Tarifa is commonly known as the kitesurf mecca of Europe which has wind almost year round, a lively nightlife and lots of no-wind-activities. While it took me some time – and a second trip – to get to know Tarifa better, I would honestly say it doesn’t have the best kite conditions in the world. But the atmosphere, vibes and lifestyle it offers is very unique in Europe and attracts not only kitesurf addicts.
Contents
- Pros & Cons for kitesurfing in Tarifa
- General Infos for Tarifa, Spain (Wind, Water Temperature and Water Condition)
- How to get to Tarifa, Spain
- How to get around Tarifa, Spain
- Wind directions in Tarifa, Spain
- Kitesurf spots in and around Tarifa, Spain
- Kitesurf spots close to Tarifa, Spain
- Accommodation in Tarifa, Spain
- The best Restaurants and Cafés in Tarifa, Spain
- Supermarkets and organic stores in Tarifa
- No wind activities in Tarifa, Spain
- Gyms and Yoga Studios in Tarifa, Spain
- Day trips from Tarifa, Spain
- Digital Nomad factor for Tarifa, Spain
Pros & Cons for kitesurfing in Tarifa
+ good and laid-back vibes, nice restaurants
+ variety of kitesurf spots and kitesurf conditions
+ cute town, vivid nightlife
+ lots of no-wind-activities
+ reasonable costs of living (not during high season)
+ hotspot for digital nomads (not during high season)
– need a car to get to the spots (but the car rental is super cheap!)
– very crowded during high season (end June – early Sept)
– cold water (you always need a wetsuit/shorty)
General Infos for Tarifa, Spain (Wind, Water Temperature and Water Condition)
When to go – Best Wind in Tarifa: April – October
The best wind is from April – October but end of June – early September are veeery crowded! If you are planning to stay for longer you can basically kite year-round but will have some non-windy-periods inbetween.
Water Temperature Tarifa: wetsuit
long wetsuit (4/3) in spring, autumn, winter, shorty during summer
Wind speed/kite sizes for Tarifa:
Anything from 0 – 40+ kts 😉 With wind direction Levante you get around 20 – 40+ kts, with wind direction Poniente you have lighter wind with around 10 – 25 kts, so best is to bring all the sizes you have.
Water Condition: flat, choppy, waves (depending on spot)
Beginner friendly?

How to get to Tarifa, Spain
You can fly to Malaga (AGP), which I always found the cheapest flights to, and then drive a little less than 2 hours to Tarifa. The closest airport is Gibraltar (GIB) which belongs to the UK and is just a 45 min drive to Tarifa.
How to get around Tarifa, Spain
I’d go for a rental car since you always need to drive to the spots. Rental Cars are insanely cheap during lower season if you get it e.g. in Malaga. I always book my rental car via billiger mietwagen (German Site, you can cancel up to 24 hrs before) or Rental Cars (International Site).
I made the experience that it’s sometimes significantly cheaper if you rent a car for 3 weeks, then bring it back again and rent a new one for 3 weeks.
If you fly to Gibraltar (which is UK), make sure to check the rental car prices at La Linea (Spain), which is just a 5-minute walk from Gibraltar airport and sometimes cheaper.
If you don’t want to rent a car check out Tarifa Car Share for sharing rides e.g. to and from the airport. You can also check blablacar, usually you can find rides from Algeciras to Malaga (Tarifa – Malaga is less common but you might be lucky during main season).
Wind directions in Tarifa, Spain
Levante
Levante is the infamous, sometimes gusty and strong offshore wind (around 20 – 40/ 50 knots) you might know from kitesurf videos, the kind of wind that can drive you crazy. Overall it’s wind quality is not as good as Poniente.
Poniente
Coming from West from the Atlantic, Poniente is more light or moderate wind (and mor cold as well) and is pretty steady, the kind of wind you’ll prefer for your kitesurf sessions if you’re not into strong wind (inbetween 10 – 25 knots)
Kitesurf spots in and around Tarifa, Spain
If you get confused by the detailed spot selection, here is a simple guideline to egt you started: you’ll mainly be kiting inbetween Arte Vida (4) and Los Lances (7) with Poniente and on Valdevaqueros with Levante 🙂
At some spots you are officially forbidden to kite in summer which is from 15.06. until 15.09.
1. Bolonia
wind: Levante and Poniente
level: all levels
good for: Freeride
NOTE: forbidden to kite here in summer, usually a windsurf spot, waves during winter time
2. Punta Paloma and 3. Valdevaqueros
wind: Levante and Poniente
level: all levels
good for: Freeride /Freestyle/Wave
4. Arte Vida
wind: Poniente
level: intermediate – expert
good for: Freeride/Wave
NOTE: forbidden to kite here in summer
5. Los Lances Norte
wind: Levante and Poniente
level: all levels
good for: Freeride
6. Rio Jara
Rio Jara Wave Spot
wind: Levante
level: expert
good for: Wave
NOTE: forbidden to kite here in summer, offshore wind, no rescue
Rio Jara Lagoon
wind: Poniente
level: all levels
good for: Freeride /Freestyle
NOTE: it’s illegal to kite here but you’ll always find a lot of kitesurfers, it works best with high tide..
7. Los Lances (La Jaima)
wind: Poniente
level: all levels
good for: Freeride/Wave
NOTE: forbidden to kite here in summer
8. Balneario
wind: Levante and Poniente
Level: expert
good for: Freestyle (Levante), Freeride/Wave (Poniente)
NOTE: forbidden to kite here in summer, with Levante offshore wind!, current, rocks, unwritten rule among the locals: there are max. 6 kiters in the water, otherwise the small spots is too crowded
Kitesurf spots close to Tarifa, Spain
Los Caños de Meca
wind: works with strong Levante
level: intermediate – expert
good for: Freeride/Wave
NOTE: forbidden to kite here in summer, wind is lighter than in Tarifa so you need strong Levante
Getares
wind: works with strong Levante
level: intermediate – expert
good for: Freeride/Wave
NOTE: forbidden to kite here in summer, strong current, big shore break, wind is lighter than in Tarifa
Palmones
wind: ideal when the Levante is too strong as it is a bit lighter here, a lot of kite schools go here
level: all levels
good for: Freeride
NOTE: forbidden to kite here in summer (but you will still see kiters 😉 )
Sotogrande
wind: works with strong Levante
level: intermediate – expert
good for: Freeride/Wave
NOTE: forbidden to kite here in summer
Accommodation in Tarifa, Spain
Since I’d recommend getting a car for Tarifa to visit all the spots it doesn’t matter so much where you stay, there are plenty of apartment options – we stayed in an airbnb apartment (get a discount on your first stay on airbnb with this link).
An accommodation I can really recommend is Akitenesshouse by my friends Vanessa (nickname: Ness which is why it’s called a kiteness house 🙂 ) and Axel, who are such passionate hosts, kitesurfers and love to share their knowledge for Tarifa. Each room has a different interior and topic (like Greece, Vietnam etc).
For finding Accommodation long-term (a month or longer) check out these Facebook groups Tarifa Room Mate and Properties for Rent & Sale Tarifa. Although these are usually only options during lower season (October – March), from April – September it is hard to find cheaper long-term deals as hosts prefer short-stay and charge accordingly.
The best Restaurants and Cafés in Tarifa, Spain
Breakfast and Cafés in Tarifa
They are sorted as if you were walking from the beach towards Tarifa town 😉 Please note there are so many amazing cafés I couldn’t fit them in here so keep exploring on your own and let me know if you found a new favorite besides the ones I mentioned
- Element café small and cozy with good vibes, great for breakfast and lunch
- Brio lots of vegan/vegetarian options, they make the best cappuccino with plant-based milk, yummy sweet vegan mains, tapas and desserts, also open in the evenings
- Surla since day one a favorite. Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Bonjour the new health shack in town with yummy healthy dishes and daily specials
- Cafe Azul great breakfast/brunch place, indoor seating
- Numero C one of the best coffees in town, lost of vegan options on the menu, breakfast/brunch place)
- Cafe 10 yummy stuff as well, like the green juice, outdoor sitting space and a few seats inside
- Andrea’s cafe great for breakfast, Acai bowls, yummy healthy sweets and coffee
Cafés/Restaurants around Tarifa
(outside of Tarifa, on the way to the kite spots if driving towards Agua and Valdevaqueros)
- PowerHouse super yummy breakfast and lunch options, a must-try! just outside of town, worth driving there even if you don’t kite 😉 Now also open for dinner with a different menu
- Ozu Bar yummy healthy options, just know that the food here might take a bit of a longer wait but it is well worth it 🙂 open all day
Restaurants in Tarifa
- Bar El Frances one of my absolute favorites, we can never decide what to take so simply order a few dishes and share them all 😉
- BoccaBuena one of my absolute favorites number 2
- Silos 19 same owner as El Frances so the menu is similar, the location is super fancy and worth visiting
- Mic Moc healthy food options
- No. 6 Cocina Sencilla
- Chilimosa yummy vegetarian food
- Bendita Comida cute location, small but yummy menu, vegan options avaiable
Supermarkets and organic stores in Tarifa
Supermarkets in Tarifa
Mercadona is my favorite with a big selection but Super Sol and Lidl offer a big selection as well. Note that the only supermarket open on Sundays until 2pm is this Dia. There are many more smaller supermarkets and minimarkets spread around Tarifa.
Organic/Eco stores in Tarifa
- La Biobodeguita small but nice selection, I love their loose tea selection
- Biomio nice selection, you can also preorder various breads, even keto bread, and if you have special desires check with them they might be able to order it for you
- Tarifa Natural usually for bigger quantities but they have nice fruit and vegetable as well, if you want to buy big quantities of nuts/dried fruits/spices etc this is the place to go, they have other organic stuff as well
- El Olivo nice selection of organic cleaning products, products for the body etc, less food stuff.
No wind activities in Tarifa, Spain
So many! Surfing, yoga, beach volleyball, hiking/climbing, whale watching, mountain biking, running on the beach or promenade, outdoor “gyms” on the beach promenade, go shopping in Tarifa town and get lost in all those cute little boutiques, enjoy the good food and tapas (usually happens here around 8/9pm), partying (parties start here around 11/12 pm).
Gyms and Yoga Studios in Tarifa, Spain
Gyms in Tarifa, Spain
- On Tarifa fitness (gym & group classes like Pump, Gluteboom, Yoga etc)
- New Concept Tarifa (gym, Cross fit-oriented)
Yoga in Tarifa, Spain
- Yoga with Alizee in Wild House (a bit outside of Tarifa in a magical location, contact her for the schedule) and on the rooftop of Hostal Africa (a beautiful hotel in the old town)
- Hostal Africa offers a beautiful mix of yoga teachers and styles on the rooftop, nestled in the old town. You can check their schedule on Instagram, they also have meditation classes and wellness weekends.
- Asociación Holistica Respira (Spanish and English Classes, Acro Yoga available, find them on Instagram here)
- Mandalablue yoga
- Om Shala (called Mama Tierra now) Spanish classes
- there are a lot of new studios opening so make sure to keep your eyes open while you are in Tarifa 🙂
Breathwork and Astrology in Tarifa, Spain
- Breathwork sessions with me, Miriam, the founder of this blog 😉 I am updating on new events on my instagram or this WhatsApp breathwork group for Tarifa
- Astrology readings and moon ceremonies with Vanessa. You can contact her via her instagram or Whatsapp +41 79 959 02 19
Day trips from Tarifa, Spain
How about a trip to Vejer de la Frontera, Cádiz, Gibraltar (UK) or even to Tangier, Morocco (30-min-ferry ride which is actually an hour from door to door) or Chefchaouen, Morocco – the blue town (ferry ride to Tangier and 2 hr drive from there)
Digital Nomad factor for Tarifa, Spain
While it wasn’t the best kite conditions I ever had, it definitely had the perfect combination of Digital Nomad lifestyle paired with kitesurfing, healthy lifestyle while also having a good nightlife – so an ideal spot if you’re staying longer and don’t mind if you don’t kite every day. So the overall package Tarifa offers is pretty unique. I loved Tarifa’s vibe, it’s one of the towns where you feel at home instantly.
Since this was my very first trip as a kitesurfing Digital Nomad, the connections I made in Tarifa connected my to other kitesurfing Digital Nomads all over the world which I still keep meeting know wherever the wind blows. So it’s definitely a good starting point if you want to get in touch with the whole scene. Now I love coming back and seeing the scene grow and grow, both with kitesurfing and non-kitesurfing Digital Nomads.
Coworking Spaces in Tarifa, Spain
La Cocotera Coworking Hostel (in the old town)
Tarifa Garage Coworking (in the poligono/industrial zone, parking around is available)
Coworking Cafes in Tarifa, Spain
There are many cafes that you could potentially work from if you don’t need suuuper fast wifi but be aware that many cafes are small and don’t have many seats so it is a given that you consume appropriately if you do work there and don’r come in the rush hour 😉 I liked Surla and Café Del Mar in Tarifa, Tangana is a Cafe/restaurant right at the kitesurf spot in Valdevaqueros (around 7 km outside of town). There are many more, make sure to check out WebWorkTravel’s Tarifa guide for more coworking cafes.
Mobile Internet (Sim Card)
I got a Vodafone Sim Card in Spain as I wanted the one with the biggest data package but I guess Orange and Movistar are just as fine, you can find it in Tarifa town itself.
Tip: Depending on where you move around in Tarifa your network might switch to Moroccan network which can become veeeery costly. Make sure that if you use your European Sim Card in Tarifa with Roaming you either talk to your provider first to change your roaming to Europe only or you manually change it in the settings so that it only connects e.g. to Vodafone ES or Movistar. [For iPhone go to Settings > Cellular Network > Switch Automatic off and manually pick your network provider]
Further useful links for Digital Nomads in Tarifa
- Facebook Group Tarifa Digital Nomads (they have started also various whatsapp groups for digital nomads e.g. a general group, kitesurf group, hiking group etc)
- Facebook Group Tarifa Community Noticeboard for general questions on Tarifa, where to find certain things/activities etc, very active
- For finding Accommodation long term check out the Facebook groups Tarifa Room Mate and Properties for Rent & Sale Tarifa. You can also try to get a better deal on airbnb, some hosts are open to it during lower season which is usually from October to March.
- Tarifa Car Share for sharing rides e.g. to the airport. You can also check blablacar, usually you can find rides from Algeciras to Malaga (Tarifa – Malaga is less common but you might be lucky during main season).
- Tarifa Guide for Digital Nomads by WebWorkTravel
- Tarifa Guide by UK Digital Nomad James (not a kitesurfer
but good infos about Tarifa for Digital Nomads)
Digital Nomad Events in Tarifa
Join the Facebook Group Tarifa Digital Nomads and the whatsapp groups for spontaneous meetups and events.