Spain / Portugal / Gibraltar

At 36 degrees latitude Tarifa is the southernmost point of Continental Europe, facing Morocco on the other side of the Strait of Gibraltar, that is only about 14km wide here. Tarifa got its present name after the attack of Tarif ibn Malik in 710, a Berber military commander. The town got fortified starting from the 10th century on but was conquered by the troops of Sancho IV of Castile during the Reconquista in 1292. During the Napoleonic Peninsular War Tarifa was besieged by French troops in 1810 and again in 1811. In both cases the town was defended by British troops from Gibraltar as the Spanish and British were allies against the French. As the region of Tarifa has strong winds throughout the year, the town is known as a very popular destination for wind- and kite surfers. The church dedicated to San Francisco ("Francis of Assisi") was built in 1797 and has a Baroque facade.

At 36 degrees latitude Tarifa is the southernmost point of Continental Europe, facing Morocco on the other side of the Strait of Gibraltar, that is only about 14km wide here. Tarifa got its present name after the attack of Tarif ibn Malik in 710, a Berber military commander. The town got fortified starting from the 10th century on but was conquered by the troops of Sancho IV of Castile during the Reconquista in 1292. During the Napoleonic Peninsular War Tarifa was besieged by French troops in 1810 and again in 1811. In both cases the town was defended by British troops from Gibraltar as the Spanish and British were allies against the French. As the region of Tarifa has strong winds throughout the year, the town is known as a very popular destination for wind- and kite surfers. The place in front of the toiwn hall is named "Plaza de Santa Maria" officially, but most call it "Plaza de la Ranita", what means "Little Frog Square".

At 36 degrees latitude Tarifa is the southernmost point of Continental Europe, facing Morocco on the other side of the Strait of Gibraltar, that is only about 14km wide here. Tarifa got its present name after the attack of Tarif ibn Malik in 710, a Berber military commander. The town got fortified starting from the 10th century on but was conquered by the troops of Sancho IV of Castile during the Reconquista in 1292. During the Napoleonic Peninsular War Tarifa was besieged by French troops in 1810 and again in 1811. In both cases the town was defended by British troops from Gibraltar as the Spanish and British were allies against the French. As the region of Tarifa has strong winds throughout the year, the town is known as a very popular destination for wind- and kite surfers. The "Puerta de Jerez", built in the 13th century, is the only of once three gates, that survived the times.

At 36 degrees latitude Tarifa is the southernmost point of Continental Europe, facing Morocco on the other side of the Strait of Gibraltar, that is only about 14km wide here. Tarifa got its present name after the attack of Tarif ibn Malik in 710, a Berber military commander. The town got fortified starting from the 10th century on but was conquered by the troops of Sancho IV of Castile during the Reconquista in 1292. During the Napoleonic Peninsular War Tarifa was besieged by French troops in 1810 and again in 1811. In both cases the town was defended by British troops from Gibraltar as the Spanish and British were allies against the French. As the region of Tarifa has strong winds throughout the year, the town is known as a very popular destination for wind- and kite surfers. Africa, as seen from Tarifa.

At 36 degrees latitude Tarifa is the southernmost point of Continental Europe, facing Morocco on the other side of the Strait of Gibraltar, that is only about 14km wide here. Tarifa got its present name after the attack of Tarif ibn Malik in 710, a Berber military commander. The town got fortified starting from the 10th century on but was conquered by the troops of Sancho IV of Castile during the Reconquista in 1292. During the Napoleonic Peninsular War Tarifa was besieged by French troops in 1810 and again in 1811. In both cases the town was defended by British troops from Gibraltar as the Spanish and British were allies against the French. As the region of Tarifa has strong winds throughout the year, the town is known as a very popular destination for wind- and kite surfers. This is - the southernmost supermarket car park of Continental Europe. - On a sunday!

Surfers meet near "Cabo Trafalgar", near the place, where in 1805 during the Napoleonic Wars the the British Royal Navy commanded by Horatio Nelson defeated the combined fleets of the French and Spanish Navies. This battle ended Napoleon´s plan to invade Britain and laid the foundation to the British Empire.

Cádiz, located on a narrow slice of land surrounded by the sea‚ is regarded by some scholars as the oldest continuously inhabited city in Western Europe, founded by he Phoenicians around 1100 BC. Since 530 BCE it was held by Carthaginians, Hannibal visited a temple here, before he set off to cross the Alps and invade Italy. Later the city fell to the Romans. The Visigoths destroyed the Roman city in 410, Arab troops conquered the city in 711 and called it Qādis. The Normans devasted the city in 844, but the Moors rebuilt it. Alphonso X of Castile took Cádiz from the Moors in 1262 during the Reconquista. The city got very wealthy by the trade with America and in the 16th century got raided and looted by pirates from Northern Africa and British fleets under Francis Drake and Walter Raleigh. The city recovered and within the 18th century. The "Campo Del Sur" is part of the "Casco Antiguo" (= Old Town) of Cádiz.

Seville was a Roman "colonia" since 45BC. The important city got looted by the Vandals in 428 and developed into a Bishopric seat under Visigothic rule. After the Moors had defeated the Visigoths in the Battle of Guadalete, the conquered Seville and made it the capital of a province. Normans devastated Seville in 844 but Seville got rebuilt and flourished under the different Moorish dynasties. In 1248 Seville was conquered by the troops of Ferdinand III of Castile. The emigration of hundredthousands of Moors to Northern Africa led to a decrease of economics in the whole area. Seville recovered in the 16th and 17th century, when it became the hub of Spanish maritime trade. During this period, the port of Seville had a monopoly on overseas trade. Vespucci and Magellan planned and started their voyages here. As a result of the War of the Spanish Succession, in 1717 Seville lost the transatlantic trade monopoly to Cádiz. The cathedral was erected between 1401 and 1519 on the remains of the Great Mosque of Seville, built in the 12th century. The bell tower of the cathedral, named "La Giralda" was originally built in 1196 as the minaret for the Mosque from bricks. It was 82m high. The 32m high renaissance-style top on the former minaret was completed in 1568.

Arcos de la Frontera is a one of the "Pueblos Blancos", the "White Towns of Andalusia". The old part of the town is located on a steep cliff above the river Guadalete. Arcos was an independent Moorish town for long. Though Alphonso X of Castile expelled the Moors. The area was a frontier between the Christian and the Moorish troops upto 1492, when Granada after a long siege ultimatively fell, what ended the Reconquista.

Arcos de la Frontera is a one of the "Pueblos Blancos", the "White Towns of Andalusia". The old part of the town is located on a steep cliff above the river Guadalete. Arcos was an independent Moorish town for long. Though Alphonso X of Castile expelled the Moors. The area was a frontier between the Christian and the Moorish troops upto 1492, when Granada after a long siege ultimatively fell, what ended the Reconquista. San Pedro is located on the cliff over the river. The church was erected from 1728 on.

Arcos de la Frontera is a one of the "Pueblos Blancos", the "White Towns of Andalusia". The old part of the town is located on a steep cliff above the river Guadalete. Arcos was an independent Moorish town for long. Though Alphonso X of Castile expelled the Moors. The area was a frontier between the Christian and the Moorish troops upto 1492, when Granada after a long siege ultimatively fell, what ended the Reconquista. The Basilica de Santa Maria de la Asunción, located at the central "Plaza del Cabildo", is older than it seems. The building was originally started by Alphonso XIt on the site of the mosque und was completed in the 14th century. It got later largely remodeled. The massive bell tower was added in the 18th century - and carries 11 bells.

Arcos de la Frontera is a one of the "Pueblos Blancos", the "White Towns of Andalusia". The old part of the town is located on a steep cliff above the river Guadalete. Arcos was an independent Moorish town for long. Though Alphonso X of Castile expelled the Moors. The area was a frontier between the Christian and the Moorish troops upto 1492, when Granada after a long siege ultimatively fell, what ended the Reconquista. The Basilica de Santa Maria de la Asunción, located at the central "Plaza del Cabildo", is older than it seems. The building was originally started by Alphonso XIt on the site of the mosque und was completed in the 14th century. It got later largely remodeled, when it got this Baroque, Plateresque portal.

Arcos de la Frontera is a one of the "Pueblos Blancos", the "White Towns of Andalusia". The old part of the town is located on a steep cliff above the river Guadalete. Arcos was an independent Moorish town for long. Though Alphonso X of Castile expelled the Moors. The area was a frontier between the Christian and the Moorish troops upto 1492, when Granada after a long siege ultimatively fell, what ended the Reconquista. The Basilica de Santa Maria de la Asunción, located at the central "Plaza del Cabildo", is older than it seems. The building was originally started by Alphonso XIt on the site of the mosque und was completed in the 14th century. It got later largely remodeled, when it got this Baroque, Plateresque portal. Car drivers know, that the old part of Arcos de la Frontera has same very narrow lanes.

Arcos de la Frontera is a one of the "Pueblos Blancos", the "White Towns of Andalusia". The old part of the town is located on a steep cliff above the river Guadalete. Arcos was an independent Moorish town for long. Though Alphonso X of Castile expelled the Moors. The area was a frontier between the Christian and the Moorish troops upto 1492, when Granada after a long siege ultimatively fell, what ended the Reconquista. The "Castillo de Arcos" is located behind the city hall at the "Plaza del Cabildo". The medieval castle has Moorish roots, rebuilt in the 15th century. Other than the "Casa del Corregidor" on the opposite side of the place, that meanwhile serves as a Parador (and from where this photo was taken) the castle is still privately owned.

Arcos de la Frontera is a one of the "Pueblos Blancos", the "White Towns of Andalusia". The old part of the town is located on a steep cliff above the river Guadalete. Arcos was an independent Moorish town for long. Though Alphonso X of Castile expelled the Moors. The area was a frontier between the Christian and the Moorish troops upto 1492, when Granada after a long siege ultimatively fell, what ended the Reconquista.

Arcos de la Frontera is a one of the "Pueblos Blancos", the "White Towns of Andalusia". The old part of the town is located on a steep cliff above the river Guadalete. Arcos was an independent Moorish town for long. Though Alphonso X of Castile expelled the Moors. The area was a frontier between the Christian and the Moorish troops upto 1492, when Granada after a long siege ultimatively fell, what ended the Reconquista.

Arcos de la Frontera is a one of the "Pueblos Blancos", the "White Towns of Andalusia". The old part of the town is located on a steep cliff above the river Guadalete. Arcos was in independent Moorish town for long. Though Alphonso X of Castile expelled the Moors. The area was a frontier between the Christian and the Moorish troops upto 1492, when Granada after a long siege ultimatively fell, what ended the Reconquista.

Arcos de la Frontera is a one of the "Pueblos Blancos", the "White Towns of Andalusia". The old part of the town is located on a steep cliff above the river Guadalete. Arcos was an independent Moorish town for long. Though Alphonso X of Castile expelled the Moors. The area was a frontier between the Christian and the Moorish troops upto 1492, when Granada after a long siege ultimatively fell, what ended the Reconquista. A red Renault in a white town.