Answers to the questions guests ask before they book: airports, buses and driving, the house, where to kitesurf and surf, the best places to see nearby, where to eat, and what to do with children. Something missing? Ask us on WhatsApp or by email.
Gibraltar Airport is about 45 minutes away by car, Málaga about two hours and Seville about two and a half hours. Málaga and Seville have the most flights; Gibraltar is the closest. Arriving by car is the simplest way: the house has its own private parking space, so there is no circling Tarifa's narrow streets.
Yes. Comes, the bus company that serves Tarifa, runs coaches to and from Algeciras, Cádiz, Seville and Málaga. From Málaga Airport there is no direct bus: take the coach to Algeciras, then the frequent local bus to Tarifa. Timetables change with the season, so check them before you travel.
Not for everyday life: Los Lances Beach is a 10-minute walk and the old town 12 minutes. A car is useful for Valdevaqueros, El Palmar and day trips. The house has a private parking space, and there is free parking for vans and larger vehicles near the Tramontana roundabout, a short walk away.
Yes. The ferry from Tarifa's port crosses to Tangier in about 35 minutes, which makes a day trip to Morocco easy. Remember your passport.
Yes, it is about 45 minutes away and makes a good half-day trip: the Rock, the Barbary macaques and duty-free shopping. Take your passport or ID card for the border.
There are two bedrooms and three bathrooms. The second bedroom can be made up as two single beds or as one double bed; tell us which you prefer before you arrive. A crib and a high chair are available on request.
Yes. It has 500 Mbps fibre Wi-Fi on every floor and a dedicated workspace on the top floor with sea views, away from the living areas.
Yes, in the whole house. The system switches between cooling and heating by itself to keep the temperature you set.
There is a storage space under the stairs for surfboards, kites, wingfoil equipment and beach gear.
Yes, pets are welcome. The community garden is shared with neighbours' children, so please clean up after your pet. Clínica Veterinaria Levante in Tarifa has English-speaking vets.
Yes. Outside the summer season the house is let for longer stays, including a whole school year from the end of September to June. See our school-year page or send us a request with your dates. School-year stays
Los Lances is wide and good for beginners and intermediate riders. Valdevaqueros is the classic Tarifa kite beach, with strong, steady wind. The town beach by the Balneario is open for kiting in winter. When the Levante blows above 30 knots, Caños de Meca or Getares (Algeciras) usually have a milder breeze, around 20 knots. Always check the wind forecast and safety conditions first: Tarifa's wind changes fast.
The Balneario has a fast beach break for experienced surfers. Playa ArteVida, between Los Lances and Valdevaqueros, has softer waves. El Palmar has consistent surf and many schools, and makes a good day trip. Yerbabuena in Barbate, when it works, is one of the best reef breaks in Andalusia. Check the wave forecast and tides before you go.
Yes. We know experienced kitesurf, wingfoil and surf instructors, and a school that rents kite, wing and surf equipment. Ask us and we will put you in touch.
Very: that is why kitesurfers love it. The strong east wind, the Levante, can blow for days. On windy days, the beaches on the other side of the bay or along the Atlantic coast are often calmer.
The clear water at Bolonia Beach, next to the Roman ruins of Baelo Claudia, is among the best snorkelling on the coast. In summer, whale-watching trips leave Tarifa's port to see dolphins, pilot whales and orcas in the Strait. On land, the Strait of Gibraltar and Los Alcornocales natural parks have coastal and forest trails (the Ruta del Estrecho is a favourite), and mountain-bike routes from easy coastal rides to technical singletrack.
Sunny: Tarifa has sunshine on more than 300 days a year. The wind is the thing to plan around: check the forecast, and on strong Levante days head for the calmer beaches mentioned above.
Our favourites, from closest to furthest: Bolonia Beach and the Roman town of Baelo Claudia (about 25 minutes), the white hill town of Vejer de la Frontera (35 minutes), Caños de Meca and Cape Trafalgar (about 50 minutes), Cádiz (1 hour 15 minutes), Ronda (2 hours 15 minutes), Málaga (2 hours 10 minutes) and Seville (about 2 hours 30 minutes). Gibraltar is 45 minutes by car and Tangier in Morocco 35 minutes by ferry. Driving times are approximate.
A long, wild beach with a huge natural sand dune you can climb, clear water that is among the best for snorkelling on this coast, and, right on the sand, the ruins of Baelo Claudia, a Roman town with its forum, theatre and fish-salting factories. About 25 minutes' drive west of Tarifa.
One of the most beautiful white towns of Andalusia, on a hilltop with Moorish lanes and views to the sea. Come for sunset and stay for dinner: El Jardín del Califa is a favourite. About 35 minutes by car.
A relaxed beach village below pine-covered cliffs, and next to it Cape Trafalgar, with its lighthouse on a sand spit and the sea where the Battle of Trafalgar was fought in 1805. A good alternative beach when the Levante is too strong in Tarifa. About 50 minutes by car.
One of the oldest cities in Europe, almost surrounded by the sea: cobbled lanes, a cathedral on the seafront, city beaches and a famous tapas and fried-fish culture. About 1 hour 15 minutes by car, and also reached by the Comes coach.
Andalusia's capital: the cathedral and the Giralda tower, the Royal Alcázar palace, the Plaza de España and flamenco in the Triana and Santa Cruz quarters. Worth at least a full day, or a night. About 2 hours 30 minutes by car, and also reached by coach.
A dramatic mountain town split by a deep gorge and joined by the famous Puente Nuevo bridge, with cliff-top views and one of Spain's oldest bullrings. About 2 hours 15 minutes by car through the hills.
Museums (including the Picasso Museum), the Alcazaba fortress, city beaches, shopping and rooftop dining. At about 2 hours 10 minutes, and with its airport, it fits well with an arrival or departure day.
All within about a 10-minute walk of the house: Silos 19 for modern Andalusian food in a garden courtyard, Bar El Francés for tuna tartare and tapas, Vaca Loca for Argentinian-style grills, El Cocedero at the port for seafood at sunset, Café 10 for breakfast, brunch or a cocktail in the old town, and Café Número C for what many locals call the best coffee in Tarifa. By the beaches, Waves and Aqua at Los Lances, and Tangana and the Beach Bar at Valdevaqueros.
The central market hall in town has fresh fish, cured meats and seasonal vegetables, and the weekly market on Saturdays sells local produce, honey, ceramics and vintage finds. There is also a supermarket a short walk from the house.
In Tarifa, Tribu Tarifa runs creative play and art mornings for children aged 2 to 6, and English Time Tarifa offers bilingual learning through play. Further afield: the small Castellar Zoo in San Roque (50 minutes), the safari-style park La Pequeña África in Jimena de la Frontera (1 hour), and Selwo Aventura in Estepona (1 hour 15 minutes). The bilingual Myland International School is an 8-minute drive from the house.
For an emergency, call 112. The Centro de Salud Tarifa, the town's health centre on Calle Calzadilla de Téllez, is open 24 hours a day for emergencies.