Travel tips · Tangier · Morocco
Tangier travel tips: what to know before you go
The etiquette, money and practical details that make the first day easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Ifni95, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Tangier's history as an international zone, its location a short ferry ride from Spain and centuries of trade have made it unusually multilingual: Darija, French and Spanish are all widely spoken. It is a working port city first, more relaxed and less tourist-focused than Marrakech.
Key facts
- Language
- Arabic (Darija), French, Spanish and Tamazight (Berber)
- Currency
- MAD
- 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…
- Emergency
- 19 police, 15 ambulance and fire (112 from mobiles)
Things to know
- Dress modestly in the medina: cover shoulders and knees.
- Non-Muslims cannot enter most mosques in Morocco; admire them from outside.
- Ask before photographing people, and accept a 'no' gracefully.
- Greet shopkeepers before asking prices, and haggle politely in the souks.
- During Ramadan, avoid eating, drinking or smoking in public during daylight hours.
- Insist on the meter in petit taxis to avoid inflated fares.
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.
Language
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Salam alaikum | Hello (peace be upon you) |
| Shukran | Thank you |
| La, shukran | No, thank you |
| Bshhal? | How much? |
| Bonjour / Hola | Hello in French or Spanish, both widely used |
What to wear
Loose clothing that covers shoulders and knees works best in the medina; bring a windproof layer, as the Levante and Atlantic winds can make evenings cool.
Practical details
- Plugs and voltage
- Type C and E sockets, 220 V, 50 Hz
- Drinking 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)
- Phone and internet
- Local SIM cards from Maroc Telecom, Orange and inwi are inexpensive and sold at the airport and in town; riads and cafés usually offer Wi-Fi.
- Time zone
- Africa/Casablanca
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.
Entry requirements
Visa and passport rules depend on your nationality and change often. Check Morocco's official government guidance and your own government's travel advice before booking.
Plan the trip
Questions travellers ask
+Do you tip in Tangier?
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.
+Can you drink the tap water in Tangier?
Tap water is treated, but most visitors drink bottled or filtered water to avoid stomach upsets.
+What plugs are used in Tangier?
Type C and E sockets, 220 V, 50 Hz
+What language is spoken in Tangier?
Arabic (Darija), French, Spanish and Tamazight (Berber).