Tips for visiting Tangier, ancient international city in northern Morocco

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Entrance to the Medina of Tangier in Morocco

One of the essential stages in a trip through northern Morocco it is without a doubt, Tangier, city that I have already had occasion to visit several times.

Moreover, from Madrid or Barcelona the fastest way to travel to that attractive area of ​​the neighboring country is by flying directly to Tangier airport, so the city becomes the first corner to visit.

But, what can you see and visit in Tangier?

Big souk next to the medina of Tangier

Of the Tangier city highlights its historical international character which gives it a special halo beyond the exoticism of other Moroccan cities.

Did you know Tangier was an international city which depended on several countries during the era ofFrench and Spanish protectorates, which from 1912 to 1956 covered the region of North Africa that we now know as Morocco?

Tangier, international city

At that time the inhabitants of spanish protectorate that they had in Tetouan its capital and most important enclave, and those of french protectorate withFez as capital, they needed a passport to enter Tangier.

In fact, the so-called Tangier International Zone It was in force between 1923 and 1960, the latter year when Morocco, after the declaration of independence in 1956, acquired the effective sovereignty of this coastal city.

Tangier Medina in northern Morocco

He Tangier Protectorate It was exercised by several countries: France and Spain, which at that time had distributed under their sovereignty the current territory of Morocco, but also the United States, Great Britain, Italy, Portugal, Belgium and Holland.

That international interest in Tangier has its origins many centuries ago in history, which is understood by its strategic place at the northernmost point of the African continent as one of the entrance doors to the Mediterranean Sea.

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Tangier History

The history of the city of Tangier goes back to the time when the Phoenicians arrived in that geographical area and they named it the enclave as Tingis, he original name of Tangier.

Variety of olives in a Tangier market

Tingis it was the name of a goddess lover of Hercules, who according to legend separated Europe from Africa by opening the Strait of Gibraltar.

The Romans also passed through here, whose presence still contains some archaeological remains.

Then the Vandals arrived, until in the year 705 it was the Arabs who occupied Tangier on their way to Spain.

Later it was the Portuguese who in 1471 took the city, once again, for their strategic interest, for two centuries after giving it to the British.

At the end of the 17th century a Moroccan sultan took control of Tangier, until at the beginning of the 20th century it was again the object of the interest of foreigners with the arrival of protectorate and the aforementioned statement of international zone.

That was a time of great strength for Tangier, a city that attracted a great variety of western visitors, from artists that led to a cultural boom, to exiles, spies, bohemian people ... and also marginal.

Old Portuguese fortification next to the port of Tangier

Behind the Moroccan independence, the city lived years of decline and, from a tourist point of view, it became an unpleasant place for visitors.

It was precisely that situation for which many years ago, and from bad experiences of friends who visited Tangier, I decided to remove from my priorities a trip to the north of Morocco.

However, with the new reign of Mohamed VI, Tangier It has become a strategic point in the monarch's purpose of giving the country a boost of modernization.

The crime was prosecuted and Tangier It has opened to the world facilitating the implementation of large multinational companies, making this area an important industrial production center.

This character has been propitiated by the construction of Tangier Med.

It is a large and modern freight and passenger port located 40 kilometers north of the city, in the heart of Strait of Gibraltar, and very close to Ceuta, whose first phase was inaugurated in 2007.

Decoration in a corner of the Kasbah Museum in Tangier

Nowadays Tangier Med It has surpassed important Spanish ports in the number of containers that it moves, in parallel to the establishment in the vicinity of the city of large European industrial companies, including Spanish.

Another very important infrastructure for this Tangier transformation process is the high-speed train that since late 2018 unites this city with White House Y Rabat.

In this way, when you now reach Tangier You find a city with several faces.

On the one hand, a large city in clear expansion, surrounded by large industrial areas where the aforementioned international companies are installed, and with a very modern area that is concentrated in its promenade located next to the huge beach of the city.

In this area you find skyscrapers with large and luxurious hotels, as well as huge shopping centers and leisure facilities.

And on the other hand, Tangier It maintains its historical aspect with some old European neighborhoods that are also in the process of transformation.

Hilton Hotel next to the Tangier seafront

What to see and do in Tangier

From the tourist side, you Tangier visit You must start it in the historic area, on the banks of the old port, also fully remodeled, where the ferries from Algeciras or Tarifa.

Tangier Harbor

So in that port, a huge building is currently being completed. Marine for leisure boats.

In the historic area you will find two clearly defined areas, the Medina with her Kasba, and the so-called new city.

To see the latter, if you go by car, you must take the main avenue, the Pasteur Boulevard, and successively you will find the old French quarter and the new Spanish neighborhood.

Tangier corner of the Kasbah

Old Spanish neighborhood of Tangier

In this tour there are institutions such as Cervantes Institute, Spanish schools, like the Ramón y Cajal, and the Spanish consulate in one of the largest and most luxurious enclosures in the city.

As you go along this avenue, you will reach the British and North American areas, where you will find numerous villas.

And later, on the way to Cape Spartel, passing through a residential area that extends through hills with lush forests, you will see large mansions.

As a curiosity I will tell you that some of them are now occupied by magnates from countries of the Arab gulf, As the Saudi Arabian oil ministerwho in Tangier It has an impressive palace.

But you Tangier sightseeing tour should focus on the Kasba and the Medina.

Tangier from the terrace of the Riad la Maison Blanche

Kasbah of Tangier

The Kasbah of Tangier, an old walled enclosure on top of one of the hills of the city, is now a network of narrow streets, some of whose buildings house small and charming hotels and riads of European owners.

To highlight the beautiful Riad La Maison Blanche Spanish property, from whose very nice terrace you have spectacular views of the city.

In you walk through the Kasba, from a hole in the wall you have a good viewpoint of the old port of Tangier, where you can see sections of the old Portuguese fortification.

Tangier Medina in northern Morocco

Kasbah Museum of Tangier

In the Kasbah of Tangier worth entering the Kasba museum, former palace of a sultan, and also residence of the Portuguese and British governors.

In addition to seeing the building, this museum shows various objects from the History of Tangier and Morocco.

Among them stand out a large floor mosaic of the old Roman city of Volúbilis, and a great and very curious wall map of the ancient Arab occupation in the world.

Tangier Medina

Exiting through one of the doors of the Kasba You can now descend the narrow alleys of the medina.

Mosque in the square April 9 of Tangier

Over there you will reach the most crowded and commercial area of ​​the same, whose central point is the Little Souk Square and its surroundings.

April 9 Square in Tangier

If instead you arrive from the downtown area of ​​the city, to visit the medina of Tangier you must go to the April 9 square, where the main entrance to the medina is located.

Very close you have the curious Anglican church of St andrews, where a Muslim architecture building is combined with Christian iconography and even some element of the Hebrew religion.

Hotel Ville de France in Tangier in Morocco

Grand Hotel Ville de France

In front of her you have the Grand Hotel Ville de France, recently renovated, where in his time the French painter stayed Delacroix and later on, Matisse, the famous French impressionist who lived in Tangier, and where he embodied several of his most famous works.

It is worth going up to your terrace from where you have beautiful panoramic views of the medina.

In your walk through the lower part of the medina you will go through streets of a certain extent and you will visit the traditional souks where clothing stores abound and souvenirs, which shows you that Tangier is a pretty tourist city.

Of course, in the Tangier Medina don't expect to find the exoticism of others Morocco medinas, like the Chefchaouen, or the authenticity of that of Tetouan.

In the medina you will also see the old italian neighborhood, with buildings and corners that in a way can remind you of Naples.

Great Tangier beach in northern Morocco

Tangier beach and promenade

The other side of the city that you must see on your visit is reflected in the environment of the huge Tangier Beach five kilometers long.

There recently a large promenade with leisure areas has been inaugurated, while skyscrapers have been built with large and modern hotels of the most famous chains in the world.

It is also an area where, being frequented by tourists and foreign visitors, it will be easy for you to see patrolling of armed soldiers walking in their work of protection against possible terrorist attacks.

Definitely,Tangier It already begins to show the image of a very modern city, in contrast to corners more linked to its past international city boom, such as its historic hotels.

Hotel El Minzah in Tangier in northern Morocco

In this regard, in addition to the aforementioned hotel Ville

from France, in others Tangier's historic hotels how The Minzah or the Continental hotel You can also relive the presence of illustrious international characters through black and white photos.

Tangier Hafa Coffee

Or also in the famous Hafa coffee, with its tables on terraces of several levels, a great viewpoint towards Spain, an authentic place (but very very busy ...) to have a mint tea.

This now mythical place used to be frequented, among other famous visitors of Tangier, by the American writer Paul Bowles or the Rolling Stones,where they smoked hashish.

Continental Hotel in Tangier in northern Morocco

Tangier surroundings

If you have time, it's worth it in the Tangier surroundings you approach the Cape Spartel,

Cape Spartel

Located about 14 kilometers west of the city, on its pleasant terrace you can sit and enjoy the views of the Spanish coast next to the Cape Lighthouse.

Lighthouse of Cape Spartel in the surroundings of Tangier

Hercules Grottoes

And nearby you can go to see the reopenedHercules Grottoes, a beautiful tourist enclave. Or also have a tea (at "European" price) on the spectacular terrace of the very luxurious and exclusivehotel Le Mirage, overlooking the stunning beach that stretches south.

Medina of Asilah

And of course, you can also visit the beautiful Asilah Medina, about 30 kilometers south on the shores of the Atlantic coast, one of the most charming enclaves in northern Morocco.

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