One Day in Tangier • A Photo Diary

One day in Tangier was the perfect start to our time in Morocco, and wandering the streets with a camera in hand is my favourite way to explore a new place. Here’s my complete photo diary, along with everything we loved and everything I recommend you check out for yourself.

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Tangier is an absolute stunner. Whitewashed houses line the narrow streets of the medina, camels huff and puff on the sandy city beach, pink bougainvillaea clouds stick like candy floss to rooftops, and in the twinkling Mediterranean Sea, dolphins jump against the distant backdrop of Gibraltar. Vendors sell fresh bread throughout the day- round, flat loaves which are soft and airy in the middle- and cats pad up and down alleys or lollop in the shade. Men collect outside cafes, drinking delicate glasses of mint tea and smoking in swirls of smoke, and women bustle from shop to shop, haggling with shopkeepers like true professionals. I’m in awe of their skills.

This may be an African city, but Tangier’s lines have been merged with Europe for donkeys’ years, and back in the day it was a haven for US and European citizens looking for an escape from rigid western life. Tangier still has traces of its bohemian heritage, and its proximity to Spain means that it’s still very easy for European travellers to visit. Every day the ferry from Tarifa brings new day-trippers ready to explore a little slice of Morocco. But it doesn’t seem to have bent to the glossy will of tourism, and I think that’s why I love it, pals.

Tangier is rough around the edges, but it’s also beautiful, and the pace of life is far more relaxed than cities farther inland like Fes or Marrakesh. With only one day in Tangier, and a grand total of two nights, we managed to see and do a lot, and fell in love with this utter charmer of a seaside city.

The quick list: everywhere we loved during our one day in Tangier

Café Baba. Iconic family-owned café with a great view across the Medina rooftops.
Grand Socco. A pretty square lined with coffee shops and the stunning art deco Cinema Rif.
The entire medina, at various points throughout the day.
The Phoenician Tombs. Which sounds way more macabre than it actually is. These tombs carved into rock are truly ancient, but also have a great view across the Strait of Gibraltar.
Café Hafa. Another iconic Tangier institution, founded in 1921. With only one day in Tangier it’s a must-visit, although it’s by no means a glamorous affair.
The Kasbah Museum. Housed in a stunning old palace and holding a beautiful shady garden and a full Roman mosaic floor.
Café Dopamine. For 10/10 pastries.
Plage Municipale. Ginormous sandy beach, complete with camels. What more could you want?
Restaurant Cheikh Ibrahim. The friendliest people, and most delicious pastilla. Thank me later, pals.
The Corniche at night, for a bustling atmosphere and wonderful seafront strolls.

For our one day in Tangier (and a grand total of two nights), we stayed in a private room at the Bayt Alice, which was in a historic home within the medina. It was downright gorgeous and extremely budget friendly.

Read my detailed guide to Tangier