What should you know about healthcare and emergencies in Tarifa?
Emergency number
112
Updated July 2026 · Sources cited: expatica.com, movingtospain.com
Good to know
Good to Know
- Save 112 as your one go-to number — operators can respond in multiple languages including English, so you don't need to know which specific force (police/fire/ambulance) to call.
- Tarifa sits on the Strait of Gibraltar and is a major kitesurfing/windsurfing destination, so it's worth also saving the Salvamento Marítimo (maritime rescue) number, 900 202 202, for water-based emergencies.
- Guardia Civil (not local police) has a strong presence around Tarifa given its coastal/border location — you may encounter them more than in a typical Spanish town.
- Installing AlertCops before you need it is worth doing — it lets you send a silent, text-based alert if speaking aloud isn't safe, and works in multiple languages.
- Tarifa does not have its own full hospital — for anything serious (major trauma, suspected heart attack, stroke, significant injury), the real destination is Hospital Universitario Punta de Europa in Algeciras, about 25–30 minutes away by road. For life-threatening emergencies, call 112 (Spain's universal emergency number) rather than trying to drive there yourself.
- Tarifa's Centro de Salud can handle minor urgent issues (cuts, minor illness, basic urgent care) but is not set up for major trauma or surgery — expect a transfer/ambulance referral to Algeciras for anything serious.
- EU/EEA/Swiss citizens with a valid EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) can access Spanish public emergency care under reciprocal arrangements; non-EU visitors should have travel health insurance, as public emergency care for non-residents can be billed.
Emergency Numbers
Police
- Guardia Civil Tarifa
- 062 (or direct lines 956 627 149 / 956 627 036, Cuartel de la Guardia Civil, Avda. Fuerzas Armadas, Tarifa)
- National Police Policia Nacional
- 091
- Local Police Policia Local Tarifa
- 092 (or direct line 956 682 174, Ayuntamiento de Tarifa)
- Notes
- Local Police handle everyday town-level issues; Guardia Civil covers rural areas, coastal roads, and border/smuggling matters relevant to the Tarifa/Strait of Gibraltar area; National Police handle serious crime, immigration and ID/NIE matters.
Fire Bomberos
- Number
- 112 or 080
- Notes
- 080/085 short numbers exist in some regions; 112 always works and is recommended for non-Spanish speakers.
Ambulance Medical
- Number
- 061 or 112
- Notes
- Both are free; 112 is fine if unsure, 061 can be dialled directly for a known medical emergency.
Official Safety Apps
AlertCops
- Purpose
- Free app for silent/text-based contact with Policía Nacional and Guardia Civil; report theft, harassment, assault, missing persons, etc.
- Languages
- English, French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish
- Publisher
- Spanish Ministry of the Interior
My112
- Purpose
- Calling 112 through the app automatically sends GPS coordinates, phone number and a short profile to the operator — useful for hiking trails, coastal paths, or rural areas around Tarifa.
- Publisher
- Official Spanish 112 emergency service
Mental Health Crisis Line
- Number
- 024
- Notes
- 24/7 Ministry of Health suicide-prevention and crisis helpline.
Domestic Violence Helpline
- Number
- 016
- Notes
- Gender-violence helpline, available in multiple languages; does not leave a trace on phone bills.
Universal Emergency Number
- Number
- 112
- Description
- Spain's single nationwide emergency number for police, fire, and medical emergencies; also the EU-wide standard number. Free to call from any phone, including with no credit or a foreign SIM.
Hearing Speech Impaired SMS Line
- Number
- 679 436 200
- Notes
- Monitored 24/7 SMS-only emergency line.
Maritime Rescue Salvamento Maritimo
- Number
- 900 202 202
- Notes
- Especially relevant in Tarifa given the town's location on the Strait of Gibraltar and its status as a major kitesurfing/windsurfing hub — this is the number for boating, water-sport, and coastal incidents.
Foreign Tourist Assistance Line Sate
- Number
- 902 102 112
- Hours
- Generally staffed 09:00–21:00
- Notes
- Multilingual service (English, French, German, Italian) for foreign visitors reporting theft, lost documents, or similar non-life-threatening incidents.
Hospitals
Hospital Universitario Punta De Europa
- Phone Urgencias
- 956 01 20 07
- Phone Switchboard
- 956 02 50 00
- Phone Patient Info
- 956 02 51 47
- Type
- Public district hospital (Hospital comarcal) with 24-hour Emergency Department
- Hours
- Emergency department operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- Address
- Ctra. de Getares, s/n, 11207 Algeciras, Cádiz, Spain
- Trauma Level
- Not a formally designated 'Level I trauma center' in the US sense — Spain's public system does not use that designation. It is classified as a 'hospital comarcal' (district referral hospital) under the Área de Gestión Sanitaria Campo de Gibraltar Oeste, with a dedicated Cuidados Críticos y Urgencias (Critical Care and Emergency) unit and general surgery/orthopedic-trauma surgery on site.
- Distance From Tarifa
- This is the nearest full hospital with a real emergency department and surgical/trauma capability; it is located in Algeciras, roughly 20–22 km / about 25–30 minutes by car from central Tarifa. Tarifa itself has no standalone hospital — this is the honest, distance-labeled exception rather than a false claim of a central-Tarifa hospital.
Centro De Salud Tarifa
- Phone Info
- 956 02 77 00
- Phone Urgencias
- 956 01 20 07
- Phone Cita Previa
- 955 54 50 60
- Type
- Public primary-care health center with an attached local urgencias (walk-in emergency/urgent care) point — NOT a hospital and not equipped for major trauma, surgery, or serious life-threatening emergencies
- Hours
- General consultations Monday–Friday, 08:00–20:00; the attached urgencias point has separate, extended local-care hours for non-critical urgent issues
- Address
- Calle Antonio Maura, 0, 11380 Tarifa, Cádiz, Spain
- Trauma Level
- None — this is a primary-care outpatient center, not a trauma-capable facility. Serious trauma, cardiac events, strokes, or major injuries are stabilized here at most and then transferred by ambulance to Hospital Punta de Europa in Algeciras.
Healthcare
- Summary
- Tarifa has basic primary health services through Spain's public healthcare system (Servicio Andaluz de Salud). More specialized care requires travel to larger centers.
- Emergency Services
- Emergency care (112) available; nearest major hospital is in Algeciras (~40 km) or Cádiz.
- Public System Access
- Spanish residents and EU citizens with valid documentation have access to the public healthcare system. Private healthcare is available but not widely established in small towns.
- Note To Users
- As a small town, Tarifa's healthcare is limited to primary care. For serious conditions, hospital care in Algeciras or Cádiz is necessary. Confirm private health insurance coverage before arrival.
Pharmacies
- Regulation
- Pharmacies are regulated by Spain's Ministry of Health. Prescription medications require a doctor's prescription.
- Availability
- Spanish farmacias are widely available in towns; Tarifa's small size limits the number but they are accessible.
- Over The Counter
- Many medications available without prescription; pharmacists can advise.
- Medications Availability
- Common medications are available. For specialized or uncommon drugs, travel to larger pharmacies in Algeciras or Cádiz may be necessary.
- Note To Users
- Tarifa has functional pharmacy services typical of a small Spanish town. Regular medications should be accessible; plan ahead for rare/specialized prescriptions.
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this emergencies research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Tarifa
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.