Holidays and Lifestyle in Tarifa

Tarifa is predominantly known for water sports. But in the recent years, the area has become popular for many other sporting activities and one of those is mountain biking.

Such is the growth in the popularity of mountain biking, that many locals are now participating in regional and national competitions and getting great results.

But of course, for many who visit Tarifa, the sport is all about the chance to get out in nature, experience the raw terrain and enjoy the pleasure of biking cross-country.

Tarifa’s main attraction as a mountain biking course is largely due to its location and geography.

Firstly, Tarifa is located between two natural parks, Los Alcornocales and El Estrecho. These two parks provide lots of great tours including tracks through forests that involves navigating some difficult terrain and across wide-open green landscapes.

Because of Tarifa’s proximity to Morocco, those tours, which move south towards the coastline also offer stunning views across the Strait to the coasts of north Africa.

Local mountain bike companies such as Art of Surfing (AOS) also organise tours to Morocco, which means that bikers can spend a week experiencing tours in two different continents.

When you book a mountain bike tour with AOS, the tour includes the use of Cannondale mountain bikes, repair kits, helmets and a qualified instructor.

The price of a tour varies depending on the length of the route but prices begin at around 35 euros a day. It’s also possible to simply hire a bike for the day for about 20 euros and the day trip to Morocco costs 80 euros; that price includes the ferry crossing.

It’s not necessary to have any experience to go mountain biking in Tarifa as the tours can easily be modified to suit the level of the tour participants.

For more information on the various mountain bike tours in Tarifa, contact Tony at Tarifa Direct today.

One of the best things about choosing to stay in a Tarifa apartment is the freedom it gives you while on holiday.

Firstly, Tarifa is a small town. This means that whatever Tarifa apartment you choose to stay in, it will be located within easy distance to shops, beach and restaurants.

The main requirement of any holiday accommodation is convenience and this is assured when you book a Tarifa apartment for rent. With a fully equipped self-catering kitchen and beautiful balcony or terrace, a perfect way to start the day is with a breakfast at home overlooking either the beach or old town.

By giving you the option to shop at the local supermarket and stock up on your favourite Andalucian foods at a reasonable price, this type of holiday is also guaranteed to save you money.

With breakfast finished, you have the option to hit the beach or do a little sight-seeing. If you rent a Tarifa apartment on the beach and are in Tarifa to kite, you will never miss a moment of wind as your direct access to the beach means the moment a breeze comes up, you can hit the water.

If you’re new to kite surfing and are in Tarifa to learn how to kite, a Tarifa apartment will make even more sense as you will have quick access to surf school meeting points along the beach.

Also it’s likely that you’ll spend all day on the beach so if you need to pop back to your Tarifa apartment for any reason, that will be easy. For lunch, the handiest thing to do will be to pack a lunchbox and enjoy a beach picnic.

By the time you get home at the end of your Tarifa kite day, expect to be happily exhausted. Now it’s time for a nap before a shower and a change of clothes. Then head out to one of the many beautiful restaurants surrounding your Tarifa apartment.

For more information on the selection of Tarifa apartments available to you, contact Tony at Tarifa Direct today.

  Tarifa Direct has a select range of Tarifa apartmentsavailable for rent both on the beach and in Tarifa town. Depending on your needs, it’s also possible to rent a Tarifa apartment with wifi and / or pool.

The Tarifa Direct website is custom designed to make it relatively simple for you to find the best Tarifa apartment for rent, one that is both within your budget and close to all amenities.

The site gives you two search options. On the right hand side of the home page is a search tool which allows you to search Tarifa Direct’s entire database of properties; you can search by date or by property type.

On the left hand side of the home page is a list of links including Tarifa Beach Apartments, Tarifa Central Apartments and Tarifa Apartments with Pool. Click on any of these links to view the selection of apartments in these categories.

Expect to find a wide range of Tarifa apartments available throughout the year for both long-term and short-term rentals. Prices vary. For example a Tarifa beach apartment for holiday rental will cost approximately 60 euros per day in low season and up to 125 euros per day in high season.

All Tarifa Direct’s beach apartments are located in modern front line apartment complexes with private gardens and private parking.

The selection of Tarifa central apartments tends to be more varied. Those located in Tarifa’s old town tend to be more rustic in style, while some have been redecorated to give a Moroccan flavour.

Regardless of your preference, when you rent a Tarifa apartment you can count on comfort and convenience as a given. The only tough part of renting a Tarifa apartment is having to leave it.

For more information on Tarifa apartments for rent, contact Tony at Tarifa Direct today.

So you’re thinking of staying in a Tarifa villa when you book your holiday in Tarifa but you can’t decide what option is the best value for money. Here are a few pointers to keep in mind.

Location, Location, Location

Do you want beach life? Are you planning on kite-surfing? Do you want to be able to hit the water the minute a breeze blows? If your answer is yes to these questions, then aTarifa villa is the best choice for you. All Tarifa Direct’s villa are located outside the town with clear views to Tarifa’s five-mile long beach and the main kite spots.

The More the Merrier

These days, due to the recession, many people are opting to go on holidays in groups or two and three families are teaming up to share the cost. This is a great way to rent a Tarifa villa at a reasonable price. By sharing the cost of a villa, it can make the overall price significantly less than a hotel but you still get 5-star standards.

Keep the Kids Quiet

Finding a suitable holiday that keeps both parents and kids happy is always a challenge. In order for parents to get a quiet moment to themselves, the kids have to be occupied but safe. This is one of the main advantages of renting a Tarifa villa as the gardens are enclosed and the villa will typically come with its own pool. This means the kids can be within eyesight but out of earshot …. just about.

Feel at Home without the Hassle

All of Tarifa Direct’s villas come with the option of additional services such as wifi, cleaning, cooking, babysitting and even yoga. Can their be anything better than catching up on emails while someone else cooks the dinner and minds the kids? Need I say more.

For more information on Tarifa villas or to book your Tarifa villa, contact Frank or Tony at Tarifa Direct today.

  When Jim and his wife moved to Tarifa, little did they know that six years later they’d be building a life for four children and working with a current world champion kite surfer.

Like many of the expat community living in Tarifa, when Jim first visited the town eight years ago, he immediately fell in love.

‘A friend of mind was taking a year’s sabbatical and was in Tarifa. He suggested that I visit, that I would really like the place. He was right. From the first moment, I knew Tarifa had something special.’

The actual move from London to Tarifa took about six months. Jim left behind a well paying job with a London based business consultancy. Then he, his wife and young child boarded a plane south. They haven’t looked back since.

‘Sure, living in the south of Spain may not offer the same financial security or opportunities of a city like London, but the pay off comes in the quality in life. I didn’t like the idea of raising my family in the city. I wanted my children to have a freer life. Tarifa gives them that.’

As Jim is half-Spanish, learning the language was not so much of an obstacle. That said, when he arrived in Tarifa, he had no idea how he was going to make a living.

‘We kept our eye on the local property market and with the help of Tarifa Direct, when the time was right, we decided to invest in a frontline plot on the outskirts of town.’

Jim used the plot to build a 3-storey 750 sq. metre shop, a project, which was scheduled to take 9 months, but ended up taking two years to complete.

‘Building the shop was a huge learning curve and taught me a lot about working with the Spanish system,’ he says.

The plan was to rent out the shop but then the crisis hit and Jim had to rethink his options. Then a chance meeting with Gisela Pulido, the 7 times kite surf world champion and Tarifa resident changed his world.

Working together with Gisela, they used the shop to open the Gisela Pulido Pro Kite Surf School. Combining Gisela’s international success and Jim’s business experience, the school was an instant success.

The school is annexed to a shop called Superfly where they sell boutique women’s clothes, men’s sportswear and kite equipment.

‘It’s been an amazing journey,’ Jim explains, ‘but it hasn’t been easy. Making a living in this part of the world definitely has its challenges. The biggest difference for me is in the attitudes. In London it matters what car you drive, where you live and where you go on holidays. Here those things are irrelevant. In our free time we go to the beach with the kids and nothing beats that. The day to day life is way better than anything London has to offer.’

For more information on how you can make the transition to a new life in Tarifa, contact Tony Cassidy atTarifa Direct today and get some expert advice.

If you want it to be, Tarifa is non-stop. It’s a beach town, party zone, surf spot and historic trip all rolled into which is why there is so much to do when you holiday in Tarifa. Here we take a look at some of the hot activities Tarifa has to offer.

Tarifa Kite lessons

Tarifa and kitesurfing go together like sea and sand. You don’t have to go kitesurfing in Tarifa but it’s the town’s most popular activity. There are tons of kite schools to choose from all offering competitive packages. Typically you can choose between 2 day and 5 day packages with prices starting at 160 euros. If you don’t have your own board and suit, the schools will also provide all the necessary equipment.

Tarifa Bird watching

Tarifa lies at the point of a key migration route for birds and in the autumn the sky is awash with a vast collection of species that includes hawks, eagles, sparrows, vultures, storks, larks, warblers and finches.

Trip to Tanger

For many the highlight of their trip to Tarifa is the chance to take the half hour ferry across the Strait of Gibraltar to spend time in the northern Moroccan city of Tangier. With its ancient Medina and voracious street hawkers, Tangier is considered by many to be a veritable assault on the senses. An experience never to forget.

Tango in Misiana

If you feel like brushing up on your dancing skills or just want to start the week off with a bang, then you can’t beat Monday night Tango in Hotel Misiana. With a professional teacher from Argentina and lots of couples from beginners to advanced level, expect an evening of exotic fun.

Lunch in the Old Town

Tarifa’s old town is dotted with Andalucian squares each with their own restaurants, tapas bars and atmosphere. Lunch time, check out Plaza San Martin where you have a mix of traditional Spanish tapas and fresh fish as well as Mexican and Italian. At this time of the day, you can also expect to find live music and dancers in the Plaza.

These are just some of the things that you can do with your holiday in Tarifa. For more ideas check out theTarifa Direct website today.

These days holiday-makers in Spain demand a lot more that sun, sea and sand. In fact, these days those things are taken as a given.

For a holiday to really offer value for money, there should also be lots to do and easy access to convenient services.

And that’s what puts Tarifa holidays ahead of the rest. A holiday in Tarifa is literally a veritable feast of things to do, places to go and people to see.

  When it comes to choosing the best rental accommodation in Tarifa, Tarifa Direct offers you a select range of houses, villas and apartments that meet both your holiday needs and budget expectations.

For families and group holiday-makers Tarifa Direct has one of the most exclusive selections of Tarifa villas to choose from.

Most of these Tarifa villas for rent are located outside the town but no further than 10 kms from it.

All these Tarifa villas are within easy reach to the beach and come with added conveniences such as cleaning and cooking staff, babysitters and even yoga teachers. Simply notify Tarifa Direct in advance to avail of these services.

One such Tarifa villa for rent is El Torre Jon located in the mountains above Valdevaqueros Beach.

While this villa can sleep up to twelve and is perfect for groups, it’s also great for surfers. Views to the beach from this Tarifa villa mean that the second the wind blows up, you can grab your board and head to the water, never missing a second of fun.

Tarifa Direct has a selection of apartments for rent in Tarifa as well as rental houses in Tarifa, all within easy access to the town and beach.

Rental apartments in Tarifa come in all sizes from one-bedroom studios to spacious penthouses with stunning views to Africa.

If you plan to spend your holiday either on the beach or eating out at one of Tarifa’s many sumptuous restaurants, then a simple apartment for rent in Tarifa town is probably the best option.

If you are brining the family along and plan to spend some quality time together, then a house for rent in Tarifa is most likely a better option.

To check all the rental accommodation in Tarifa that Tarifa Direct has to offer, simply visit their website.

If you have more specific questions, just get in touch with Tony or Frank at Tarifa Direct and they will be happy to answer all your holiday queries.

Imagine this scene: you wake up early to find the sun lighting up the arched windows across from your bed. So you get up, open the patio doors and step out onto the cool tiles of the terrace to feel the heat on your face.