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Sunset on the beach in Tangier

Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima · Morocco

What to see in Tangier: kasbah, medina, Cape Spartel

The gateway to Africa across the Strait of Gibraltar

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What to see in Tangier: the kasbah, the medina, the Grand Socco, Cape Spartel and the Caves of Hercules. Getting there by ferry from Spain and northern day trips.

Bay and city of Tangier
Bay and city of Tangier
Courtyard of the Kasbah Museum in Tangier
Courtyard of the Kasbah Museum in Tangier
Minaret on an avenue in Tangier
Minaret on an avenue in Tangier
Cape Spartel lighthouse among palm trees above the sea at the mouth of the Strait, near Tangier
Cape Spartel, between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean

What to see in Tangier

Phoenicians, Romans, Portuguese, Spanish and English all left their mark, and in the 20th century it was an international city and a refuge for writers.

Upper town

The kasbah

At the very top of the medina, with views over the Strait. The old sultan's palace is now a museum.

Medina

Petit Socco and Grand Socco

For decades the Petit Socco was the place to meet; the Grand Socco marks the way into the modern city.

Medina

American Legation

A museum and cultural centre on the city's history.

By the sea

Café Hafa

Stepped terraces and nothing else: you go to drink mint tea while looking out over the Strait.

Modern city

Boulevard Pasteur

Close by are the Terrasse des Paresseux, with views of the port, and the Gran Teatro Cervantes, from the Spanish era.

Car or taxi

Cape Spartel and the Caves of Hercules

Where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean. The caves have an opening to the sea in the shape of Africa.

How many days to stay

1 day

The essentials

The medina, the kasbah, Café Hafa and Cape Spartel.

2 days

With Asilah or Tetouan

You add a trip along the coast or to Tetouan.

Base

Start of a tour

It works as a base for travelling on to Chefchaouen, Fez and the rest of the country.

See Fez

When to go

  • May – OctoberGood timePleasant weather and less heat than inland.
  • July – AugustMixedIf you're crossing with your own car, expect long waits at the ports.
  • November – AprilMixedA mild winter, but damp and windy.

Tangier neighbourhoods and surroundings

West of the kasbah

Marshan

A residential district on the clifftops, with old villas and Café Hafa at the end. Facing the sea there are Phoenician tombs cut into the rock; local boys play football right beside them.

Modern centre

Place de France

The heart of the international city, with the Café de Paris, bookshops such as the Librairie des Colonnes on Boulevard Pasteur, and banks. From here you walk down to the medina in ten minutes via the Grand Socco.

Between the medina and the new town

Grand Socco and the Cinémathèque

The square where the two cities meet, with the old Cinéma Rif, now a cinémathèque and café. In the mornings there's a fruit market in the surrounding streets.

Next to the medina

Marina and Tarifa ferry port

Beside the berth for the Tarifa boats there's now a marina with restaurants and a promenade that carries on to the city beach. At sunset, families come out.

On the way to the cape

Old Mountain

A pine-covered hill with large private residences, on the road to Cape Spartel. A good drive with viewpoints over the Strait; on clear days you can see Tarifa and the Cádiz coastline.

Atlantic

Achakar

The long beach next to the Caves of Hercules, with waves and wide-open sand. In summer it fills with families from the city; out of season it's almost empty.

1 and 2-day Tangier itinerary

Day 1, morning

Up to the kasbah

From the Grand Socco, climb through the medina, about 20 or 25 minutes with stops, to the kasbah square and the museum. Come down past the American Legation and the Petit Socco for lunch.

Day 1, afternoon

Phoenician tombs and tea at Hafa

About 15 minutes' walk west from the kasbah, through the Marshan. Mint tea on the stepped terraces while the sun sinks over the Strait; at weekends it fills up with students.

Day 1, sunset

Spartel by car

The cape and the Caves of Hercules are about 30 or 40 minutes away. Come back via Achakar beach and the Old Mountain and, if there's time, stop at the cape lighthouse at sunset.

Day 2

Atlantic coast to Asilah

About 45 minutes on the motorway: a walled white medina, murals and fish by the harbour. Come back for dinner or carry on to Tetouan and Chefchaouen.

The north in 4 days
2 August 2027

Total solar eclipse

The path of totality crosses the Strait and Tangier falls inside it, with several minutes of darkness in mid-morning. Hotels fill up, so book well in advance.

The 2027 eclipse

Spanish in Tangier

During the international period, between 1923 and 1956, Spanish was one of the languages of the street, along with Arabic and French. What remains is the Gran Teatro Cervantes, Spanish schools such as the Severo Ochoa, and many surnames and words in local speech.

Many people in Tangier grew up watching Spanish television, so in shops, taxis and cafés you'll be understood in Spanish without any trouble. If you carry on south, Tetouan holds on to even more of its protectorate heritage.

What to eat in Tangier and where

Medina

Kalinté

A chickpea-flour bake cooked in a tray and sold hot in portions with cumin and salt. It comes from Gibraltar's calentita and costs very little.

Fishing port

Fried or grilled fish

Near the port there are simple eateries where you choose the catch of the day and they cook it on the spot. Before they cook it, agree the price per kilo and how much what you picked weighs.

Boulevard Pasteur

Pastry shops from the international era

Mille-feuilles, croissants and cream cakes alongside Moroccan sweets, on Boulevard Pasteur and around it. For breakfast, a milky coffee and something sweet standing at the counter, like the locals.

Historic cafés

Tea at the Café de Paris

On Place de France, open since the 1920s. In almost all the old cafés the customers are men; a foreign woman can go in, though she'll be noticed.

Kasbah

Baba, the kasbah café

A small, old café in the kasbah, with photos on the wall of musicians and writers who passed through. Mint tea and views over the rooftops; they don't serve food, so go after lunch.

Grand Socco

Fresh Rif cheese

Around the Grand Socco, women from the villages sell fresh goat's cheese wrapped in palmetto leaves, bread and olives. Buy a little for breakfast on the riad terrace.

Arriving by ferry step by step

What's worth knowing if you cross from Tarifa or Algeciras. Check the rules before you travel.

On board

Passport stamp

On the Tarifa–Tanger Ville route, Moroccan police usually stamp passports during the crossing. Look for the queue as soon as you board so you don't have to wait in it at the end.

Tanger Med

From the port to the centre

From Tanger Med it's about 45 or 50 minutes on the motorway. There are taxis and buses, but if you arrive at night, with children or with a lot of luggage, book the transfer and have someone waiting with your name at the exit.

Private driver
Your own car

Customs with your vehicle

Keep the vehicle registration document and insurance that covers Morocco to hand; the vehicle's entry is recorded along with your passport. In July and August the wait at customs can last hours.

Money

Dirhams on arrival

There are exchange desks and ATMs at the port. Don't change everything there: in the city there are bureaux de change with better rates. Keep the receipts if you plan to change dirhams back to euros when you leave.

Money and tipping
Clocks

Time difference

In summer Morocco is usually one hour behind Spain and in winter on the same time, except during Ramadan, when it goes back one more hour. Ferry timetables are in local time.

Return journey

Open ferry ticket

When the Levante wind blows hard, sailings are delayed or cancelled, sometimes for a whole day. A flexible ticket lets you take the next boat without buying another; don't book a flight from Spain on the same day.

Common mistakes and scams in Tangier

Petit taxi

Fixed fare to the cape

Within the city, use the meter. For Cape Spartel and the caves, a fixed fare is usually agreed: settle beforehand whether it includes waiting time and the return trip, and pay at the end, not when you get in.

Kasbah

Escorts on the hill

On the way up to the kasbah, boys offer to take you to the museum. Keep going uphill and you'll get there in a few minutes; if you get lost, ask in a shop.

Photography

Police and checkpoints

Don't photograph checkpoints, officers or the Tanger Med port facilities. They'll make you delete the photos and you'll lose time, just when you want to get to the city quickly.

Medina

“Souvenir” shops with a guide

If someone has walked you somewhere without being asked and you end up in a shop, the price will include their cut. Buy in shops you choose yourself, having asked the price first.

Pasteur

Bags on café terraces

On the terraces downtown, don't leave your phone on the table next to the pavement. It's the most common slip-up in any big city, and Tangier is no exception.

At night

Lit-up seafront

The promenade along the bay is lit and full of families until late, especially in summer. The lower part of the medina, near the port, is best walked at night along the main streets.

Where to stay

Medina and kasbah

Riads with sea views

Small hotels with terraces. Cars can't always reach the door.

Modern centre

Downtown hotels

More practical for getting around.

Seafront and Malabata

Facing the bay

Convenient if you arrive by car.

How to get there

1 hr from Tarifa

Ferry to Tanger Ville

It arrives at the port next to the medina. On a clear day you can see the coast of Spain, and many locals speak Spanish.

By air

Ibn Battuta Airport

It has flights from several European cities.

Just over 2 hrs

Al Boraq

High-speed train to Rabat and Casablanca.

See Casablanca
Via Casablanca

On to Marrakech

From Casablanca you carry on south by train.

See Marrakech

Tips on arrival

When you get off the boat, people will come up offering to guide you or find you a taxi; if you already have a transfer, say no and keep walking. When the Levante wind blows hard, ferries across the Strait are delayed or cancelled, so don't cut it fine with a same-day flight connection. If you're crossing with your car, allow time for customs.

Check the entry requirements and the best time to go. For food, it's fish, seafood and pastry shops (Moroccan food). We'll pick you up at the port: see our private tours or write to us.

Day trips from Tangier

Under 1 hr

Asilah

A coastal town of white houses and murals.

Day trips
UNESCO World Heritage

Tetouan

Its medina has a strong Andalusian influence.

Frequently asked questions about Tangier

How long is the ferry from Tarifa to Tangier?

The crossing between Tarifa and Tanger Ville port takes about an hour. From Algeciras the boats arrive at Tanger Med port, further from the centre. Timetables change with the season and sea conditions; always check with official sources before you travel.

How many days do you need to see Tangier?

With one full day you can explore the medina, the kasbah and Cape Spartel. With two days you have time to see the city without rushing and take a trip to Asilah or Tetouan.

Can you go from Tangier to Casablanca by fast train?

Yes, the Al Boraq high-speed train links Tangier with Kenitra, Rabat and Casablanca. The journey to Casablanca takes just over two hours, which makes it easy to combine the north with the rest of the country.

Tours and day trips from Tangier

Routes and activities that start in Tangier.

Blue door in the Tangier medina
Private toursRecommended
8 days / 7 nightsFrom TangierPrivate

8 days from Tangier: Chefchaouen, Fez, the desert and Marrakech

If you're arriving by ferry from Spain, we pick you up in Tangier and over eight days you travel down through Chefchaouen, Fez, the Merzouga dunes and the southern kasbahs to Marrakech.

From€1,040 / person

Minaret among palm trees in Tangier
Imperial cities
4 days / 3 nightsFrom TangierPrivate

Northern Morocco in 4 days from Tangier

Four days by private car through the north: Tangier and Cape Spartel, Tetouan, two nights in Chefchaouen and back via Asilah. Pick-up from the ferry from Tarifa or Algeciras.

From€500 / person

Cats on a blue staircase in Chefchaouen
Imperial cities
12 days / 11 nightsFrom TangierPrivate

12-day grand tour from Tangier to Essaouira

Twelve private days from Tangier to Marrakech: Tetouan, Chefchaouen, Fez, two nights in Erg Chebbi, the southern kasbahs and a night in Essaouira. Easy if you arrive by ferry.

From€1,580 / person

Other tours that pass through Tangier

Private and small-group routes with a local guide.

More about Tangier

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