Comparison · Marrakech vs Tangier · Morocco
Marrakech 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: Boris Macek, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Choose Marrakech for Jemaa el-Fnaa and Souks; choose Tangier for Strait of Gibraltar, Kasbah, beaches and free sights. Day-to-day costs are similar, and the two are about 500 km apart.
Key facts
- Distance apart
- 500 km
- Less expensive
- About the same
- Best time for Marrakech
- March–May and October–November
- Best time for Tangier
- April–June and September–October
Side by side
| Marrakech | Tangier | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Morocco | Morocco |
| Known for | Jemaa el-Fnaa, Souks and Riads | Strait of Gibraltar, Kasbah and Medina |
| Best time to visit | March–May and October–November | April–June and September–October |
| Ideal stay | 4 days | 4 days |
| Mid-range budget per day | $90–$180 | $90–$170 |
| Cost level | Affordable | Affordable |
| Warmest month | July, 37°C (99°F) | July, 28°C (82°F) |
| Coldest month | January, 19°C (66°F) | January, 16°C (61°F) |
| Free sights in our guide | 5 | 10 |
| Day trips in our guide | 6 | 5 |
| Beaches | — | City beach |
| Airports | RAK | TNG |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Marrakech for…
Jemaa el-Fnaa and Souks. Marrakech is a walled medina city at the foot of the High Atlas, built around the Jemaa el-Fnaa square and the Koutoubia minaret. Visitors stay in riads — courtyard houses inside the medina — or in the hotels of Gueliz, Hivernage and the Palmeraie, and spend…
Choose Tangier for…
Strait of Gibraltar, Kasbah, beaches and free sights. 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
| # | Marrakech | Tangier |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jemaa el-Fnaa | Kasbah Museum (Dar el Makhzen) |
| 2 | Koutoubia Mosque | Tangier medina |
| 3 | Bahia Palace | Petit Socco |
| 4 | Jardin Majorelle | Grand Socco |
| 5 | Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech | Mendoubia Gardens |
Food compared
| Marrakech | Tangier |
|---|---|
| Tagine | Bissara |
| Tanjia marrakchia | Kalinte |
| Couscous | Harira |
| Harira | Tagine |
Which is cheaper?
Marrakech and Tangier cost about the same: a mid-range day is roughly $90–$180 in Marrakech and $90–$170 in Tangier (AMZBooking estimates, excluding flights). Tangier on a budget.
Can you visit both?
Yes. Marrakech and Tangier are about 500 km apart, so they combine well in one trip: allow 4 days in Marrakech and 4 in Tangier.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Marrakech or Tangier cheaper?
Neither is clearly cheaper: a mid-range day costs about $90–$180 in Marrakech and $90–$170 in Tangier (estimates).
+Is Marrakech or Tangier better for a first trip?
Pick Marrakech for Jemaa el-Fnaa and Souks, or Tangier for Strait of Gibraltar, Kasbah, beaches and free sights.
+How far is Marrakech from Tangier?
About 500 km in a straight line.