Tarifa lies on the Costa de la Luz ("coast of light") and across the Strait of Gibraltar facing Morocco.

[2][3] Tarifa was given its present name after the Islamic conquest of Tarif ibn Malik in 710, a military commander of Musa bin Nusayr.

In 1292 it was conquered by Sancho IV of Castile, and two years later it resisted a siege by North African Islamic troops.

[5] The destruction of Algeciras after the 1369 Nasrid conquest turned Tarifa into the sole power base for the Castilian navy in the Strait area, and the influence of the Admiralcy of Castile increased thereafter.

[6] Tarifa enjoyed a great deal of privileges confirmed by the Castilian monarchs, while being simultaneously threatened by Muslim raids that resulted into frequent killings and kidnappings.

[10] Occupied by Gonzalo de Saavedra, Tarifa returned to the nominal status of realengo [es], while largely controlled by the former.

[15] Already since the conquest and increasingly in the late middle ages, fishing activity provided riches to Tarifa, and an industry of the almadraba around tuna had developed in the early 16th century.

[5] In 1514 it became the seat of a marquisate (Marquiss of Tarifa), including also Bornos, Espera and Alcalá de los Gazules.

Both the British and Spanish commanders refused to comply and their defiance was rewarded by rain that started the next day.

Rain falls primarily during the winter, with summer being largely dry as is the norm in this type of climate.

Historical landmarks of the city include: Tarifa is located within the Intercontinental Mediterranean Biosphere Reserve, a renowned place to watch migrating birds, in particular the storks which cross the Straits of Gibraltar in spring and autumn.

The intentional community "Molino de Guadalmesi", which is part of the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN), is located about 13 km north-east from Tarifa.