Tarifa - Fascinating Fact 3 - Out of Africa

Colourful souvenirs from Tangiers © Michelle Chaplow
Colourful souvenirs from Tangiers.  

Tarifa - Fascinating Fact 3 - Out of Africa

Tangiers can be reached by ferry from Tarifa in just 35 minutes. The Moroccan port has a fascinating history: after years under joint French and Spanish control, it was designated an "international zone" in the 1920s and remained so until independence in the 1950s, becoming a haven for Europeans in search of an alternative lifestyle, spies and eccentric millionaires; writers attracted by its liberal multiculturalism and vibrant, exotic atmosphere, include Tennessee Williams; William Burroughs, Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg; and Paul Bowles (who died here). Matisse also painted in the city. Today visitors are attracted by the medina (old walled city) with its winding streets, historic monuments, including the famous Kasbah, and colourful souks (markets); recent investment by King Mohammed VI includes a new beachfront cornice and luxury hotels.

 

 

  • Fact 1 - The town's Moorish history is not surprising - it was the first point of invasion from nearby Africa
  • Fact 2 - Not into high-adrenalin wetsuit experiences? Tarifa is also one of Europe's top whale-watching destinations
  • Fact 3 - Morocco is just half an hour away - you can see it from Tarifa - so why not have a day out in Tangiers?
  • Fact 4 - Why is Tarifa such an amazing place for wind-powered watersports?
  • Fact 5 - One of the Romans' favourite delicacies was made near Tarifa.
  • Tarifa - Fascinating Facts
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