I’ll be completely honest. The reason we flew into Tangier was that it was the cheapest entry point to fly from London to Morocco. (It did mean flying out of Stansted, my least favourite of all the London airports, but that’s another story.) ‘Is Tangier worth visiting?’ seemed to have been asked a thousand times over online, each time responded to with a resounding ‘no.’ But this city surprised us: Tangier is beautiful, and as far as I’m concerned, it’s the perfect gateway to Morocco.
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The taxi driver stood in the arrivals hall of Tangier airport clutching a sign in his left hand, my name scrawled across it. With his right hand he absentmindedly burrowed into each nostril, keeping an eye on the arrivals board the entire time. My eyes were focused on him.
We were standing in the queue for the sole functioning ATM, because not only is Morocco a cash-based country, but its currency is officially a closed one. Meaning you can only obtain Moroccan dirham within Morocco. The line was lengthy, and I was getting increasingly nervous that the driver would give up and leave; we hadn’t actually alerted him to the fact that we’d arrived.
But, it was fine. Dirhams obtained, we introduced ourselves to our wonderful nose-picking driver extraordinaire and were off, just as the sky was turning a glorious pinkish-citrus kaleidoscope of sunset colours. What a wonderful world!
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The quick list: the places we loved in Tangier
- Bayt Alice Hostel
- Cafe Baba
- Cafe Hafa
- Cafe Dopamine
- Restaurant Cheikh Ibrahim
- Kasbah Museum
- Roman Punic Necropolis
- Plage de Tangier
A very brief history of Tangier
Tangier has had a long history of being pulled this way and that- Phoenicians, Romans, the Portuguese and the English have all left their mark on the city, whether it was taken by force or ‘gifted.’ (The English King Charles II was given Tangier as part of the dowry of his Portuguese wife, Catherine of Braganza. Needless to say, it didn’t go over well with the actual local people. The city was under constant attack, and after several years the Moroccans successfully drove the English out.)
By 1912, the Sultan of Morocco was persuaded to abdicate for a big old sum of money, and ‘Morocco’ became ‘French Morocco.’ The sultan was out, and French colonial rule was in. That is, everywhere except Tangier. By the 1920s, this glorious city-by-the-sea was declared an official ‘international zone,’ governed by a ramshackle collective of Moroccan, French, US, English, Spanish and various other European representatives. It quickly became a sort of wild, no-man’s land, in terms of both laws and lifestyles. The zone was arguably the Cayman Islands of its time: a tax haven which, by the 1950s, was packed to the brim with banks to serve its many financial clients.
But more intriguingly than that, this was a multi-cultural city with a truly bohemian heart. Tangier had a very liberal attitude to religion, culture, and sexuality, and although the majority of the population were Muslim, there was also a significant proportion of Jewish and Christian citizens. Writers, beatnik poets, and artists flocked there for the relaxed lifestyle it afforded them.
Just across the Strait of Gibraltar, the European coastline is clearly visible from Tangier, and its location at the crossroads between Europe and Africa meant that it was perfectly placed for spies to slither through, gathering information in smoky cafes. But maybe more surprisingly, the city was particularly alluring for gay western men; during Tangier’s days as an international zone it was possible to live fairly freely, which wasn’t quite as easy on their home turf.
Tangier may not be quite the artistic haven that it once was, but echoes of its glamorous bohemian past can still be felt. And the morning after we arrived, as we trip-trapped up and down the alleys and staircases of the medina, we couldn’t get over how very European it all felt. The whitewashed walls and higgledy-piggledy city plan reminded me of Andalusían pueblos blancos (which makes sense when you realise that Andalusía was once Moorish territory), or even parts of Greece and Italy. Don’t get me wrong, parts of Tangier are in need of a bit of a facelift- we managed to navigate our way back to our hostel by memorising specific pieces of trash, like an old TV or a large pile of cabbage leaves- but it’s also rather charming.
Where we stayed in Tangier
For our two nights in Tangier, we stayed at the Bayt Alice Hostel which is tucked neatly inside a stunning historic home in the medina. There are plenty of other, pricier options for a stay in Tangier, but we were really happy with our choice.
Our private room had a pretty Juliet balcony onto the street, the interior of the hostel was filled with old maps, artwork and books that reflect Tangier’s heritage, and the rooftop views across the city towards the sea were glorious.
See my photo diary and review of the Bayt Alice Hostel.
The question of whether Tangier is worth visiting was answered to me by the time we’d finished the very first evening in the city. We walked down to the corniche running along the waterfront, which was full late at night with families, friends and couples enjoying the cool sea breeze. Across the black expanse of the Mediterranean, we could make out the twinkling lights of Gibraltar and Spain. Don’t get me wrong: England does have night life, and plenty of it, but it tends to revolve around alcohol. And it’s definitely not something for children to be involved in. Mediterranean night-time culture is generally for all generations. It was a downright wonderful atmosphere, with plenty of cafes still open and serving the throngs of customers enjoying the evening.
After a questionable breakfast the following morning (we chose a very tourist-centric restaurant which was a bit of a mistake in hindsight. Chris’s plate of meats and cheeses seemed altogether very German indeed), we headed out for a wander around the medina. I’ve wandered through a couple of medinas in my time, but Tangier has the perfect blend of authenticity and manageability.
Fes, Marrakesh and Casablanca each have their own unique medina, but the sheer size of these old towns with winding mazes of alleyways can be overwhelming to a first-time visitor. Tangier is more inviting, more relaxed, and less easy to get lost inside. Count that as one more reason that Tangier is worth visiting, pals.
The medina is also only ten minutes from Tangier ferry port, so for day-trippers from Spain it’s very easily accessible.
Tangier is worth visiting for the food
We wound our way uphill, stopping to marvel at a man crafting miniature camels out of leather and straw (lovely lad), and then to Cafe Baba, which is a legendary establishment if ever there was one. This cafe was opened in 1941 and has been run by the same family ever since. Inside, the walls are filled with framed photos of various clientele from years gone by; a monochrome Keith Richards puffs away on a pipe. The cafe’s balcony overlooks the rooftops of the medina, dotted with clouds of pink bougainvillaea, and the owner is a very cheery soul indeed. But the best thing about Cafe Baba is that it hasn’t bent to fit the mould of a tourist cafe. It’s actually pretty dingy inside, and there’s not a single avocado toast or matcha latte to be found. It’s just mint tea, coffee, and smoke.
I feel as if I’m on a coffee-and-cake mission wherever I am in the world. So at the very first glimpse of Cafe Dopamine’s glass counter of pastries, it was only right that we sat down to give them a sample. The delicate Khaab el Gazal were a real treat, and the cafe’s collection of nostalgic radios and record players gave us plenty to look at while we tucked into the almond-filled pastries.
Sticking to the theme of iconic cafes of Tangier, we made sure to complete the pilgrimage to Cafe Hafa which has been open since 1921 just outside of the medina. With tables and chairs arranged on steps carved into the cliffside, this is the perfect place to stop and sip a glass of mint tea, poured by one of the waiters who buzz between tables, producing glasses and teapots like magic. Away from the medina, every seat has a spectacular view across the twinkling blue sea to Europe.
I had the most delicious fresh peach juice I’ve ever had in my entire life- actually, possibly the only fresh peach juice I’ve had in my entire life- and a very curious tuna niçoise salad which involved not one, but three assorted carbohydrates. Pasta, rice and boiled potatoes. It was surprisingly rather tasty, and I even tucked into a piece of Chris’s bread to add another carb into the mix. (Just keep track of what you order so you’re not overcharged.)
And our dinner at Cheikh Ibrahim was possibly my favourite meal during our entire two weeks in Morocco. We made it to this family-run restaurant just as the call to prayer was finishing, and chose a table outside on the pretty street. In true Moroccan fashion, as soon as we ordered we were presented with several small dishes to keep us snacking before the meal arrived: bread, olives, carrot salad, and plenty more, which was all on the house. Then an incredible vegetable couscous, and the crowning glory: pastilla. I would never have guessed that a flaky pastry pie filled with spiced chicken and dusted with icing sugar and cinnamon would taste good, but this was a taste sensation and we loved every morsel.
Tangier is worth visiting for the cats!
The cats of Tangier? Don’t even get me started on the cats. Just like the rest of Morocco, in Tangier it seems almost as if the cat population outnumbers the human population. If you’re a cat lover, this is the place for you. But what’s really lovely to note is how the locals take care of them, even though they’re technically living on the street.
Don’t get me wrong, you’re sure to see a few cats on the skinny or mangy side. But we also saw local people leaving food outside their houses or shops for their feline friends. And as we climbed a seaside staircase one day, we stopped to marvel at a lady dropping eyedrops into the blinking eyes of some new-born kittens in a makeshift shelter.
Tangier is worth visiting for the sights
With only two days in Tangier, we skipped a few of well-known spots like the American Legation Museum and the nearby Caves of Hercules, to get a balanced overview of the old and new parts of the city. I always say that the best way to get to know a new place is to have a classic aimless wander through the streets, and this is exactly what we did with our day in Tangier, despite the heat. (In fairness, there was some respite from the 37ºC blasting from the sun in the form of the sea breeze that wafted in ocassionally.)
We loved the Kasbah Museum, housed in a 17th century sultan’s palace at a point high up near the outer edge of the medina. The exhibits are only described in Arabic and French, so it was a great test of what little knowledge I’ve retained since Year 9. Which was rather a long time ago, now. There was a lot of piecing together of clues to be done. But the building itself is beautiful, and the prettiest part of all was its leafy garden filled with green plants and pomegranates. The entrance to the Kasbah Museum is actually round to the left of the building as you look at it, tucked slightly away.
Overlooking the harbour, en route to Cafe Hafa, we stumbled on the Roman Punic Necropolis. Before Tangier was a city, there was a Roman town here named Tingis; in fact, apparently the Roman ruins of Tingis lie just beneath the foundations of the city. Like the ancient theatres of Cádiz or Málaga, these ruins are likely to be discovered only by chance. But the necropolis is one of the few Roman leftovers that are clearly visible, and it’s free to visit. The tombs were carved directly into the rock, which makes a lovely final resting place up on a plateau high above the stunning blue sea. These days it’s completely possible to walk across the excavated tombs, and it’s a spot that’s a popular meeting place for locals as well as tourists to visit.
Tangier isn’t all just tombs and kasbahs though. We walked over to the wide, sandy city beach and back in a big loop through a far more modern part of the city, and it was a great contrast to the winding alleys of the medina. Wide boulevards are lined with glossy, air-conditioned shops and chain hotels, and the beach was busy with sunbathers and swimmers. A few camels and extravagantly dressed horses awaited passengers near the promenade, bit we opted out of a ride.
We didn’t swim or sunbathe, but there were plenty of locals at the beach(admittedly mostly men), as well as tourists. As a woman, I dressed modestly throughout our entire time in Morocco, keeping my knees and shoulders covered, and I think I would have felt incredibly exposed in a bikini on the beach. However- Tangier is a city which is very used to welcoming European visitors, and I did see a few western women sunbathing, and plenty walking through the city with tiny dresses or shorts on.
And if you love an intriguing piece of architecture, make sure you walk past Cinéma Rif which opened in 1949 during the days of the international zone. The art deco cinema is on the open, cafe-lined Grand Socco square (and the cinema itself has a cafe, too.) Unlike the fully-functioning cinema, the Gran Teatro Cervantes is completely abandoned. It’s not officially possible to go inside, but even the exterior of the old building is beautiful to see. (We all know I do love an abandoned building, but in this instance the theatre looked a little too well-barricaded from unwanted visitors.)
Leaving Tangier
Tangier was so utterly charming, that on our final morning in the city I felt rather let down by the internet. Is Tangier worth visiting? Absolutely, and in my opinion, for longer than a mere two days. To be fair, I’m a moocher who likes to take things at a slow pace, but still. How dare the internet suggest that Tangier should be skipped!?
We were leaving Tangier by train, from the glossy white cavern that is Tangier Ville Station, in the centre of the city. But first thing’s first, we had to locate some breakfast. We found a cafe and ordered plates of msemen– crispy square pancakes, which we tucked into with lashings of cheese and honey and glasses of freshly squeezed orange juice- and chatted on about how pleasantly surprised we were by the Mediterranean vibe and relaxed pace of the city. (On a side note, the abundance of actual fresh juice in Morocco is something I’ll dream about for years to come, I’m sure of it.)
The cafe we were in was right next to the port, and the other clientele were mostly men sitting alone for breakfast, scrolling mindlessly on their phones while the TV played football in the background. There are plenty of chicer instagram-inspired cafes to be found in Tangier, but I was happy with our choice for the location and prices alone. You’ve gotta love an old man cafe for that, haven’t you?
I suppose, pals, that’s the last reason that I think Tangier would make a great first introduction to Morocco. There’s a wonderful balance here of being open and welcoming to visitors, but not bending over backwards to fit to every whim of a Disneyland-style crowd.
Tourism is obviously part of the fabric of the city, but you feel as if life will continue being lived here, in the same way, whether the tourists arrive or not. I truly hope it does.
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