The winds of Tarifa

Having another “Puente” (long weekend), a group of friends and I decided to go on a road trip to the small coastal town of Tarifa. I mean, who can resist the calling of the sun, surf and sand?

Tarifa is the southern-most edge of Spain (and Europe in general) and also the windiest. Being so close to the continent of Africa (13.5km at the closest point), it also has a port to catch a ferry to Tangiers, Morroco. With deserted beaches as far as the eye can see and approximately 300 days of sun and wind, it is a popular destination for kite and wind surfers.

 

 

 

 

There are two types of wind in Tarifa: the windsurfer-friendly Levante (that comes in from the east, usually warmer and at it’s best during summer) and the Poniente (blowing in from the west, cooler from the sea and more common during winter), which is best for kite surfers. Due to the force and consistency of windy days, Tarifa has hundreds of wind turbines. Interesting fact: in 2013, Spain was the first country in the world to rely on wind energy as its top energy source. Visiting Tarifa, and experiencing the velocity (and damage) of the wind firsthand, it’s no wonder why.

I had not heard much about Tarifa prior to the trip, but was warned how windy it was. However, I thought a little wind can’t hurt anyone, can it? But I was wrong and, sadly, my camera paid the price. What seemed like an innocent trip to the beach ended up being a sad day for my camera, which had sand lodged into many of its hinges and buttons. The wind was so strong, the sand was actually blown into my handbag (as in, through the seams) and even hurt to have it blown onto bare skin. Thankfully, my terribly thin nails actually came in handy (for once!) and I was able to dislodge a lot of the sand by running my nails between all of the edges of the buttons and utilise a toothbrush to do the rest of the work (Macgyver, eat your heart out!). It did take a few heartbreaking days, but the camera seems to work fine now. A warning to others though, do not take your camera (and possibly phone) unless it is well protected (and toothbrushes make a great cleaning tool)!

Tarifa seems like a nice enough place to visit, however the wind factor has clearly affected tourism and its overall look. Tarifa has one of the highest suicide rates in Spain, often blaming the depression caused by living in conditions with relentless wind. As we visited during the long weekend in November, many places were closing down for the winter. It certainly had an abandoned feel to it, with some run down buildings along the beachfront. There is a gritty feel and look to it, which some may like and refer to it as ‘character’. And, like many other cities, there are some shady characters around (we are 90% sure we saw a drug deal happening whilst walking along one of the main streets at night).

 

 

 

 

 

If it wasn’t for the strong wind (which, being the Poniente, was cold at this time of the year also), I’m sure it would be quite nice. A unique thing about Tarifa, is that it has both the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean lapping at its coast. On the left side of the pier (when looking out to sea), is the Mediterranean and on the right, is the Atlantic. Whilst it was too cold to go for a swim, I dipped my toes into both, and couldn’t tell the difference :p

One aspect that I enjoyed seeing, was the kite surfers. It is a pretty cool sport and watching them get taken up into the air and essentially fly over the ocean for a moment is quite a sight to see. If you decide to learn Kite Surfing here (and this is the place to do it, with plenty of companies offering lessons), make sure you put a decent amount of time and money aside for it. My friends decided to do a beginners’ lesson for a whopping €80 and literally spent 2 hours standing on the beach learning how to fly a kite. They didn’t enter the water once, nor did they get a proper go at standing on the boards or using the gear. They weren’t overly impressed in the end, so be warned! I was told at least a week is needed to get the hang of it and enjoy the sport.

I opted out of the lessons though (Sport + Lingy = a comedy of errors and potential tears), and decided to do an epic walk from Valdevaqueros to Bolonia Beach (and no, not the Bologna in Italy). Bolonia beach is a beautiful combination of sand, surf and Roman ruins. It is situated along the coast approximately 20kms north-west of Tarifa. I must say, this beach was breathtaking and much prettier than the beaches around Tarifa town. If you have a car, Bolonia beach is worth a visit. You can also see Roman ruins of Baelo Claudia, wonderfully preserved and excellent condition despite them dating back to the end of the second Century BC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course, Spain Time had struck again and the museum was sadly closed (it looked like it had been abandoned) when I got there, despite the opening hours stating otherwise. Thankfully, the beautiful sunset made up for it…

The other good thing about Tarifa, is that there is a bus that allows you to visit Gibraltar (which coincidentally, was on my Travel Wishlist). You take the bus from Tarifa to La Linea de la Concepción (Spain side) and then take a 10-minute walk to the Gibraltar border. Timetables can be found at www.tgcomes.es/horarios_33_english.htm Read about my day in Gibraltar here.

Personally, unless you are keen on water sports, whale watching or planning on a trip to Gibraltar or Morocco, I would opt for other beachside destinations over Tarifa. Yes, some beaches are beautiful, but the wind is certainly a consistent and unfavourable factor, especially if you don’t like the idea of sand entering every nook and cranny. The town itself is pretty with enough bars, restaurants and shops, however it is small and practically deserted in winter. If you do decide to visit Tarifa, plan your trip around the warmer months, or pack a good windbreaker!