Visit Tanger

A white kasbah facing Spain, a medina where writers and merchants have crossed paths for a century, terrace cafés above the strait and a transformed seafront: Tangier has changed its face in twenty years. Two days for the city, a third for Cape Spartel.

Why visit Tangier?

Tangier is the main city of northern Morocco, at the entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, about an hour by ferry from Tarifa in Spain. An international zone from 1923 to 1956, it drew painters and writers from Matisse to Paul Bowles. It is linked to Casablanca by Africa's first high-speed train, running since 2018.

Tangier highlights

Monuments, literary landmarks and views over the strait.

Kasbah Museum

Housed in the former Dar el Makhzen palace, it traces Tangier's history from prehistory to modern times around a courtyard and an Andalusian garden.

American Legation

A house given to the United States in 1821, often described as their first diplomatic property abroad, now a museum with a wing devoted to Paul Bowles.

Café Hafa

A terraced café opened in 1921 on the Marshan cliffs, where you sip mint tea facing the strait, once frequented by visiting writers.

Caves of Hercules

A natural cave on the ocean shore south of Cape Spartel, whose opening to the sea forms a silhouette resembling the map of Africa.

Cape Spartel Lighthouse

A white 19th-century lighthouse at the north-western tip of Africa, a viewpoint over the meeting of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.

Cinema Rif

An Art Deco hall on the Grand Socco converted into a film archive, with a café popular with locals and a programme of arthouse and classic films.

Marshan tombs

Burials cut into the rock on the cliff edge, attributed to the Phoenician and Roman eras, with the sea as a backdrop.

Librairie des Colonnes

A French-language bookshop opened in 1949 on Boulevard Pasteur, the city's literary memory, once frequented by Paul Bowles, Jean Genet and Mohamed Choukri.

What to see in Tangier, district by district?

The kasbah, crown of the medina

At the highest point of the old town, the kasbah surrounds the former sultan's palace, Dar el Makhzen, now a museum. Its white lanes lead to Kasbah square and Bab el Bhar, an opening in the ramparts from which, on clear days, you can see the Andalusian coast some fifteen kilometres away. Wealthy foreigners bought houses here in the 20th century, many now turned into guesthouses. Allow two hours including the museum, and go up in the morning before the heat and the groups arrive.

Petit Socco and Grand Socco

The medina tumbles in a maze of lanes down to the harbour. Its heart is the Petit Socco, a tiny square lined with historic cafés where bankers, spies and Beat Generation writers met during the international zone era. Higher up, the Grand Socco, renamed 9 April 1947 Square, links the old town to the new: market, Sidi Bou Abib mosque and Cinema Rif, an Art Deco hall turned film archive. Half a day is enough to get lost here, politely declining unofficial guides at the harbour exit.

The European town and Boulevard Pasteur

South of the medina, the city built in the early 20th century lines up Art Deco buildings, former banks and hotels. Boulevard Pasteur is the place for the evening stroll, with the Terrasse des Paresseux, a viewpoint whose cannons point towards the strait. Nearby, the Librairie des Colonnes, opened in 1949, welcomed Paul Bowles, Jean Genet and Mohamed Choukri. The Gran Teatro Cervantes, opened in 1913, is undergoing restoration. Allow two hours on foot, then head down to the seafront and marina.

Marshan and the Old Mountain

West of the kasbah, the Marshan plateau is a quiet residential district edged by cliffs. Here you will find rock-cut tombs attributed to the Phoenician and Roman periods and, above all, Café Hafa, opened in 1921, whose stepped terraces overlook the sea. Further on, the wooded hills of the Old Mountain hold villas, palaces and Perdicaris Park, a pine and eucalyptus forest ideal for a two-hour walk. Take a petit taxi to reach the park, about ten kilometres from the centre.

Cape Spartel and connections from the strait

About 14 km west, Cape Spartel marks the meeting of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, with its 19th-century lighthouse. A few kilometres south, the Caves of Hercules open onto the sea through a gap shaped like Africa. Allow half a day by taxi. For onward travel, the Al Boraq high-speed train reaches Casablanca in just over 2 hours, and Marrakech can be reached the same day by changing in Casablanca. Tangier is the natural gateway to Morocco for anyone arriving from Spain by sea.

Frequently asked questions about Tangier

Can you do Tangier as a day trip from Tarifa?
Yes, it is a classic outing: an hour by ferry, and Tanger Ville port is a few minutes from the medina. Check your passport validity and leave a margin for the return, as border checks and wind can delay crossings.
Tanger Ville or Tanger Med: which port to choose?
For foot passengers, Tanger Ville, right in the centre, served from Tarifa. Tanger Med, some forty kilometres away, receives ferries from Algeciras and most car crossings; you then need a shuttle or taxi to reach the city.
How long is the high-speed train from Tangier to Casablanca?
Just over two hours on Al Boraq, running since 2018, with a stop in Rabat about 1 hour 20 after departure. For Marrakech, allow the day by changing in Casablanca for the conventional train.
Where to watch the sunset over the strait in Tangier?
On the terraces of Café Hafa in the Marshan district, or at Cape Spartel to the west, where the sun sinks into the Atlantic. In town, the Terrasse des Paresseux on Boulevard Pasteur offers a wide, lively view at the end of the day.
What remains of the Tangier International Zone?
Bank and hotel facades in the new town, the American Legation, the cafés of the Petit Socco and literary landmarks such as the Librairie des Colonnes. The international status ended in 1956, with Moroccan independence.
Which writers lived in Tangier?
Paul Bowles spent over fifty years here, and William Burroughs wrote part of Naked Lunch in the city. Jean Genet, Tennessee Williams and Mohamed Choukri, author of For Bread Alone, are also linked to it. Matisse painted several canvases here in 1912 and 1913.
Can you visit Chefchaouen from Tangier in a day?
Allow about three hours by road each way, by CTM bus or taxi. The round trip is doable but leaves little time on site: a night in Chefchaouen lets you truly enjoy it.
Is the Tangier beach good for swimming?
The municipal beach along the seafront has been redeveloped but remains very urban. For swimming, choose the Atlantic beaches south of Cape Spartel, such as Achakar, which are wider, staying alert to currents and swimming in supervised areas.
Do you need a passport for the Tarifa to Tangier crossing?
Yes, a national ID card is not enough to enter Morocco: a valid passport is required for French, Belgian, Swiss, Canadian and most other nationals. Moroccan border control often takes place on board the ferry; fill in the form if one is handed to you.

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