*Tangier city
Its strategic position making it a crossroads of t civilisations, Tangier, gateway to the African continent, looks across at Europe from the shores of Atlantic and Mediterranean alike. As a meeting-point of routes to so many different destination, Tangier has inevitably been marked by the of History-Phoenicians, Berbers, Portuguese and Spaniards had all left their indelible Mark on the city before it Passed into Moroccan hands.
Visit the Kasbah which Sits at the Pinnacle of Tangier. From here you will have a magnificant view of the Straight of Gibraltar. Spend Time in the Medina where Matisse created Many of his Works, and in the Souk for an Opportunity to Purchase authentic Moroccan and Berber handicrafts.
As do Most of the Kingdoms towns, Tangier, the White City, possesses its Medina, the old Arab town containing a pair of picturesque markets : the Grand Socco and the Petit Socco…and lot of sites to Visit.
* Grand Socco
Socco is the Spanish version of the
Arabic word for market: suuq. But with the Spanish long gone, the word Socco survives in Tangier. The Grand Socco is located right north-east of the medina, and is no longer a market place. The Grand Socco is also point where the modern city's streets are forced to continue in the narrow streets of the old city.
* Petit Socco
From the end of the 19th century, the Small Socco’s square was the true heart of the city, being both businesses centre and a place for relaxation, with its little cafus and old hotels, among which is the famous Fuentes Hotel. At the end of the 17th century, to celebrate the departure of the English, Sultan Moulay Ismail constructed a great mosque there on the ruins of a former Portuguese cathedral
*The Medina
The medina of Tangier is a real one: Streets are narrow, houses in many different styles, and most of this medina is in good condition. The medina is quite big, and there are many commercial areas. Most of these serve the tourist traffic, and it is more difficult to find any areas where real handcraft is performed.
Other areas are solely devoted to living, and there are plenty of nice houses, painted doors, decorated gates and rose bushes all around.
*Dar El Makhzen
The Dar El Makhzen was built by sultan Moulay Ismail, and is organized around two inner courtyards. While the palace was not of the largest a sultan could reside in, this one is still tastefully finished with wooden ceilings, arabesques and Marble fountains.
The palace was abandoned in 1912, and was later turned into a museum of art and architecture. Among its exhibits you will find old examples of craftsmanship, but it is probably the finds from Volubilis which is the most interesting for most visitors.
*Mendoubia gardens
Tangier is also renowned for the Mendoubia gardens, with their eight-hundred-year-old trees, the Sidi Bouabid Mosque, its minaret decorated with multi-hued faiences dominating the Medina, the Kasbah Square with its portico of white marble columns, and the great Mechouar where the pashas were once wont to give audience. The status of international free zone which the city enjoyed for a number of years added to Tangier's celebrity, and it bas become an obligatory stop-off for any tourist in search of the real Morocco.
*The American Legation
Morocco was the first power that recognized the United States of America as an independent country, and in response an American embassy was put up here in Tangier back in 1777.
It now serves as a museum where there is no entry fee, but every visitor has to be guided around by the friendly and knowledgeable staff. The interior is not really fantastic or impressive, but always tasteful. There are also collections of art of highly differing quality (locally stationed American artists). You will pass through several reception rooms as well as the tiny garden just one storey above the street.
*Place de France
The square is known above all for its Grand Cafe de Paris, one of the smartest cafés in the city. Jean Genet, who lodged at the nearby Minzah Hotel, used to go there or, if he attracted too much unwanted attention, would take refuge in the Cafe de France, just opposite. The square, which also houses the French consulate in its lush green gardens, extends as far as Boulevard Mohammed V, which leads to the western outskirts of the city, where new buildings continue to spring up at an amazing rate.
* The Boulevard Pasteur
The boulevard is the main street of modern Tangier. Running from Place de France, a vast esplanade overlooking the port, the medina, and the nearby Straits of Gibraltar, it is of European architecture, some of which dates from the start of the 20th century. It is lined with banks and luxury boutiques, and here also is the famous and palatial El Minzah Hotel.
* The mosque Mohamed V
The mosque, an excellent starting point for a tour of Tangier, is dedicated to the memory of King Mohammed V, who delivered the first speech proclaiming the country’s independence from the French and demanding reunification of Tangier with Morocco. At the time, this pushed the majority of foreign investors into leaving the international city, which led to a slowdown of industrial and commercial activity in the Kingdom.
* Cafe Hafa
Located in Quartier Marshan a few hundred metres from the Forbes Museum, Cafe Hafa, clinging to the hillside, amidst a profusion of flowers and shrubs, offers an enchanting view over Tangier Bay and is a haven of peace and relaxation.
* Caves of Hercules
There might not be anything to the story of Tangier being founded by Hercules, but the city symbol is as striking as ever. Coming out here — it is a 20- 30 minute from Tangier — is a fascinating experience, especially after seeing so many postcards with the same motif as the one above. There is no fake to it, it really does look like the map of Africa.
*Cap Spartel
Cap Spartel looks down over the sea, its heights benefiting from relatively high levels of rainfall and humidity which favour the growth of vegetation. On its promontory stands a lighthouse built in 1865 by order of Sultan Mohammed Ben Abdel Rahman at the behest of foreign diplomats, and housing a collection of old framed photographs depicting lighthouses of the world.