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Tarifa...the southernmost point in continental Europe. Or as a friend of mine describes it: “as north as I am willing to live in Europe”. Tarifa is located on the Costa de la Luz (“the coast of light”) in southern Spain, on the shores of the Straight of Gibraltar, accross from Morocco.  Tarifa is well known for its buzzing social scene during the days of summer. It provides a small-town friendly atmosphere, with many activities for children, while also offering exciting activities for adults at night. In recent years it has become a popular spot for northern-Europeans to spend their summers.
Near the port of Tarifa there is a well-preserved castle, the Castillo de Guzman. The coast of Tarifa is also popular with windsurfers and kitesurfers due to the strong winds of the straits. For this reason Tarifa is also dotted with hundreds of wind turbines. Tarifa is an excellent place to watch migrating birds, in particular the storks which cross the Straits of Gibraltar in spring and autumn. Also whale and dolphin watching can be done on the 14 kilometer wide Straits. Like the name Costa de la Luz suggests, Tarifa enjoys many hours of sunlight each year. Tarifa is sometimes credited with being the origin of the word, tariff, since it was the first port in history to charge merchants for the use of its docks, but other sources point to the Arabic word, ta'rïf, as the origin. The name "Tarifa" itself is derived from the name of the Berber warrior, Tarif ibn Malik.
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