Free things to do · Tangier · Morocco
10 free things to do in Tangier
Tangier without the ticket prices: sights, walks and views that cost nothing.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Chris Yunker, CC BY-SA 2.0
Quick answer
You can fill at least 3 days in Tangier without paying an entry fee: Tangier medina, Petit Socco, Grand Socco and Mendoubia Gardens are all free. Insist on the meter in petit taxis to avoid inflated fares.
Key facts
- Free sights in this guide
- 10
- Low-cost extras
- 5
- Cost level
- Affordable
- Lowest hotel prices
- January
Free sights and experiences
Neighbourhood · Medina
1.Tangier medina
Use the kasbah at the top and the Grand Socco at the bottom as your landmarks; walking uphill always leads to the kasbah.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Photo spot
- Shopping
Landmark · Medina
2.Petit Socco
Take a mint tea on a café terrace and watch medina life pass through the square.
- Time needed
- 30–60 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Food
Landmark · Medina
3.Grand Socco
Have a coffee at the Cinémathèque's café and check its programme of art-house and classic films.
- Time needed
- 30–60 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- After dark
Garden · Medina
4.Mendoubia Gardens
Sit under the huge banyan tree on a hot afternoon; it is one of the coolest spots in the city centre.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Outdoors
- Kids
- Nature
Historic site · Marshan
5.Phoenician tombs
Combine them with Café Hafa on a walk west from the kasbah.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Views
- Off the beaten path
Viewpoint · Cap Spartel and Rmilat
6.Cap Spartel
Go on a clear day and combine it with the Caves of Hercules, about 10 minutes further south.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
Religious site · Medina
7.St Andrew's Church
The caretaker usually shows visitors around; a small donation is appreciated.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Off the beaten path
Viewpoint · Ville Nouvelle
8.Terrasse des Paresseux
Stop here during an evening stroll along Boulevard Pasteur, then take a drink at the Café de Paris.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- After dark
Waterfront · Corniche and Tanja Marina Bay
9.Corniche and Tanja Marina Bay
Walk the Corniche in the early evening, when Tangier's families come out and the sea breeze cools the city.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- After dark
- Outdoors
Park · Cap Spartel and Rmilat
10.Perdicaris Park
Visit on the way to Cap Spartel for a short forest walk with views over the Strait.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- Outdoors
- Kids
Free sights by area
| Area | Free sights | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Medina | Tangier medina, Petit Socco, Grand Socco, Mendoubia Gardens and St Andrew's Church | Half a day + 30–60 minutes + 30–60 minutes + 30 minutes + 30–45 minutes |
| Marshan | Phoenician tombs | 30 minutes |
| Cap Spartel and Rmilat | Cap Spartel and Perdicaris Park | 1 hour + 1–2 hours |
| Ville Nouvelle | Terrasse des Paresseux | 20 minutes |
| Corniche and Tanja Marina Bay | Corniche and Tanja Marina Bay | 1–2 hours |
Worth a small ticket
Nature · Cap Spartel and Rmilat
Caves of Hercules
Visit in the late afternoon and stay for sunset over the Atlantic at Achakar beach next door.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Nature
- Kids
- Photo spot
Palace · Kasbah
Kasbah Museum (Dar el Makhzen)
Combine the museum with the terrace at Bab el Bahr on a clear day, when the Spanish coast looks close enough to touch.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Views
Museum · Medina
Tangier American Legation Museum
Look out for the room of paintings of old Tangier and the Paul Bowles wing with his books and recordings.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Viewpoint · Marshan
Café Hafa
Order mint tea and bissara and stay for sunset; it is at its liveliest at weekends.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Views
- Food
- Couples
- History
Landmark · Ville Nouvelle
Place de France and Café de Paris
Sit on the terrace mid-morning with a coffee and watch the city go by.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Food
More ways to save
- Insist on the meter in petit taxis to avoid inflated fares.
- Eat at small medina cafés for breakfast and lunch; they are much cheaper than Ville Nouvelle restaurants.
- Travel between October and May, outside Easter, for lower riad and hotel prices.
- Book Al Boraq tickets early for the lowest fares on popular days.
- Carry small notes and coins for tea, snacks and tips.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Tangier expensive to visit?
Tangier is affordable for most visitors, but 10 of its best-known sights are free, which makes a tight budget workable.
+What is the best free thing to do in Tangier?
Tangier medina: Use the kasbah at the top and the Grand Socco at the bottom as your landmarks; walking uphill always leads to the kasbah.