The Cave Villa

Spanish Sierra Farmhouse with Views to Africa

Backed up to a stone-pocked hillside in the arid coastal hinterlands of Tarifa’s wild natural parkland, this refurbished rural home offers an organic outpost. It's an inland retreat aligned to mountain rhythms, yet only minutes from the famed wind and water sports that popularized this unique dual coastline where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean.

Set at the base of the Sierra de San Bartolome in the hamlet of Betis, this renovated farmhouse is only minutes from Tarifa’s legendary Old Town and windswept coastlines. At over 150 years old, it reveals its old bones in extra thick walls, exposed wood-beamed ceilings, and its quiet rural setting, where birds of prey, goats, donkeys and farm animals still wander. Reed ceilings give the farmhouse a distinctive coastal ambiance, along with organic décor touches such as textural linens and unique surf-inspired accents. Combining mer and mountain in a privileged setting only 15 minutes from the beaches of Tarifa and Bolonia, the house could be a hiking/climbing retreat or a sundrenched surf shack. You decide.

AROUND

An easy drive to the beaches and Tarifa’s Roman ruins, the house offers mountain views and a laid-back pool deck for relaxing after hiking, climbing, trail running and horseback riding. The Paloma Baja Dunes, a five-minute drive away, are a land of surprisingly steep dunes—some 100 meters—in a headland area where Playa de Valdevaqueros is located. The windsurfers' beach of choice, Valdevaqueros Beach is one of Tarifa’s most happening, with taverns and hip beach bars adding to the scene. Located at the southernmost tip of the Iberian peninsula, opposite Morocco, Tarifa is famed for its wind sports, kite surfing in particular. Wind and kite surfers have transformed the Andalusian village into a cool, surf-city town. 

The only place you can swim and surf in both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, with beaches extending for miles along both bodies of water, Tarifa’s Isla de las Palomas is an island with a picturesque lighthouse and a well-traveled footpath. A Moorish fort-turned-castle from the 10th century dominates Tarifa Old Town, a cluster of sunbleached buildings a 12-minute drive from the house. The African continent is visible from Tarifa’s shores, and ferries to Tangiers make a day trip to Morocco an easy option. Lovers of the region’s rugged inland will appreciate treks, horseback rides, rock climbing, and trail running options deep in the El Estrecho Natural Park. The park covers 18 different habitats, from sand dunes to woodlands, and is a birdwatching destination, on the migratory route from Africa to Europe for dozens of species. It's also a hiker’s mecca given its 30+ caves and multiple paths of varied difficulty.

LOCATION

Tarifa, Cádiz, Andalusia, Spain. Nearest airport: Gibraltar (20 miles); Tangier (30 miles, by ferry)

BEST TIME TO VISIT: May to September