Travel guide · Morocco
Tangier travel guide
A hilltop kasbah, Beat-era cafés and views across the Strait to Spain
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Ifni95, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
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 gate and the French-built Ville Nouvelle beyond. From 1923 to 1956 it was an international zone that drew writers and artists such as Paul Bowles and William Burroughs, and their cafés are still open. Today a high-speed train links it with Rabat and Casablanca, and Asilah, Tetouan and Chefchaouen are within easy reach. Plan 4 days for a first visit; the best months are April–June and September–October.
Key facts
- Country
- Morocco
- Best time to visit
- April–June and September–October
- Ideal stay
- 4 days
- Main airports
- TNG
- Mid-range daily budget
- $90–$170 per person (estimate)
- Known for
- Strait of Gibraltar, Kasbah, Medina and Café Hafa
Why visit Tangier
- The kasbah's Bab el Bahr terrace and Café Hafa's cliff terraces look straight across the Strait to the mountains of Spain.
- The American Legation, the first property the United States owned abroad, is now a museum in the medina with a wing devoted to Paul Bowles.
- Cap Spartel and the Caves of Hercules mark the meeting of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, about 30 minutes' drive west of town.
- The Al Boraq high-speed train reaches Rabat in about 1 hour 20 minutes and Casablanca in a little over 2 hours.
- Asilah's painted medina, Tetouan's UNESCO-listed old city and blue Chefchaouen all make good day trips.
Top things to do
The six sights most first-time visitors build a trip around. See all 15 things to do.
Neighbourhood · Medina
Tangier medina
Whitewashed lanes climb from the port to the kasbah through a compact, hilly old town of small mosques, craft shops, bakeries and doorways painted blue and green.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Photo spot
- Shopping
Nature · Cap Spartel and Rmilat
Caves of Hercules
These sea caves on the Atlantic coast, about 14 km west of the centre, have an opening to the ocean said to resemble a map of Africa in reverse.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Nature
- Kids
- Photo spot
Palace · Kasbah
Kasbah Museum (Dar el Makhzen)
The 17th-century sultan's palace at the top of the medina now houses a museum of the region's history, from Roman mosaics and Phoenician finds to Moroccan ceramics, arranged around tiled courtyards and an Andalusian garden.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Views
Landmark · Medina
Petit Socco
The small square at the heart of the medina was the hub of International Zone Tangier, when its cafés were frequented by smugglers, spies and writers such as Burroughs and Kerouac.
- Time needed
- 30–60 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Food
Landmark · Medina
Grand Socco
Officially Place du 9 Avril 1947, the large square at the medina's western gate is the meeting point of the old and new cities.
- Time needed
- 30–60 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- After dark
Garden · Medina
Mendoubia Gardens
Beside the Grand Socco, the gardens of the former residence of the Sultan's representative are shaded by giant banyan and dragon trees and dotted with old cannons.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Nature
Where to stay
Medina is the easiest base for a first visit. Compare all 7 areas.
$$ · Best for first-timers, culture, couples and budget
Medina
Whitewashed lanes, the Petit Socco and riad guesthouses between the port and the kasbah
$$$ · Best for couples, luxury, quiet stays and culture
Kasbah
The quiet hilltop citadel with a palace museum and terraces over the Strait
$$ · Best for first-timers, solo travellers, nightlife and shopping
Ville Nouvelle
The 20th-century city of boulevards, cafés and hotels around Place de France
$$ · Best for quiet stays and couples
Marshan
Residential clifftop quarter with Café Hafa and ancient tombs
What to eat
- Bissara — A thick soup of dried split fava beans or peas with olive oil, cumin and paprika, eaten with bread, especially on cold mornings.
- Kalinte — A Tangier speciality of Spanish origin: a baked chickpea-flour flan sold hot in squares, sprinkled with cumin and salt.
- Harira — A tomato soup with lentils, chickpeas, herbs and sometimes lamb, thickened with flour and served with dates; essential at sunset during Ramadan.
- Tagine — Slow-cooked stews in a conical clay pot, such as chicken with preserved lemon and olives or kefta meatballs in tomato sauce with eggs.
- Grilled sardines and fried fish — Tangier's fishing port supplies sardines, sole and calamari, grilled or fried and served with bread, salad and chilli sauce.
- Seafood pastilla — A savoury pie of thin warqa pastry filled with fish, prawns, vermicelli and spices; the coastal cousin of the sweet-savoury pigeon pastilla.
When to go
The best times to visit Tangier are April to June and September to October, when days are warm and mostly dry without the July–August crowds. Summer is hot, busy and good for beaches; winter is mild but wet and windy, with the lowest prices. Ramadan shifts each year and changes the city's rhythm, with quiet days and lively evenings.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | March–May | Green hills, wildflowers and warming days, with showers in March easing to dry, comfortable May. |
| Summer | June–August | Warm to hot and dry, with beach weather, busy ferries and peak prices in July and August. |
| Autumn | September–November | Warm September sea and settled days, turning rainier in November. |
| Winter | December–February | Mild but frequently wet and windy; quiet and inexpensive. |
Getting there and around
Tangier Ibn Battouta Airport is about 15 km south-west of the centre. Taxis take about 20–25 minutes to the Ville Nouvelle or the edge of the medina; agree the fare before departure.
The medina, kasbah and Ville Nouvelle are walkable, though steep. Petit taxis are cheap for short hops, grands taxis run longer routes, and the Tanger Ville station connects with the high-speed Al Boraq line and regular trains.
Plan your days
Two days covers the medina, the kasbah, the American Legation, Café Hafa and an afternoon at Cap Spartel and the Caves of Hercules. Four days adds day trips to Asilah or Chefchaouen and time for the Ville Nouvelle's cafés.
Practical information
- Currency
- MAD
- Language
- Arabic (Darija), French, Spanish and Tamazight (Berber)
- Plugs
- Type C and E sockets, 220 V, 50 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water is treated, but most visitors drink bottled or filtered water to avoid stomach upsets.
- Emergency number
- 19 police, 15 ambulance and fire (112 from mobiles)
- Tipping
- Rounding up or leaving about 10% is customary in restaurants; small coins are appreciated by café waiters, porters and guides, and official guides expect a tip at the end of a tour.
Check your own government's travel advice before travel. The most common problems are persistent unofficial guides and touts around the port and medina entrances, and pickpocketing in crowded areas; use metered petit taxis and keep valuables zipped away.
Flights to Tangier
Questions travellers ask
+How many days do you need in Tangier?
Two days covers the medina, the kasbah, the American Legation, Café Hafa and an afternoon at Cap Spartel and the Caves of Hercules. Four days adds day trips to Asilah or Chefchaouen and time for the Ville Nouvelle's cafés. How to split your days.
+When is the best time to visit Tangier?
The best times to visit Tangier are April to June and September to October, when days are warm and mostly dry without the July–August crowds. Summer is hot, busy and good for beaches; winter is mild but wet and windy, with the lowest prices. Ramadan shifts each year and changes the city's rhythm, with quiet days and lively evenings.
+What is Tangier known for?
Strait of Gibraltar, Kasbah, Medina, Café Hafa, Beat Generation writers, International Zone history and Caves of Hercules. The kasbah's Bab el Bahr terrace and Café Hafa's cliff terraces look straight across the Strait to the mountains of Spain.
+Is Tangier expensive?
Tangier is affordable for international visitors: a mid-range trip costs roughly $90–$170 per person per day before flights (AMZBooking estimate). Costs and money-saving tips.
+Do you need a car in Tangier?
No. Taxis and trains cover the city and most day trips; a car or driver only helps for Chefchaouen and the Atlantic coast at your own pace.