48 hours in Tangier
Review by Sarah Riches
Quick look
What To See
Eating Out
Sleepover
Getting There
Think of Morocco and images of old city walls, camel caravans and tagines spring to mind. So when you arrive in Tangier, a city on the north coast of Africa, and see 10-storey apartment blocks, you might be disappointed. But delve deeper and you’ll find the Morocco you came for – without the hordes of tourists who descend on Marrakech.
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 The city can be roughly divided into two; the old walled town (medina), in the north of the city near the port, and Ville Nouvelle or new town in the south. Avenue Mohammed VI and a sweeping beach run along the seafront of the new town, both of which are lined with hotels and clubs. The medina is a warren of twisting alleyways, some so narrow open shutters touch the ones opposite.
What To See : Back to top
The Grand Socco, a former market square, is a good place to start. Enter the medina from there and follow Rue es Siaghin to Petit Socco, a clearing bordered by cafes where you can sit and people-watch. Rue de la Marine leads off Petit Socco and the street is lined with shops selling lanterns, leather slippers and mirrors. The Grand Mosque is at the end of the street, 100m away, but it’s closed to non-Muslims. Still, the mihrab doorway, in the shape of a key hole, is worth a look. After that, fold away your map because you’re bound to get lost anyway, and that’s part of the fun. One of the highlights of Tangier is wandering through the medina in the evening, when it’s quieter. Turn away from the shops and you’ll see washing hanging from crooked windows, men smoking on their doorstep and kids kicking a football around in flipflops. Weave north and, in theory, you should come across Dar el Makhzen (www.maroc.net/museums 10 dirhams, or 75p). A former palace, it’s now a museum of crafts and antiques and hosts occasional English-language performances in the courtyard. Outside you can take in sunset views across the Strait of Gibraltar through a broken gate in the city wall.
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Back at Grand Socco, walk up the hill past St Andrews Church in the new town and you’ll come across Galerie d’Art Contemporain Mohamed Drissi, which is housed in the former British Consulate on Rue d’Angleterre. It’s free, and exhibitions change monthly – when I was there, the expressionist paintings of a French artist, Anouchka D’Anna, were on display in the gallery’s four rooms. Ensemble Artisanal, a Government-run craft centre, is a five-minute walk away. There you can watch artisans chipping at patterned tiles and hammering silver into jewellery or shop for teapots, rugs and mirrors.
If you follow the main road towards Place de France and turn left on to Rue de la Liberte, you’ll find Galerie Delacroix on your left. It’s a small, free contemporary art gallery with new exhibitions every month – on my visit, I saw a series of black and white photos of immigrants living in Paris in the 1950s. Back outside, down some steps on your right, is the Fondouk Market. As well as sampling fresh produce – including snails climbing the walls – you can browse for knicknacks or watch weathered men in their 80s working on looms.
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Eating Out : Back to top
Restaurant Populaire (Le Saveur) is a Mediterranean seafood restaurant half way down the steps leading to the Fondouk Market. You have to push past crates of fruit and veg to sit down, but once you’re in you’ll feel like you’re in someone’s home – paintings crowd the walls and the shelves are lined with terracotta pots. If they’re quiet, the owner will allow you in the back where they make their own fruit juice – a cauldron bubbles with steaming apples and plums. The fixed price menu costs 200 dirhams (£15).
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If you want to splash out on a fancy meal, eat in the Moroccan restaurant in the five-star Husa Solazur Hotel (www.husa.es/en/) on Avenue Mohammed VI. The portions are huge so pace yourself – no easy task when all the dishes are delicious. I tried a mezze selection of babaganoush (smoked aubergine puree), humous, sardines, chunks of swordfish in tomato sauce and flatbread, followed by a main of salmon, asparagus with pureed carrot and gravy. By the time dessert was served – fresh fruit and baklava – I was ready to pop. Belly dancers and musicians playing drums and cymbals keep diners entertained.
Another option for dinner or a late night drink is the wine bar in Hotel el Minzah (www.elminzah.com), near the Fondouk Market. The hotel dates back to 1930, and black and white photos of famous guests – Tennessee Williams, Sir Winston Churchill, Yves Saint Laurent and Rita Hayworth – adorn the walls. Here, a ¾ bottle of Dom Perignon champagne will set you back 2,900 dirham (£222). You can also eat in the hotel’s Moroccan restaurant, El Korsan, which serves traditional tagines.
For peppermint tea and snacks, the best place in town is Cafe Hafa, a 10-minute walk from Dar el Makhzen. It’s tricky to find but if you follow Rue Asad Ibn Farrat and turn right after a school you should come across it. The outdoor cafe is cut in to the hillside overlooking the sea, so the best time to go is sunset – just be prepared to get lost in the dark on the way back.
Vegetarians won’t miss out either. Look out for locals serving street food such as corn on the cob or simple potato cakes – flatbread stuffed with crushed potato, boiled egg, a shot of olive oil and seasoning. Karane, a savoury flan sprinkled with cumin, has the consistency of a custard tart and a mild chickpea flavour, so it’s great for kids and only costs two dirhams (15p) a slice.
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Sleepover : Back to top
Hotel el Minzah has 140 charming rooms, a pool overlooking the sea and a hammam, although the spa is disappointingly modern. Husa Solazur Hotel is slightly less convenient for the medina, but wins points for its beach views and pool. Guests can also feast on a spectacular buffet breakfast – try the dates, figs in syrup and msemen (Moroccan pancake) with honey or jam. Like the lobby, the hotel’s 348 rooms are all modern – my room was turquoise and purple – but lanterns and wood carvings remind you where you are.
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Tangier may not have any compelling sights, and there are no direct flights from the UK. But it is worth visiting for a few days, particularly for first-time visitors to Morocco who might otherwise be overwhelmed by the overzealous market traders and manic taxi drivers in Marrakech. It’s also a convenient base to see two of the country’s most beautiful walled villages, Asilah on the west coast and Chefchaouen, inland.
Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) flies from London Stansted to Fes (Fez) from £20.99, from where you can catch a train to Tangier.
There are two direct trains a day, which take five hours 10 minutes and cost 97 dirham (£7.40). For up-to-date train schedules in English, visit www.seat61.com
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