Blowin' in the Wind

Our winter break on the Costa Del Sol had began in the very cool and understated town of Estepona. Next we were heading to Tarifa, located at the southernmost tip of Spain in the Cádiz province. The Andalusian town marks the point of where two oceans meet and is celebrated as a premier European destination for windsurfing and kitesurfing, because, as we were to find out, it's very windy!

Tarifa. Where two oceans collide

On our journey to Tarifa there was the small matter of bagging the odd lighthouse. Faro Punta Carnero sits at the end of a narrow, slightly nerve‑jangling mountain road. But the reward was immediate: Gibraltar rising out of the haze, the Strait shimmering beneath us, Europe and Africa staring directly at one another across just 14 kilometres of water, and the lighthouse standing guard over it all. It was worth every tight bend.

Faro Punta Carnero, Costa Del Sol

Tarifa has a definite surfer‑dude, chill-out vibe both literally and figuratively. Whilst the wind whipped across long sandy Playa de Los Lances you can enjoy an endless ballet of kite surfers embracing the stiff Atlantic breeze. At the head of the town's peninsula is the small outcrop of the Isla de Tarifa which is where the Mediterranean officially meets the Atlantic. And looking at the two bodies of water side by side from the walkway to the island, you really could see the difference: the calm turquoise of the Med pressed against the restless, steel‑blue Atlantic. There is also a lighthouse on the island, but access is currently limited which is a shame but good to see renovation work being carried out on the Faro Isla de las Palomas.

Faro Isla de las Palomas, Tarifa

The Castillo de Guzmán El Bueno stands guard over Tarifa and climbing the battlements of this 10th-century fortress provides fabulous views over Tarifa’s whitewashed rooftops set against the background of the two oceans. A short walk behind the port will lead you to Punta del Santo’s observation deck which again offered great views of the lighthouse even if the local fishermen seemed less than thrilled to share the space.

Tarifa, Costa del Sol

Cape Trafalgar has been a place we've always wanted to visit, and it certainly lived up to our expectations. The lighthouse and its sweeping beach were spectacular, wild, bright, and full of history. We spent a couple of hours exploring, photographing, and soaking in the serene, windswept cape. It was almost impossible to reconcile the tranquillity under the brilliant blue skies with the ferocity of the Battle of Trafalgar that unfolded just offshore in 1805. A clash that secured British naval supremacy and cost Nelson his life.

Cape Trafalgar Lighthouse

Gibraltar is a short drive from Tarifa and a world unto itself. We parked in La Línea and walked across the Spanish/UK border, through passport control and across the active airport runway with the famous Rock rising above us. Few borders are quite so theatrical.

The Rock of Gibraltar

Gibraltar’s main thoroughfare felt like a transplanted English high street, complete with familiar shopfronts and a faint sense of déjà vu. We paused at the small cemetery where some of the Battle of Trafalgar’s fallen are buried and was a poignant link to the lighthouse we’d visited the day before.

Europa Point Lighthouse, Gibraltar

Rather than tackling the walk to Europa Point (there were no pavements after a certain spot) we hopped on the number 2 bus to the southernmost tip of Gibraltar. The area is modern and well laid-out, offering uninterrupted views across the sea toward Morocco. The lighthouse there is a beauty, serenaded by the endless churn of the strait. 

Europa Point Lighthouse, Gibraltar

We opted out of visiting the Upper Rock Nature Reserve, famous for its monkey colony. The £30 entry fees and the cable car being closed for long-term renovation took the shine off the idea. So instead, we opted to explore a little more of this English town that certainly celebrates its nationality. A quite bonkers place. I wonder what John and Yoko thought of it when they married here in 1969, the moment captured forever in the Beatles most curious number one single, the Ballad of John and Yoko.

"Peter Brown called to say, 'You can make it okay

You can get married in Gibraltar, near Spain'

Christ you know it ain't easy!"

Our time was up in Tarifa, but there was an opportunity for one last stop on the return to Malaga Airport. Fuengirola is just off the AP-7 and so the prefect spot to grab something to eat. The lengthy promenade was buzzing with Sunday families, and lunch at the fabulous Bar La Paz Garrido (a short walk through the back streets of the town) of fish and potatoes eaten in the sunshine was the perfect final indulgence to our Winter Costa Del Sol adventure.

Fuengirola, Costa Del Sol