THE FACTS ABOUT SPORTY BEACH

Spain

Doing absolutely nothing on a beach holiday has its virtues, but you might want to go to the other extreme. In the windswept village of Tarifa, which sits on a 14km-long sandy beach in southern Spain where the Atlantic meets the Med, you can kitesurf all day and hit the beach bars for après-surf beer and tapas at night. Stay at La Sacristía, a beautifully restored 17th-century Moorish inn. Black Tomato offers four nights' bed-and-breakfast at La Sacristía from £799, including two days of kitesurfing lessons and return flights from Stanstead with Ryanair (020 7610 9008; www.blacktomato.co.uk) SEE CNTRAVELLER.COM'S GUIDES TO SPAIN HERE