Mighty clouds slide in slow motion from Spain to Morocco. A little faster below them: eleven big freighters, which are just passing the Straits of Gibraltar. Exactly where the Atlantic and the Mediterranean meet, in the shadow of the famous monkey rock. We are at the end of our road trips – in a wonderful place against the blues of gray days. Actually, the Opel Grandland GSe should only conquer the Costa del Sol, a popular winter destination in southern Spain. The cross between “sun” and “coast” was coined in 1928 by the hotelier Rodolfo Lussnigg. You guessed it, for promotional purposes. However, it took a few decades for the plan to materialize. In the 1960s, word got around in Europe that the Costa del Sol had more than 320 days of sunshine a year.
A construction boom began, which promised thousands of hotel beds and thus prosperity for the region. B-Side: So the beautiful coast of Andalusia was ruined with way too many big hotels. That’s why we steer the Grandland GSe further, its comfortable sports seats carry us further south. The abbreviation GSe marks the sportiest version of the Grandland. Does something ring? That’s right, at the beginning of the 1970s there was already the Commodore A. This time GSe stands for “Grand Sport electric”. But instead of an in-line six-cylinder, a plug-in hybrid drive ensures very dynamic propulsion. The 1.6 turbo is supported by an 81 kW electric motor. A second Stromer with 83 kW pushes on the rear axle. Power together: 300 hp and a whopping 520 system Newton meters.
The plug-in hybrid with all-wheel drive ensures very dynamic propulsion.
Ahoy, Africa: The view rests on the Strait of Gibraltar, which connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Atlantic.
Not only 300 ships push their way through the Strait of Gibraltar every day, but also plenty of wind.
Tarifa is 40 minutes by ferry from Africa – i.e. at the southernmost point of mainland Europe. It’s more village than city. Fortunately! In this way it was able to retain a charm that the cities on the Costa del Sol would like to have today. Tarifa has been popular with surfers worldwide since the 1980s. Accordingly, the town grows from 11,000 to 80,000 residents in the summer. The region is best visited during the mild seasons of autumn and winter.
Back to Spain, where the narrowest point between Europe and Africa appears in the windshield. Just 14 kilometers separate the two continents. The strait can be wonderfully admired from a small view with a cozy café – from up here the coast of Morocco seems close enough to touch. It’s mid-February and the sun is tickling so irresistibly that one thought comes to mind: why have we only landed here now? Maybe you just need a little more time for some goals. After all, it is a question of covering more than 2,500 kilometers. A road trip well worth it – especially if you have the time to soak up the cozy atmosphere of Tarifa. Welcome to the southernmost city in Europe!
Preserved its own charm
The Spaniards like to call Tarifa a pueblo, i.e. a village, which is part of the “pueblos blancos”. These white villages are characteristic of the charm of Andalusia. However, Tarifa’s history differs from many other white towns in Andalusia, which has to do with its location. From the Phoenicians to the Romans to the Moors – they were all here and shaped the town. Luckily it never got really big over the centuries. And thus spared from a hotel boom like on the Costa del Sol. Today you stroll through white, scarred streets that contrast pleasantly with the perfect tourist scenery elsewhere.
The Spaniards call Tarifa a village. In the winter months, 11,000 people live here, in the summer there are reliably over 80,000.
The place has retained its very own charm. Fat hotels, soulless chain restaurants? Doesn’t exist here.
From Phoenicians to Moors – they were all here and shaped Tarifa.
In the winter months around 11,000 people live in Tarifa, in the summer there are reliably over 80,000. This has mainly to do with the wind that blows there. Not only 300 ships push their way through the Strait of Gibraltar, which looks like a bottleneck, but also plenty of wind. If it blows from the Mediterranean Sea, i.e. from the east, it is called the Levant. They call the west wind Poniente. One of the two is usually at the start and ensures paradisiacal windsurfing conditions. Therefore, the miles of sandy beaches around Tarifa are among the best addresses for wind and kite surfers in all of Europe. A positive side effect: with the athletes, a lifestyle moved to Tarifa that fits in perfectly with the times.
Authenticity and good quality
Instead of the hustle and bustle and soulless system gastronomy, there are many small cafés, bars and restaurants in Tarifa that focus on authenticity and good quality. During the day it is correspondingly cozy in the white streets. It doesn’t matter what time of day, someone always has a surfboard under their arm and is on their way to the sea. The others wish luck and good waves.
By the way, Levante and Poniente also delight the locals in summer – because while in Seville or Córdoba one groans on quite a few days with over 45 degrees in the shade, the thermometer in Tarifa rarely shows over 35 degrees. During this time there is at least as much partying as surfing. The more than 200 bars directly on the coast offer the best conditions for this.
There are miles of sandy beaches, wild nature and lots and lots of wind. The latter ensured that Tarifa has become one of the most popular addresses for windsurfers worldwide.
The Grandland GSe is also bringing a breath of fresh air: a passer-by pulls out his smartphone to capture the crisp lines of the sporty 300 hp from Rüsselsheim.
The miles of sandy beaches are among the best addresses for wind and kite surfers – in summer and in winter.
Sportiness combined with efficiency are the parameters of the Grandland GSe. He thus defines the SUV of today.
The southernmost tip of Europe is the perfect place to unwind. We like to be slowed down from time to time.
Go out for a delicious meal? No problem.Party? none.
In the winter months, on the other hand, the nightlife of Tarifa comes to a rest. Go out for a delicious meal? No problem. Party? none. It is the ideal time for anyone who just wants to unwind. Warming sun and a lot of beach included. If you want to learn something about the sea creatures, you should stick to the Swiss Katharina Heyer, who has been offering whale watching tours in Tarifa since the 90s. The Strait of Gibraltar is home to large populations of whales and dolphins. Heyer’s top priority: not to bother the orcas, pilot whales, sperm whales and fin whales.
And if the Levante and Poniente – like today – rain clouds blow towards Tarifa? Then we stroll into the mountains in the Grandland, enjoy its sporty chassis and the curves. Tarifa in winter? One of the best targets against the blues of gray days.
Trip to the mountains: The sporty GSe chassis, the direct steering and shock absorbers with FSD technology ensure driving pleasure.
March 2023
Text and photos: Dani Heyne