Daytrips - Tarifa, Spain Travel Guide

By: Anne Paige Austin

Bolonia: The Roman Forum at Baelo Claudia.

Algeciras
This is probably one of the least exciting, yet most accessible places to visit around Tarifa. Algeciras is substantially larger than Tarifa and does not have nearly as much charm. However, the city does offer some services that are simply not available in Tarifa. Algeciras is the main port for catching ferries to Morocco, and the only place that non-EU citizens can take ferries across the Strait of Gibraltar.

The only way to reach Algeciras from Tarifa without a car is by bus. The bus for Algeciras leaves from Calle Batalla del Salado almost every hour until about 9pm. Tickets are 1.50 euros and should be purchased at the office of transportation (also on Calle Batalla del Salado) or on the bus, if the office is closed.

Bolonia
Bolonia is a small fishing village located about 15 kilometers north of Tarifa off highway N340. Like Tarifa, it has recently become popular among surfers and tourists alike, due to its white sand beach and good windsurfing conditions. The village is also the home to archaeological site Baelo Claudia, once a Roman city specializing in fish salting that came into existence at the end of the 2nd century BC. The city is amazingly preserved and really an incredible sight coupled with the backdrop of the ocean. The site is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 8pm during the summer months, Sundays 10am to 2pm, and is closed on Mondays. For more information on Baelo Claudia visit this site.

Buses to Bolonia from Tarifa leave on Saturdays and Sundays from Calle Batalla del Salado only during tourist season.

Gibraltar: View from the Rock of Gibraltar back toward the peninsula.

Gibraltar
Nowhere else in the world have I ever been so completely confused and in awe as in Gibraltar. Okay, I was only there for a day, but Gibraltar has to be one of the most fascinating places on the peninsula. Gibraltar is not Spain, and that becomes all too clear after just a few hours of exploring. The official language of Gibraltar is English, but Spanish is spoken colloquially and most people speak a mixture of both. Here, “Spanglish” is a completely legitimate language that is spoken with eloquent ease (Gibraltarians actually call this mix of Spanish and English “Llanito”). People all over say things like, “A ver, hope for the best!” or, “Bueno, pues, anyway…” I found myself doing double takes left and right trying to figure out which language I should be speaking.

Aside from this being the only place on the peninsula where English is the official language, the other main attraction of Gibraltar is, for obvious reasons, the Rock of Gibraltar. There are several tourist agencies that offer bus tours to the top (they’ll usually stop you in the street, or you can ask about them at the tourist office), or you can take the tram system. Another option, for those on a budget or with a little ambition, is to walk. You may still have to pay a few euros to enter the park, but walking to the top of the rock of Gibraltar makes you truly appreciate it in all of its glory. Plus, you get to play with the macaques on the way up.

A warning about the monkeys: They will eat anything and everything of yours that they can get their hands on. I saw macaques with whole ice cream bars and water bottles. One male macaque almost nabbed an entire loaf of bread we had packed for sandwiches, but was just a little too slow to make the snatch.

After passing through the monkey haven and reaching the top, you’ll find magnificent views of the Costa de la Luz (Spanish coast) and the African Coast across the Straight of Gibraltar. If you’re looking for even more hiking around the rock, take the trail that heads down the backside of the rock called the Mediterranean Steps. This trail provides some magnificent views but, I have to admit, I’m not sure where the trail actually leads. We followed the steps as they meandered down the side of the rock and then turned back to take the road more frequently traveled. We thought we had better leave before the monkeys sought us out.

To get to Gibraltar from Tarifa, catch the bus to Algeciras, and then catch the next bus out to La Línea, the Spanish city just outside of Gibraltar. Don’t forget to bring your passport. Once you cross the border, the city center is just a short walk from the passport check, across an airport landing strip and into the city walls.

Ronda: The cliff town of Ronda from the farmland below.

Ronda
Ronda is one of the most impressive Spanish cities I visited during my stay. There’s just something majestic about this town with its whitewashed buildings and dramatic cliff-side setting. The city straddles the Rio Tajo and is connected by a series of three bridges. If you hike down toward the base of the cliffs where the river flows out from between the two halves, you can see an incredible view of the newest bridge (Puente Nuevo) and the waterfalls at its base. Even farther down are the ruins of old hydroelectric buildings and more trails that get you closer to the water.

If you want to see the Andalucian countryside from above, the park located by the main tourist office, or the Puente Nuevo are great spots to watch the sunset.

Like much of Andalucía, Ronda has an extensive Arab influence; just check out the old part of town with the Arab baths and the Moorish bridge, the oldest of Ronda’s bridges. This part of Ronda is fun to explore with all of its twists and turns, but try to do this earlier in the day so as to be fresh for trekking up its hills and lengthy flights of stairs.

Accommodations in Ronda are a bit on the pricey side. The closest campground to the city center is about 1.5km outside of the city. There are hot showers, a swimming pool, restaurant and all the other goodies that most Spanish campgrounds tend to offer. If you’re not planning to camp, there are hostels located within the city, but few are less than 30 euros a night. You can get a complete list of hostels from one of the tourism offices in town.

The cheapest way to get to Ronda is probably by train from Algeciras. A one-way ticket costs about 14 euros and the ride takes about an hour and 40 minutes.

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