Situated on the northern most point of Morocco overlooking the straights of Gibraltar, and on a clear day, with excellent views to the south coast of Spain. Tangier is only 14 kms. from the spanish coastline, yet offers a whole new world to the visitor coming from Spain and Europe.
For decades, between 1920 and the late 1950's, Tangier was a playground for adventure seekers and the rich and famous, attracting all those seeking a tax haven or a mystic destination, from authors to artists and spies to aristocrats. Regular visitors included the likes of Truman Capote and Tennessee Williams, and Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton. When Spain relinquished Tangier back to Morocco in 1960 its duty-free status went with it, and the city lost a great deal of its flair. Tourism is now increasing once more, though; visitors succumbing to the city's proximity to Europe are discovering that its decayed grandeur still has much to offer, from its new palm-treed promenade and sandy beach to the old town section, and the outlying villages and resorts. Despite it's fall from glory, a stylish café society has once again begun to build up in modern day Tangier's boulevards, and the merchants in the medina (old city) are doing good trade with tourists exploring the maze of narrow streets, all within sight of the Spanish coast across the straits of Gibraltar. An essential part of a visit to Tangier is to promenade along the beach, which extends along a curve for several kilometres.
Since the King Mohammed VI came to power in 1999, he has endeavoured to promote tourism and investment throughout Morocco, with the intention of attracting 10 million tourists per year to the country by the year 2010. His father made Marrakech the jewel of Morocco and is probably the most famous of all cities in Morocco. However, the new King is making huge strides to ensure that Tangier now becomes the new gateway into the country. To this end, the largest port in the whole of Africa has just been completed, situated 40 kms. from Tangier. A new motorway has been built and recently inaugurated to connect the new port with the town. All freight traffic will now move to the new port whilst the existing port in Tangier will be converted to a luxury sports marina for private yachts and marine craft. Certain ferry traffic from Tarifa and Algeciras will still continue to use the existing port.
In the last few years Tangier has undergone tremendous change to its infrastructure and communications. New motorways linking with Rabat and Casablanca and the new road to the port. A new railway station, a completely refurbished promenade along the beach and all buildings i the town are being re-painted. The airport is next on the list for expansion situated just fifteen minutes from the city centre.
Tangier was a candidate for Expo 2012. The vote went finally to South Korea. During recent years since being named as a posible location for the next Exposition, Tangier underwent, not surprisingly, a period of great speculation in terms of land prices and new developments during which time enormous investments have been made by national and international companies, including many grants from the Moroccan government to attract new business and commerce to the area. As a result of the decision finally going to Korea, the market place is now more sustained and progressive which arguably, in the long term, will benefit the area more.
GETTING AROUND
Tangier, like most Moroccan cities, consists of a Medina and a Ville Nouvelle that makes it very easy to move around. Grands taxis are allowed to carry up to six passengers; they are quick and efficient and are a good value for money. Petit taxis can be caught almost anywhere in town. They may not carry more than three passengers and are metered. Petit and Grands taxis increase their rates at fifty percent after 8pm at night. City buses are very useful; they operate between the airport, the train station, Grand Socco and the Caves of Hercules.
For travelling further afield, trains run throughout the country. There are toll motorways (which are very inexpensive) running from Tangier to the new port, and down the atlantic coast to Rabat (the capital of Morocco) and Casablanca. A new section is also under construction down to Marrakech. You can also fly between the major cities.
CUISINE AND NIGHTLIFE
Tangier's nightlife is improvng all the time. There are several good restaurants in the centre, such as San Remo and Mi Ami, on the main beach. Very recently a new Spanish restaurant opened, The Paella Palace. There are a few good bars and discos, 555 being the most spectacular (also on the beach), and some of the cafés in Grand Socco Square stay open all night. If you're looking for a basic inexpensive restaurant or café you'll find what you're looking for in the Medina. If a fancy meal is more your style, then Ville Nouvelle is the place to be.
ACCOMMODATION
Tangier has many hotels, right up to 5 star quality to include the Hotel Movenpic which has its own casino. There are many smaller establishments and pensions in either the Medina or the Ville Nouvelle. The city has two campsites: Camping Miramonte and Camping Tingis. Both are situated close to the city center and in walking distance of several beaches. They are safe and convenient.
El Minzah Hotel (5 star)
85, Rue de la Liberté
90000 Tangier
Tel: +212 39 93 58 85
Reservas: reservation@elminzah.com
Web: www.elminzah.com
Hotel & Casino Movenpick (5 star)
Route de Malabata
90000 Tangier
Phone:+212 39 32 93 00/50
Fax:+212 39 94 19 09
E-Mail: hotel.tangier.casino@moevenpick.com
Hotel Club Le Mirage (5 star)
Les grottes d´Hercule
Tangier
Telf.: +212 39 33 33 32
Fax: +212 39 33 34 92
E-mail: lemirage@lemirage-tanger.com
Hotel Intercontinental (4 star)
Blbd. de Paris,
Tangier
Telf.: + 212 39 93 01 50
Fax: + 212 39 93 01 51
E-mail: intercontinental@intercontinental.ma
Web: www.intercontinental-tangier.com
Hotel El Oumnia Puerto (4 star)
10 Av Beethoven,
Tangier
Hotel Ramada Les Almohades (4 star)
Avd. Des F.A.R. 43,
Tangier
Telf.: +212 39 94 07 55
Rembrandt Hotel (3 star)
Bd. Mohammed V,
Tangier
Telf.: + 212 39 33 33 15
Hotel Tarik (3 star)
Avenue Mohamed VI
Tangier
Hotel Ibis Moussafir (3 star)
RN 1 KM 12 Zone Franche
Gueznaya 90000
Tangier
ATTRACTIONS
The Beaches
Tangier has a great advantage when it comes to its beaches. Situated on the northern tip of Morocco, Tangier has the choice of the long, sandy and almost empty beaches of the atlantic coast as well as the smaller bays and coves of the Mediterranean. They are a big attraction in Tangier with people enjoying camel rides, windsurfing, acrobatics and football. The beaches here have a number of beach bars that are only open in the summer. Most of them offer showers, deck chairs, food and drink and provide cabarets at night.
Water Park
There is a new Water Park situated at the end of the main beach of Tangier on the Mediterranean coastal road to Ceuta and Tetouan.
Place de France
Place de France is a small French-looking square right in the middle of the Ville Nouvelle with many friendly, inviting street cafés.
Dar el Makhzen
A collection of art from all over Morocco is housed in the imposing Dar el Makhzen, the former Sultan's palace dating from the 17th century, which dominates the Tangier kasbah. The art collections are sited in the prince's apartments, which are breathtaking with their frescoed ceilings, sculptured plasterwork and intricate mosaics. The art on display has been assembled from all regions of Morocco, and includes firearms decorated with marquetry; pottery; carpets from Rabat; silks; and bound manuscripts from Fez. The Dar el Makhzen palace is home, too, to a fascinating museum of antiquities relating to Morocco's pre-history, gathered from sites such as Lixus, Cotta and Volubilis. The museum includes a life-sized model of a Carthaginian tomb, and a reproduction of an ancient necropolis, which is sited in a peaceful Andalusian garden.
Forbes Museum
Tangier boasts many beautiful palatial residences of varying styles and variety in its Marshan villa district, about 15 minutes walk from the medina. One of the most attractive of these is on the Rue Muhammed Tazi, and used to belong to United States multi-millionaire media magnate, Malcolm Forbes. The house is open to the public and contains Forbes’ collection of miniature soldiers, about 8,000 of them!
Grand Socco
The word 'socco' is the Spanish version of 'souk', or market, which has stuck to this square in the heart of Tangier because of its Spanish heritage. The square is, however, no longer a marketplace, but rather a city crossroads and huge taxi rank, fronted by cafes, outside the walled in, old part of the city. The market sells everything including arts and crafts, fruit and vegetables, fresh mint and plain old junk. It is also the jumping off point for entry to the medina, and for admiring the luxurious Mendoubia Gardens on the north side, and the mosaic-studded minaret of the Sidi Bou Abid Mosque to the west.
Kasbah
Tangier’s 17th century fortified residential quarter, or Kasbah, is a place of arcades, winding alleys and hidden terraces, where it is possible to wander among the wealthy homes and sometimes manage a peep behind the unprepossessing facades, enjoying views of the medina and the bay. The Kasbah mosque features an interesting octagonal minaret, and stands in the mechovar (parade ground). Visitors are welcomed at the Sultan’s Gardens in the Rue Riad Sultan to the north of the mechovar, where they can watch local craftsmen at work and sit awhile on the terrace of the Moorish café Le Detroit. On a clear day it is possible to see the Spanish city of Tarifa about 18 miles (30km) away.
The Mendoubia Gardens
Enjoy the inviting shade that surrounds the Grand Socco Square in the midsummer afternoons. This garden contains a fascinating banyan tree that's over 800 years old.
The Caves of Hercules
The Caves of Hercules are situated 14km west of Tangier in the Cap Spartel area. It is a place of great beauty and archeological significance.
Tangier American Legation Museum
In the midst of the old medina in Tangier, America has provided a thriving cultural centre, museum, conference venue and library in the only historic landmark of the United States that is located abroad. The American Legation Museum is housed in the American Embassy, established in Tangier back in 1777 when Morocco became the first power that recognised the United States of America as an independent country. The museum houses art collections and restored rooms. Guided tours are offered.
EXCURSIONS
Asilah
The fishing village of Asilah, south of Tangier, has become a popular seaside resort because of its nearby Paradise Beach, relaxing ambience, and picturesque 15th century Andalusian medina, which extends to the sea wall. The town is small enough to explore on foot (donkey carts are also a fun option) and is renowned for its restaurants specialising in seafood. It is accessible from Tangier by train, which makes it a popular spot for young tourists to recuperate after seeing the sights of the city. Read more...
Chefchaouen (also known simply as Chaouen)
This beautiful medieval town, a short drive from Tangier in the mountain region, has a distinctive Spanish character, having been settled by Spanish refugees in the middle ages. The medina of the town has become renowned as one of the most charming in Morocco, with whitewashed gabled houses and blue-rinsed buildings where craftsmen sit contentedly in their shops sewing caftans and embroidering jellabahs. The medina is dominated by a 17th-century Great Mosque, which fronts a picturesque square dotted with mulberry trees and inviting restaurants. The square is surrounded by souks selling carpets, leather goods, pottery and copper ware. Read more...
Kalaa (Hiking in the Rif Mountains)
Hiding in the hills outside the already tranquil town of Chefchaouen is the rarely reached village of Kalaa. From here one can relax in the remote serenity of rural Moroccan life that has changed little over the centuries. The village is also a wonderful base for exploring the Rif Mountains and hikes can be arranged to other local villages in the area and all the way to the Mediterranean. As tourism increases more villagers are opening their doors to the trade and new guest houses are springing up in the area. The easiest way to reach Kalaa is to ask one of the friendly locals in Chefchaouen.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Tourist Information Office in Tangier
29, boulevard Pasteur
Tangier
Tel : +212 39 94 80 50
Fax :+ 212 39 94 86 61
See also, guides to the Moroccan towns of Asilah and Chefchaouen.
and guides to the Spanish towns of Nerja, Frigiliana, Torrox and Malaga.
Edificio OCEAN - Tangier
New apartments with 1, 2 and 3 bedrooms, swimming pool, currently under construction, frontline to the beach and promenade, Avenida Mohammed VI in Tangier.
Bahía de Tánger - Tangier
New 2 & 3 bedroom beachfront apartments for sale situated on the Avenue Mohammed VI, the main promenade running along the beach in Tangier.
Grupo Inmobiliario ESPMAR
International Real Estate Agents & Developers in Spain and Morocco.
Agencia Inmobiliaria y Promotora.
Calle El Barrio, 53, 1º
Nerja, 29780 (Málaga),
Costa del Sol,
Spain.
Tel. (00 34) 95 252 8424 / 2661
Fax: (00 34) 95 252 2661
email: Contact us.
Web: www.espmar.com
