TAAAAAAAAAARIFA!
Officially the Epicentre of Hipness of the Globe. Backpacker, surfer, bar fly, fashion victim, pop star, priest or dog... we all luuuuuv Tarifa.
Seperated by 31 kilometers or 19 miles, 45 minutes by Fast Ferry (there is no slow one) and 12 centuries of friction.
For anyone who is the slightest bit interested in cultural differences, sports or ecology, Tarifa is a Must.
The geriatric Costa del Sol is far, far away here. This is for lovers of surf, young fashion and trendy music. Read more in TarifaDreamer.
KITE SURF CAPITAL OF EUROPE
Tarifa boasts more surf and surf wear shops than any other town in Europe.
It also means it has become something as an epicentre of Hipness.
Tarifa has its own clothing labels such as Sons of the Desert and especially El Niño, a surf brand of youth and non-conformism. Its logo, a little ghost, has become something of an icon for young water sport enthousiasts.
In restaurants such as Souk Restaurant, a very popular and trendy place to eat or just have tea, recordings are made of this typical "tarifa lounge", a fusion of ambient with arabic influences.
Ana Torroja, previously the singer of Mecano and now a solo-artist, forever eternal for songs as "Hijo de la luna" and "Mujer contra mujer", is rumoured to spend whole summers here.
And that is something, because she is the nouvelle cuisine or 1968 Chardonnay in the MC Donalds of music. A real artist, like Rosanna, or Manu Chao or Leonard Cohen.
Victoria Beckham goes to Marbella.
FUN
FACTS ABOUT TARIFA
Southernmost town of mainland Europe. (Yes, that is not Gibraltar).
Gave its name to the word Tariff, known the world over. It was the first port to charge merchants for the use of its docks. Moroccans will say that the word comes from the Arabic ta'rif.
Spaniards will claim that the Arabic word ta'rif stems from... at which point Arabs will say that Spain has to stop the occupation of Ceuta and Melilla, after which a war breaks out over the 4 square feet island of Perejil, after which Colin Powell has to come over, and then we all build a chunnel together.
18.000 inhabitants.
Got famous in the USA when Jemma Bush almost had her cell phone stolen on Tarifa Beach in 2004.
In the winter: the highest suicide rate of Spain. The wind drives you crazy.
TARIFA WEATHER
Summer (July-August) is very hot, but being located right on the divide between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, the heat is very bearable.
In winter though... the winds!! The Winds that have turned Tarifa into the Nec Plus Ultra of surf and kitesurf in summer.
And, in winter, into the town with the highest suicide rate of Spain.
The summer is... lovely. All along the 10 km long beach, and all along the Costa de la Luz, there are small parties on the beach.