The American legation museum is at the top of Rue Salaheddine Ayoubi and 60 years ago it was the base of american influence in the Tanger International Zone, a colonial region controlled by the french , spanish and British. The museum itself is down a few windy medina streets, but is easily found if you follow the signs. The entry fee is only a few dirhams, and for a little extra the doorman might take you on a tour of the building. The highlights of the museum are the signed photographs of famous politicians and diplomats, and an amazing collection of ancient maps and documents from the colonial era in Morocco. The best of which is a bizzare report about lions being given to the colonial king. In the back of the museum, is part of what remains of the dioramas and toy soldiers collected by crazy multimillionare Malcom Forbes in the 1950s.
This Fall (October specifically) will mark the end of ferry service in and out of Tangier. To cross to spain, you need to travel down the coast to Ksar Sgir and board the ferry at the new port of Tangier-Med. This is about a 40 minute drive, and is fairly complicated for travelers without a car.
How to get to Tanger-Med port
If you have a car, simply get on the Autoroute or main toll highway and follow the signs for Tangier-Med and Ksar Sgir, there is an exit that leads directly to the port. If you don’t have a car, your best bet is to go to the main city bus station, and find the taxi stand for Ksar Sghir, then make clear that you want to go to the port, and not the tiny village, they should ideally drop you off near the ferry terminal.
What does this mean for Tangier?
The impact of this change has already been felt here in Tangier, with decreased revenues from Tourism, the end of single-day tour packages from Spain, and decreased numbers of hotel guests. The plan currently is to replace the ferry terminal with a snazzy new marina to anchor luxury yachts
Ibn Batouta Airport is located on the south side of town, about 25 minutes from downtown by car. It’s becoming popular with discount carriers like Ryanair, EasyJet, Atlas Blue and AirArabia.
Airport Hotels
The nearest, most accessible hotels are Hotel Ibis, Le Mirage Resort, and Hotel Ahlen. However any hotel will charter a taxi to take you to the airport for around 100 – 150 Dirhams. Many guest houses and riads will be happy to pick you up and drop you off at the airport if you ask them in advance.
Airport Transport
The official taxi stop for rides to the airport is located directly in front of Hotel Rembrandt (across the street from Tanjah Flandria). But this might not be convenient unless you are staying in one of these two hotels. The second option is to take a petit taxi (teal blue with a yellow stripe) They will often take you to the airport, but can’t accomodate large bags. The third option is to wave down a passing Grand Taxi (a white mercedes with a taxi sign on top) and ask them to take you to the airport. The safest and simplest method will naturally be to ask your hotel to get a taxi for you. Expect this ride to be around 100 Dirhams. This is the standard fare for the airport, but drivers will generally try to make you pay as much as they can, so pay up front. If you’re driving, parking at the airport is free.
Coming from the Airport you’ll see a large line of white taxis waiting for passengers. Agree on the price before you leave, point to the large blue sign of taxi prices if you can’t get your point across.
Regulations to know
At the airport, both departing and arriving you will need to fill out an entry/exit form with things like your passport number and address in the country, make sure you get one before you get in line for immigration. The lines for immigration tend to be long, sometimes up to 30 minutes. Don’t check anything important in your luggage, this country is notorious for items stolen from checked luggage.
The Tangier Kasbah is one of the oldest parts of the city, and it just looks so moroccan! Don’t miss a hike through this area if you visit Tangier.
The View
The Kasbah sits at the top of huge cliffs overlooking the bay. According to the kasbah museum, during a tsunami in the last century waves actually reached up and over these giant ramparts. There is a doorway in the wall
The Museum
The Museum des Kasbah offers a neat look at the history of the city and the Sultan who built this Fortress or Kasbah. It also has a beautiful garden, so plan some extra time to sit and relax. Ignore the locals who pester you here for a guided tour, since they are not liscenced tour guides and cant’ be trusted.
The Riads
This part of the city is full of Riads and elegqant guest houses, including La Tangerina, Nord Pinus, and Dar Sultan along with many others.
I talked about Hiking in Tangier in a previous post, but this one will lay out the complete instructions for Getting to Jbel Moussa, finding the trail and making it back again.
1) Taxi from Tangier bus station to Fnideq/Castellejo.
You will need to enter the gated taxi area to left of the Gare Routiere ( Bus Station) and find the taxi stand for Fnideq. The price is 30 Dirhams per seat and there are 6 seats. This taxi will leave when full and will be about 1.5 hours on the road. Check our Tangier Bus and Taxi video to learn how to get tickets. Continue reading “Hiking Jbel Moussa near Tangier”
The Moroccan five is a collection of local foods served at basically every restaurant in Morocco. Quality varies from place to place, but you can count on these items being on the menu.
1) Shawarma – Yogurt Marinated chicken grilled on a skewer. Served with lettuce, tomato, onion and sauce all rolled up and grilled in pita bread.
2)Pizza – not what your used to, but always a safe choice. Pizza here is generally a small single person affair, and can be served with seafood, veggies, and dozens of other variations, but sorry, no pepperoni.
Moroccan Pizza
3) Tagine – Steamed meat and vegetables with thick broth. Cooked and served in a cone-shaped clay pot. Eaten hot with sliced bread.
An Egg Panini
4) Panini- The european version of grilled cheese, often with chicken, peppers, cheese and onions inside.
5) Brochettes -Grilled meat on a skewer, usually served with fries or rice.
The Ferry service in Tangier just changed dramatically, with the opening of a new freight and passenger ferry terminal at Port Tanger Med, though you can still get tickets for the old terminal.
The advantage is that drivers headed for the rest of the country can get on the Autoroute ( A high speed toll road) directly from the terminal at Port Tanger Med, without having to deal with the traffic and hassle of driving through tangier. It’s also a shorter trip across the water.
The disadvantage is that fewer ferries are operating out of tangier, and it’s important to be sure the destination of the ferry you are taking, because it will cost you 120 Dirham and almost 2 hours to take a taxi or drive back to Tangier from there.
There are some neat things to do in Ksar Sghir, the small town where the terminal was built. You can catch a train to anywhere in the south from the ONCF train station there, and the city has a beautiful beach with the ruins of an ancient Palace. It’s also very close to a Hike on Jbel Moussa.
Cap Spartel and the Cave of Hercules, are located just outside of town on the Atlantic coast. The best way to travel there is by taking a Grand Taxi. Grand Taxis to the Cave of Hercules leave from the park next to the Grand Mosque Mohammed 5th. (see the map).
View from the cave of Hercules
The Cave of Hercules
The Cave of Hercules is said to be the place where the Legendary Hero Hercules rested after one of his twelve epic labors. Today, it offers an amazing view of the Atlantic ocean, including it’s famous cavern which faces the sea. The sunset seen from the cave is one of the iconic images of the city of Tangiers.
Above ground you’ll find a wide assortment of restaurants that provide seafood and tradional moroccan meals, although they are on the pricey side, and don’t offer the best food. Camel rides are also available for around 50 Dh.
A trip to the cave might be best paired with a day at the nearby beach of Achakar, or with an extended stay at Le Mirage hotel resort, located just next door.
Cap Spartel
In ancient times, this location was considered the end of the world. Today it’s a great view and an interesting lighthouse. There is a place to park and several clean looking restaurants nearby to enjoy, but it probably won’t hold your attention for more than a few hours. The well paved hillside above Cap Spartel is a popular ascent for cyclists, and is said to be quite a challenge.
OK, here is the TangierHotels list of Recommended beaches in Tangier.
Achakar
This is the best beach in Tangier, and well worth the trip out to cap Spartel. The water here is clean with reasonable waves, great sand, and it’s much less crowded than other beaches. When the waves are good it’s possible to surf and body-board here. The coast here faces west so it’s a perfect place to catch the sunset! You can catch a taxi there from behind the Giant Mosque of Mohammed 5th.
City Beach
This is the worst beach in tangier. The most compelling reason is that sewage from the entire city pours out into the bay less than a mile away. That and the loads of trash that wash up on shore. This beach is however an excellent place to play soccer (football) or loaf around if you can stand being hassled by weird old dudes and guys selling Berber jewelry.
Playa Blanca
Playa blanca is a little ways out of town on the Mediterranean, and although it’s difficult to find, the beach is beautiful and clean.
Beach of Asilah
Just short walk from the town of Asila and popular with foreigners, the city beach of Asila is also a great choice. You can get to asila by Grand Taxi in about 45 minutes
Plage Sidi Kacem
Stretching for miles from the Cave of Hercules all the way to the walls of Asila, this beautiful narutal beach is almost completely empty even in the busiest parts of the summer. Be careful of some places along this shore that have an undertow.
Hotel Intercontinental
is a big, four star hotel located in a safer, quieter neighborhood away from the port. Hotel Intercontinental has a pool and lounge with two restaurants and a bar. Hotel Rembrandt
is located in the heart of downtown. Has a nice garden and pool out back and large clean rooms. It’s a pretty much ideal location, not far from the port and the old medina. Hotel Rif and Spa
has air-conditioned rooms, a swimming pool, and a bar. It is located on the city beach of Tangier, a short walk down from the entrance to the port, and the Old Medina. Lots of clubs and bars in this neighbor hood. Hotel Tanjah Flandria
is located in the center of downtown Tangier. It has a rooftop pool, and air conditioning. It’s a safe neighborhood and a great location for shopping and lounging in cafe’s.
Latest Reviews