By Zoë Ouwehand-Reid

Tarifa is known as a High Wind Area … and this is indeed what it is, with both the advantages and disadvantages of this. It was the wind that first brought Tarifa to the attention of the international community when windsurfers discovered its potential.

The Levante wind (from the East) is said to blow an average of 165 days a year. There is no forecasting when it will or will not blow. This is the wind which the experienced windsurfers just love and families with small children hate as it is impossible to go to the beach. It is this wind which ensures that the majority of visitors to the area are ‘sporty types’, not coach loads of sun-worshippers who prefer the wind-still areas of the Costa del Sol.

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The Poniente wind is a cooler wind which blows from the north, much to the delight of the kite surfers. This wind is less strong and the beach is often idyllic when it blows as it is not too hot and the hundreds of kites in the sky are an added attraction - they look like so many coloured butterflies. Dos Mares hotel and beach is nice to visit when it is Poniente.

In fact, given the wind it is seldom too hot in Tarifa, in contrast to the extreme heat in such places as Sevilla and also further along the Costa del Sol.

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When the Levante really ‘blasts in’ it is also uncomfortable on the Dar Cilla roof terrace, even though here you do not get scrubbed by the sand. In fact, it is quite difficult to know where to go when this wind is really strong. We can only make the following suggestions:

If you go to Zahara de los Atunes (35 minutes drive) you can rent a Levantino, which is a moon-shaped tent which is pegged into the sand, and often you can lie reasonably comfortably behind this. Take the road to Cádiz, N-340, turn off at Zahara de los Atunes and follow this road until the roundabout. Enjoy the beautiful view and countryside. Turn left at this roundabout and take the 2nd road to the RIGHT. Follow this road until the beach and park your car on the parking lot opposite the Gran Sol Hotel. (Only during high season; June - September)

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If the wind blows, but is not too strong, you can lunch reasonably comfortably at Bolonia, at the restaurants very near the ruins, as these are fairly protected.

There is a swimming pool at Hotel Tres Mares which we are told is at present open to the public (other hotels reserve their pools for hotel guests).

The chiringuito at the Hurricane hotel is reasonably sheltered from the Levante wind.

More on Tarifa inside

An Overview
A brief history
Things to do
Tarifa beaches
Weather Tarifa
Tarifa restaurants

More on Tarifa Inside Out and Round About

Outside
Round About
Further Afield
Morocco

About Zoë and her guesthouse

Zoë is the owner of Guesthouse Dar Cilla which is unique of its sort in Tarifa. It is located on the outskirts of the old town within the old 12th century walls. 'Dar' is an Arabic word for a town house in which a series of suites are grouped around a central courtyard. Each suite is fully independent, but there is a pleasant air of 'sociability' and you will meet Zoë and fellow guests on the roof terrace over a glass of wine.

More about Zoë
More about Guesthouse Dar Cilla