A trip to this Morocco vibrant coastal city is well worthwhile. Tangier is now undergoing a huge resurgence and has become very popular. Writers and artists have long been drawn to Tangier. Yves Saint Laurent had first had a house there before he moved to Marrakech.
You can take an overnight train from Marrakech to Tangier or you can fly there from a number of European airports. Alternatively, you can arrive by very comfortable ferry from different ports in Spain, like Tarifa, just across the Straits of Gibraltar. It is worthwhile paying a small supplement to travel in comfort in first class.
I very much like Tangier.
A very good taxi driver in Tangier is Mr Tajdin, his cell phone is +212 661 681050. If you come by ferry he will pick you up from the port, take you for a city tour in Tangier and then to Asilah (see below) and back for around 60 euros.
In Tangier you should visit the Medina, which is surrounded by a fortress wall constructed by the Portuguese in the XV century. There is some interesting shopping in the souk. Walk around and absorb the Moroccan way of life.
Go to Petit Socco, in the Souq ad Dakhli. It is a very nice place to observe local people. It is always crowded and there is a lot of activity. You can have a very nice and traditional Moroccan mint tea.
Visit the Grande Mosquée and the Tangier American Legation Museum (don’t miss it) and the Musée de la Fondation Lorin in an ex-synagogue.
Very interesting is the Kasbah museum is situated in the Dar -El Makhzen, which was the palace of the sultan, where the British and the Portuguese governors lived when they were in Tangier. Stop also to see the sultan’s gardens.
Then go to the Nouvelle Ville, which has a colonial atmosphere. The area around Place de France and Boulevard Pasteur which captures your imagination with the splendor of this period. Have a nice mint tea in the Gran Café de París.
Then visit the Grand Socco (Place du 9 Avril 1947). Here is the entrance of the Medina. Walk through the Mendoubia Gardens and visit St Andrew’s Church. Visit the Boutique Majid, which is full of treasures.
Have lunch in Nabab (Rue Zaouiah Kadiria) or have fish in Populaire Saveur de Poisson. Have a mint tea in Grand Socco and a drink in Caid’s bar and a gourmet dinner in Art et Gourmet, La Tangerine or La Fabrique. Listen to jazz in El Morocco Club.
Hotels
The best hotel in Tangier is generally recognized to be the Hotel Nord Pinus (address: 11 rue du Ryad Sultan, Tanger; tel +212 661 228140)
Next door to it is another very good hotel: La Tangerina (address: 19 Rue Riad Sultan, Tangier; tel +212 5300 47731).
El Minzah is the most historic hotel in Tangier. It has recently re-opened following extensive renovation. It is in the main street in Tangier, near the shops and the Bazar Tindoeuf (address: 85 Rue de La Liberte, Tangier; tel +212 5393 33444).
Shopping
Bazar Tindoeuf is just down the road from El Minzah hotel and is an enormous shop which sells many things, including furniture, jewellery, lamps. In other words anything that you might want for the house. (address: 72 Rue de La Liberte, Tangier; tel +212 5399 31526).
Further down Rue de la Liberté just before the entrance to the souk you will find a number of shops, Beware these shops sell fake goods.
Out of Town
A short drive down the coast to Asilah is well worthwhile. The town is all painted white and blue just like those in the Greek Islands. It is very peaceful to walk around the charming souk, which has a very nice selection of things. You can buy interesting pieces in peace, such as leather sandals, straw shoes, very nice green pottery pieces, carpets, Berber jewellery and other things.
Walking around the souk with my niece we came across a 12-year-old boy selling old things in one of the beautiful alleys full of flowers, especially bougainvillea. We bought 2 beautiful tunics for 10 euros each! Beautiful old dresses. The boy was really lovely. He could have made us buy things that we didn’t need. Ja..ja.. After a while his grandfather joined us. We congratulated him for his grandson. It is great to have pleasing experiences with people while you shop!
You can have delicious lunches with tapas and paella. The area is influenced by the Spanish cooking, being so near to Spain. Lots of Spanish people have their summer houses here.
You can stay for the night in one of the hotels or you can do a day visit to it!
