Tarifa is known for its stunning beaches, which are a popular destination for sun and water sports lovers. Tarifa has 20km of coastline with a particularity that makes it unique, since it has beaches bathed by both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. The Isla de las Palomas of Tarifa is the southernmost point of Europe, where both seas meet, from there on both sides you can enjoy its natural and spectacular beaches. It is not for nothing that three of them appear on Skyscanner's list of the best beaches in Spain in 2023: Valdevaqueros, Punta Paloma and Bolonia. Next we are going to do a review of the Beaches of Tarifa:
Playa Chica.
It is a small and isolated beach, located in the center of the city, in the natural lap formed between the exit of the port of Tarifa and the Isla de las Palomas, the last beach of the Mediterranean Sea. It is perfect for those who are looking for a quiet place to enjoy the sun and the beach, especially for families with small children because of its calm and shallow waters. It is also ideal for swimming and it is common to see swimmers making the crossing from this beach to the Isla de las Palomas.
It has all kinds of services (disabled access, surveillance, showers and toilets, kiosk) and is just 5 minutes from the port area with many bars and restaurant.
Los Lances Beach.
It is one of the longest and most popular beaches in Tarifa, with 8 km of golden sand and crystal clear waters. It is perfect for practicing water sports such as kitesurfing and windsurfing in delimited areas from June 15 to September 15.and to its full extent the rest of the year.
Los Lances beach begins on the right bank of the Isla de las Palomas and has a total length of approximately 8km with an average width of 120 meters. It is divided into two zones: Los Lances South and Los Lances North.
Los Lances Sur has a length of 5km and goes from the Isla de las Palomas to the Rio Jara Camping area. Unlike Los Lances North, this beach is connected to the urban area of the city, so it is a beach reserved for bathers from June 15 to September 15. Water sports are allowed the rest of the year, with the area on the right bank of the island being the preferred spot for surfers due to its waves. When a strong east wind blows (off-shore) it is an ideal area for freestyle kitesurfing and spectacular jumps can be seen by the most advanced kitesurfers.
Los Lances South has numerous chiringuitos from the Island to the football field area that we list in this order: Chiringuito Lounge Beach (on the right bank of the Island) Spa (next to the Tuna statue), Waikiki (next to the Almadraba Higher Education Institute, just 200m from our apartments in Residencial Luna), Demente (in front of the Municipal Pool and the Tortuga 2 Urbanization where one of our apartments, Lupita, is located), Carbones 13 (in front of the football stadium) and Gaia (in front of the final parking lot of the football stadium).
From there to the Carriles area it is not possible to access by vehicles and there are prohibited areas for passers-by through the protected area of the Laguna de los Lances. This wetland, where the local rivers Jara, Vega and Arroyo del Salado flow, is a place of concentration of birds for their rest in their passage through the Strait of Gibraltar. More than 211 different bird species have been sighted in this area, one of the most important migratory crossings of the continent. There is an access to this area from the football stadium parking to the Bird Observatory of the Laguna de los Lances, a must visit for ornithological tourism.
Los Lances North, then extends for 3km to Punta la Peña. It is an area enabled for the practice of water sports mostly. From the Rio Jara Campsite to the Los Carriles area, before the Dos Mares Hotel, it is the preferred place for kitesurfing schools to teach their courses. Los Carriles also has beach bars to liven up the place, such as the Aqua Beach Bar. Next to los Carriles is the Dos Mares Hotel with its restaurant on the beach and its own kitesurfing and windsurfing school. Then there is the area known as Los Pinos, which has a picnic area and several beach bars, in addition to the Arte Vida Hotel, which has a bar with a chillout that is very crowded especially in the afternoons. Los Lances North ends at the Punta de la Peña, a more rocky area with small cliffs, with small beaches such as those of the Torre la Peña Campsite and the Hurricane Hotel, dream places to enjoy spectacular sunsets on their terraces.
Beach of Valdevaqueros.
It is another popular beach for water sports, especially for kitesurfing. It is 4 km long and has fine sand and an impressive natural landscape. A must-visit place is the Tumbao, a charming bar on the beach where you can enjoy music, cocktails and meals in good company in a dream setting. For kitesurfing lovers the area of the dunes of Valdevaqueros is one of the favorite spots for its uniqueness. In addition, its natural dunes of great extension and height are an obligatory stop to contemplate some unique views in the world, watching another continet very crossing the sea.
At the end of the Valdevaqueros dunes there is a rocky area very frequented by visitors who smear their bodies with the muds that form between the rocky beds of that area, it is said that they contain beneficial properties for the skin.
Punta Paloma beach.
Continuing the road that borders the dunes of Valdevaqueros we arrive at the small area of Punta Paloma. Its beaches are paradisiacal and one of the least crowded on the coast because they are less known and difficult to access. A must visit is the El Mirlo Restaurant, where you can taste the freshest fish in the area on a terrace with enviable views. It has a parking spot, from there on foot about 500m there are some impressive coves, there is an area known as the Secret Beach. In addition, due to their position, they are beaches more sheltered from the levante strong wind.
Beach of Bolonia.
This beach is known for its sand dunes, which are the largest in the region. In addition, it has an impressive panoramic view of the coast of Africa. In Bolonia there are also the ruins of the Roman city of Baelo Claudia, an important archaeological site.
Its waters are crystal clear and it has numerous beach bars and restaurants, which makes it one of the busiest beaches in the area. So much so that in summer to be able to park in the village, you have to arrive at the Bolonia crossing before 11.00, located on the national highway 340 in the direction of Cádiz, since to avoid saturation, traffic usually prevents access to avoid the collapse of the access to the beach of Bolonia at certain point time.
It also has an area further away from the hustle and bustle of the village, which can be visited by walking along a path between pines that borders the coast in the direction of Punta Paloma about 4km, known as the natural pools of Bolonia. It is worth visiting them and taking a unique bath in these waters that its claimed to contain therapeutic properties.
Cañuelo Beach.
Then we have Zahara de los Atunes where we can enjoy natural and wild beaches such as this Cañuelo beach of just 450m in extension. Its access is only possible on foot, for this you have to park once past the Atlanterra tourist complex, at the end of Los Alemanes beach. From there we will have to pass the lighthouse of Punta Camarinal and we will be able to find it hidden behind a natural barrier of pines between Cabo de Gracia and Camarinal, which makes it an unspoiled location that goes unnoticed by the tourist by first sight
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The Germans Beach.
At the end of Atlanterra towards Tarifa we find another small beach of only 1.5km in length, being the last beach from Zahara that can be accessed by car. Also known as Cabo de Plata beach, it is popularly called as the beach of the Germans, since this area served as a refuge for many Nazis who fled before the Allied advance through Europe during World War II.
Atlanterra Beach.
Last beach of the municipality of Tarifa that belongs to the area of Zahara de los Atúnes. Measuring approximately 3km and with an average width of 60m, it is bathed by crystal clear waters and has a unique fine golden sand, the common denominator of most of the Atlantic coast of the municipality of Tarifa. It has good access and parking, as well as all kinds of services because it is the beach belonging to the Atlanterra tourist complex.