Arcadia Spain

This year we´ve had a slow winter, and a long rainy season. Most Granadinians have been missing May’s usually sunny days with 85-degree highs (not me, for sure). However, as it is inevitable, summer has kicked in, and it surely did make an entrance! (current temperature: 92F). You know it´s summer time when Granadinians finally give up their boots and scarfs. We are now ready to start our summer adventures!

Our summer students are here for a short time (4 to 8 weeks), but they do make the most of their time. This past weekend, we took them on a trip to the other end of Andalusia (Cádiz), more specifically to the most southern tip of Spain, Tarifa.

Tarifa is a cozy beach town known as the wind capital of Europe, a paradise for surfers, windsurfers, and kite surfers (and any water sport, really), has gorgeous beaches, and a chilled out, cool vibe. And we had a chance to experience it all!

After an early 3.5-hour bus ride (= siesta), and a quick check-in at the hotel, we were ready for water sports. When you are at the “tip” of Tarifa, you can distinguish the exact point where the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean meet, or actually fight, witnessed by the Northern coast of Africa. Our crew defied the wind and tides and learned to surf the waves in true Tarifa style. A well-deserved paella lunch was in order. On Saturday we also had time for a city tour, including the viewpoint, where Africa was finally in full disclosure. The view was breathtaking!

On our second day we took a guided visit of the Roman settlement of Baelo Claudia, a fishing village established some 2.000 years ago. The view of the Atlantic Ocean right by this old settlement was stunning.

Ready for some more adventure, we dared to climb to the top of the sand dune (not as simple as it might seem!) to enjoy Tarifa´s most famous landscape. It really was worth it! We then sort of rolled down the hill to the shore and strolled to our lunch spot, to taste fresh fish and fish meatballs on shrimp sauce.

After a quick bath on the Atlantic, it was time we started our ride back to Granada. Monday was coming…