buzzing restaurants. I know I was there in April, so it wasn't exactly high season, but I did find that during the time I spent exploring the cobbled streets with their whitewashed buildings, the only people I came across were locals going about their daily business. Tourists seem to have given the place a miss. Whether the same could be said in the summer months, I couldn't say - maybe I'll have to go back then and see for myself! I'll take away three lasting memories of the few days I spent in Tarifa, namely the charming old town, the beautiful beaches and the ever-present wind, after all, there is a reason it's known as a surf town!
10. Playa Chica
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 64 reviews
Reviewed By csomosan - Victoria, Canada
This is a small awesome little beach on the Mediterranean sea, which is on left side as you look at the Isla de las Palomas which separates it from the Atlantic side on the right. It's great to swim in the Mediterranean sea on this beach and then walk over to the Playa de lis Lances on the other side of the Isla de las Palomas and swim in the Atlantic. Quite a diffrence! The Mediteranian side is much calmer! See my panoramic picture for the two beaches.
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