Europe´s closest house to Africa. Here Africa meets Europe and the Atlantic Ocean meets the Mediterranean. The view is, quite simply … sensational, a panorama of two continents, a great ocean and a dazzling sea, in the middle of the Natural Park of the Straits of Gibraltar. And the villa makes the very best of this amazing location with huge picture windows looking directly out across the sea.
Just 100 meters from the shoreline, here Africa meets Europe and the Atlantic Ocean meets the Mediterranean. Views are breathtaking, across the deep blue sea bright in the sunshine to the massive peaks of the Atlas Mountains which rise up dramatically beyond Morocco's beaches just eight miles away.
To your left you look far into the ever widening Mediterranean, to your right to the vast expanses of a great ocean. Here you will feast on glorious sunrises, golden sunsets; the quality of light is unbelievable.
And it's incredibly relaxing too, watching the ships passing slowly through the Straits of Gibraltar (more than 350 ships, yachts and ferries negotiate this narrow stretch of water every day), the street lights of Tangier, Ceuta and other towns on the Moroccan coastline twinkling brightly at night. If you are lucky, you will spot whales and dolphins or the biggest bird migrations in Europe as they fly from one continent to the other.
Tarifa is only a couple of kilometers away (a beautiful, 25 minute walk along the cliffs; just eight minutes by car) but right here there is nothing but peace, tranquility and the sound of silence. Just amazing seascapes and the stunning nature of the Natural Park all around which plunges dramatically down to the rocky, wild beaches. A perfect place to disconnect from life's usual routines.
There are all manner of coastal and countryside tracks to explore, an abundance of wild flowers everywhere, a new and always sensational view to be enjoyed at every turn. Only a few roaming cows on the hillsides and the occasional fisherman down on the rocks to keep you company. It's magical!
Access is pretty good considering the terrain all around is so spectacular. Until recently these hills were the sole domain of the Spanish military; they have left now but the roads and tracks they built through the steep hills and valleys remain.
So the access road is tarmacked, if a little narrow and bendy in places and only the last 800 meters to the house is dirt track. This bit is a little bumpy but easily negotiable in an ordinary car with due care and attention. We don't recommend a low-slung sports car.
views from the clifftop to Tarifa.
A little path leads up through the garden to the villa, gleaming white and dazzlingly bright in the sunshine. It's of simple design and construction, neatly and attractively furnished with everything you will need to enjoy your stay. But its predominant feature is the fabulous view through its huge windows … not only is it the closest villa to Africa, it has probably got the best views in Europe!
One enters to the living / dining room / kitchen with its amazing picture window. The light simply floods in! Colorful cushions are scattered on bench seating around a wooden coffee table at the front of the room, with a little dining area behind and the kitchen to its side. It's adequately equipped for rustling up basic meals (there's a big fridge/freezer and a 4 ring hob etc) but please note that there is no oven.
The master bedroom (with a 4 poster double bed) leads off on one side. It's spacious and, of course, has a view! The en-suite facilities are in the room, the W.C. screened off by opaque glass tiles. Not everyone's cup of tea, perhaps, but not a bad place to take your morning shower, looking out over the shimmering sea!
On the other side of the living room, a short corridor leads to the other two bedrooms (one double with great sea views) and one twin (with views to the side and to the Atlantic). They share a bathroom between them (walk-in shower, no bath tub). There is also an outdoor shower.
Glass doors open from the living room to the outdoor sitting and terrace areas. There's a little seating area (for two) just outside the room and a larger terrace area to the side of the villa. A wooden dining table for al fresco meals, a sunshade, sunbeds and lay-down teak chairs make this a lovely spot to soak up the sun whilst watching the ships gliding silently by beyond the giant bulrushes below the house.
On the other side of the villa, passing by a little graveled area with more sun beds, a high cane hedge marks the garden's boundary and protects the house from Levante winds. The gateway through the hedge will take you to a little vegetable garden (the gardener, Francisco, will offer you some seasonal vegetables whenever he can).
It's about as ecological as can be here. There's no mains electricity in this remote corner of Spain, so everything works on solar and wind power; water comes from local wells. There's no air conditioning either, the fresh sea breezes and the stone construction of the villa keep everything cool, even on the hottest of summer days.
A short stroll onto the headland (you will see Tarifa clearly from here, a mile or so further along the coast) takes you to the rocky coves of the Mediterranean. There are no sandy beaches here, just wild, rugged but very beautiful coves, excellent for fishing and snorkeling. You can sunbathe unmolested in any number of these little bays.
There's a million things to do from here, quite apart from reveling in this amazing location. There are plenty of excellent restaurants and night spots in and around Tarifa, mile upon mile of white, sandy beaches on the Costa de la Luz immediately beyond. There are beautiful white villages in inland Cádiz to explore, wind and kite surfing, diving, golf, horse riding et al. This is not just the coast of light, it is also the coast of wonders.
And there's always the option of a day trip to Morocco, only 35 minutes away from Tarifa on the high speed catamaran … but a totally different world. Ferries also leave from Algeciras and, either way, it's a wonderful trip, especially on the longer, 3 hour trip from Algeciras, the ship accompanied through the Straits by dolphins and whales.
Client comments include, 'Absolutely fab! Will definitely come back! This place is amazing, five star accommodation with five star views across to Africa' and 'There are few places where you can find this unique combination of an awesome landscape (you can see Africa from your bed), a very comfortable and well designed house and great hospitality from the owners. Our favorite place in Europe, hands down!
