One Day in Tangier, Morocco

Throughout time, Tangier has been a city influenced by many nations. The first written accounts of Tangier comes from the Romans, who were looking to spread their empire south into Africa. Closely following was the Arabs, who used Tangier as a port into Europe. Between the 14th and 16th centuries, Tangier was occupied by the Portuguese, then passed onto the Spanish, before being gifted to the English as a wedding dowry. Later it was taken back by Sultan Moulay Ismail. In the early 20th century, the country of Morocco was divided between the French and the Spanish, with Spain again taking control of Tangier. In 1923, Tangier became an International Zone controlled between Britain, France and Spain. Finally, in 1956, Tangier was returned to Morocco once and for all. Because of these ever changing influences, Tangier is a vibrant place to visit with all of the charms of a traditional Moroccan city sprinkled with hints of Spanish and European nuggets as well. Its proximity to Spain make it the perfect city to explore on a day trip!

How to Visit:
We came from the port of Tarifa in Spain. Let me just say, we did not account for the traffic, the lack of parking and the punctual departure time of the ferry. It took some pleading with the employees and a very sweaty and frustrated husband but we did actually become the final passengers to hop on the morning boat. Take my advice and give yourself plenty of time before departure to park, board, find yourself a comfy couch and snack from the cafe, and relax.
With that out of the way, the crossing was a joy. The calm waters of the Straight of Gibraltar welcomed us to the continent of Africa. You will need to clear customs on the ship. The line is usually pretty long at the start of the journey but as long as the boat is not too full that day you can hop in line as it dwindles down halfway through the ride and still complete customs before the ship arrives in port.
I highly recommend hiring a guide for your adventures. With only one day in Tarifa, a guide will help you make the most of your time, drive you around, and surely introduce you to something you would have missed otherwise. We chose Tangier Open Doors (tangieropendoors.com) and we could not have been happier! The simplicity of getting picked up from the port, and being driven to our destinations while hearing about the history and significance of the areas we passed along the way made the experience so much more impactful. Our guides were kind, knowledgable and enthusiastic to share their city, country, and culture with us.

What to Do:
Tarifa has so much to offer in a short visit, so make your priority list ahead of time. Here are some options I can speak to:
1. Ride camels on the beach! Camels are so cute, and tall, and riding them is exactly not the same as riding a horse, its a joy. Domesticated Camels are gentle, coming down on their front legs to allow a mount, and then using their two large toes to grip the earth. You will sit on a blanket on the camels fat-stored hump and enjoy the view. The stinky camels lumber along the crashing surf, doing exactly as they are asked, then onto a little trail ride up the cliffs and back to the road, where the baby camels await. Did you hear that- the baby camels! I was thrilled with the experience, and our guide made it extra fun and took tons of photos for us.
2. Try the food! My favorite was the Baghrir- Moroccan pancakes drizzled in almond butter and honey with a side of mint tea. There are other typical Moroccan dishes to try throughout the day such as couscous with kabobs, roasted lamb with root vegetables, salads, fruit, baklava, and Harira- a traditional soup symbolizing unity in Morocco. Street food such as Makouda- a deep fried potato dumpling, calimari, and skewers of lambs liver will ignite your taste buds. Everything we ate was fresh and bursting with flavor.
3. Visit the Medina for some shopping! This labyrinth of winding alleyways, stairs and doors that lead to mysterious places will amaze you. Everywhere you turn there are hawkers selling wares, colorful storefronts and unique scents. I wanted a cheap Moroccan rug, so I had my eye out for it. The rug salesman wanted 10x what I wanted to pay a small runner, and somehow my teenager bartered for a sale that my husband ended up paying for. So I ended up with a rug. Moral of the story: watch your teenagers in the Medina. Although I adore my rug every time I walk down the hallway now, so it worked out. Alas, the Medina has more than rugs, there are tons of shops selling everything from pottery to essential oils, teas and textiles. In addition, there are Mosques and other beautiful architecture to admire and maybe visit inside of.

Tips for a great visit:
1. Bring your passport
2. Get a Guide. We highly recommend tangieropendoors.com
3. Be respectful in your actions and your clothing choices.
4. Pay attention to what is going on around you, especially in the Medina. While we felt safe during our visit this is still an unfamiliar city not an amusement park, and not everyone is here to have a good time.