Tangier was once one of the most popular destinations for visitors from both Europe and North America. It’s status as an international city with access to Europe, North Africa and the Middle East as well as a mix of cultures attracted diplomats, writers, intellectuals, businessmen and even spies.
After falling out of favour, Tangier is currently undergoing redevelopment and modernization to attract new swathes of visitors and this city on the north western tip of Africa should be at the top of your list. In our latest blog post, we outline how to spend the perfect 24 hours in Tangier.
Morning
Wake up in the morning, and if you’re staying in one of BlueBay’s fantastic hotels in Tangier, take in the stunning views of the city and sea before enjoying a traditional Moroccan breakfast.
As you’d expect from a country with such a melting pot of cultures as Morocco, the cuisine is like nothing you can find anywhere else. A traditional Moroccan breakfast has flavours from Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.
Moroccan food is based around bread, most likely Khobz. This is a round, dense bread that is used to eat and mop up the eggs, goats cheese and Amlou (an almond and argan oil dip). Finally, it will also include pancakes and will be washed down with Moroccan tea which consists of green tea, mint and sugar.
After breakfast, we recommend making your way to the Medina (Old City). Here, the labyrinth of narrow alleyways cascades down to the sea and contains traders selling everything from fruit & veg, to jewellery and rugs.
After exploring the Medina, head to the northern section to visit the Kasbah, the sultan’s previous home. Explore the 17th century building and museum with its fantastic architecture, carved wooden ceilings and marble courtyard.
The Kasbah is also the perfect place to have lunch in the world famous Café Detroit, a famous haunt for writers, expats and travellers in the halcyon days of the 1960s.
Afternoon
In the afternoon, we recommend heading to the beach and relaxing on the golden sands at the beach side district.
While its 60s heyday has gone, there is still a distinct charm with the blue waters on one side and cafes with people socializing, playing backgammon and eating, on the other. Nowadays, many tourist and locals alike come to play games and simply take in the moment.
Evening
In the evening, you simply must go to the Ville Nouvelle (New Town).
The turn of the century architecture captivated visitors and is part of what made Tangier so popular in the early to mid-20th century with artists, drifters, writers and creatives. The Terrasse des Paresseux (The Terrace of the Idle) is the perfect place to look over the ocean and see the distant figures of Southern Spain and Gibraltar in the haze.
This is the perfect place to have dinner in one of the many cafes and restaurants that fill the area. The Gran Café de Paris is famous for its association with spies during the Second World War and is the perfect place to grab something to eat. Moroccan cuisine is much more than just tagine and couscous but in this instance, we can’t recommend much better than these two iconic North African dishes.
After the sun sets, make your way to the Grand Socco (main square) and mix with local and tourists alike as the night goes on before retiring to your hotel to begin again the next day.
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