Comparison · Fes vs Tangier · Morocco
Fes vs Tangier
Two great trips, different strengths. Here is how they compare on the things that decide it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: This Photo was taken by Timothy A. Gonsalves . Feel free to use my photos, but please ment, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Choose Fes for Fes el-Bali medina and Chouara tannery; choose Tangier for Strait of Gibraltar, Kasbah, beaches and nightlife. Day-to-day costs are similar, and the two are about 208 km apart.
Key facts
- Distance apart
- 208 km
- Less expensive
- About the same
- Best time for Fes
- March–May and October–November
- Best time for Tangier
- April–June and September–October
Side by side
| Fes | Tangier | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Morocco | Morocco |
| Known for | Fes el-Bali medina, Chouara tannery and Madrasas and zellij | Strait of Gibraltar, Kasbah and Medina |
| Best time to visit | March–May and October–November | April–June and September–October |
| Ideal stay | 3 days | 4 days |
| Mid-range budget per day | $90–$170 | $90–$170 |
| Cost level | Affordable | Affordable |
| Warmest month | July, 36°C (97°F) | July, 28°C (82°F) |
| Coldest month | January, 16°C (61°F) | January, 16°C (61°F) |
| Free sights in our guide | 11 | 10 |
| Day trips in our guide | 6 | 5 |
| Beaches | — | City beach |
| Airports | FEZ | TNG |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Fes for…
Fes el-Bali medina and Chouara tannery. Fes el-Bali, the old walled medina founded in the 9th century, is a UNESCO-listed maze of thousands of lanes where donkeys and handcarts still deliver goods, and where craftsmen work leather, copper, wood and tiles much as they have for centuries. Its…
Choose Tangier for…
Strait of Gibraltar, Kasbah, beaches and nightlife. Tangier faces Spain across the Strait of Gibraltar, about 30 km of water at its narrowest, at the point where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic. Its whitewashed medina tumbles down a hill from the kasbah to the port, with the Grand Socco square at its…
Top sights compared
| # | Fes | Tangier |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fes el-Bali medina | Kasbah Museum (Dar el Makhzen) |
| 2 | Bab Bou Jeloud (Blue Gate) | Tangier medina |
| 3 | Chouara Tannery | Petit Socco |
| 4 | Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque and University | Grand Socco |
| 5 | Bou Inania Madrasa | Mendoubia Gardens |
Food compared
| Fes | Tangier |
|---|---|
| Pastilla | Bissara |
| Bissara | Kalinte |
| Khlii | Harira |
| Harira | Tagine |
Which is cheaper?
Fes and Tangier cost about the same: a mid-range day is roughly $90–$170 in Fes and $90–$170 in Tangier (AMZBooking estimates, excluding flights). Fes on a budget.
Can you visit both?
Yes. Fes and Tangier are about 208 km apart, so they combine well in one trip: allow 3 days in Fes and 4 in Tangier.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Fes or Tangier cheaper?
Neither is clearly cheaper: a mid-range day costs about $90–$170 in Fes and $90–$170 in Tangier (estimates).
+Is Fes or Tangier better for a first trip?
Pick Fes for Fes el-Bali medina and Chouara tannery, or Tangier for Strait of Gibraltar, Kasbah, beaches and nightlife.
+How far is Fes from Tangier?
About 208 km in a straight line.