Morocco is a beautiful and mysterious country. It is conveniently located a short ferry ride away from Europe (8 miles across the Strait of Gibraltar) making it the perfect addition to your itinerary as you travel through southern Spain. You can definitely do a day trip to Tangier, but if you’re hoping to see more cities you’ll want to spend at least a night or two in Morocco.
The word “Morocco” in Arabac (al-Magrib al-Aqsa) means “the extreme west”—describing Morocco’s place as the westernmost country in the Arab world. Its rich history and Berber, Arabian, and European cultural influences offer an exotic (and affordable) escape for travelers looking for something different.
more mint tea please!
Tangier
For most people crossing the Strait of Gilbraltar, Tangier will be the first stop or final destination of your trip. You can easily cross the strait and spend a day in the city and get back to Spain in time for dinner! If you want to spend a night or two in Tangier I would recommend Hotel Continental—located within walking distance of the port and the main attractions of the city. Visiting Tangier with a guided group is a good option, but traveling solo, with a partner, or small group is also safe. The locals are nice but quite thrifty. If you’re haggling at the market try to do it in another language (ex. I spoke Spanish with the shopkeepers)—if they know you’re American they’ll assume you’re an easy target for over-charging on items. While you’re in Tangier be sure to check out the following locations:
- Kasbah – the old fortress of the city and where the sultan used to live!
- Medina (Old City) – a labyrinth of small streets, beautiful old doors/buildings, and interesting shops
- Markets – you’ll find spice markets and curious little shops with cute trinkets in the medina (also beautiful Moroccan tea sets!)
- Drink mint tea (Moroccan Tea) at Cafe Hafa – Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger, Jimi Hendrix, Tennessee Williams, Paul Bowles and more have done the very same thing! 🙂
- There are some cool places to see just outside of Tangier—check out my recommendations on Asilah below.
The Intercontinental Hotel: right by the port in Tangier and within walking distance to the main attractions of the city
Inside the hotel
Mint Tea at Cafe Hafa
Cafe Hafa
Enjoy the view while you drink your tea 😉
Spice market in the Medina
Loved the doors in this city!
Asilah
You can take a taxi from Tangier to Asilah. The taxi driver charged us 40€ for the hour drive (5 people) to Asilah and back (and he waited for us in Asilah while we explored the town). We paid him 20€ on the way there and 20€ on the way back. If you want to make this trip be sure to discuss the price with the taxi driver before you leave. On the way to Asilah we stopped by the Cave of Hercules, Cap Spartel, and rode camels (typical tourists I know!).
The cave got its name, “The Cave of Hercules” because legend says Hercules slept there before his 11th labour—to collect golden apples from the Hesperides Garden. Cap Spartel is the most North Western point of mainland Africa and marks the boundary where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean.
We stopped on the side of the road on the way to Asilah to ride camels!
Cap Spartel
Entrance to the Cave of Hercules
Cute cafe at the caves!
Town of Asilah
Shoe shopping and negotiating prices – so serious about shoes! lol
Chefchaouen
Chaouen (2 hour drive from Tangier) is an iconic Moroccan town known for its bright blue buildings (no one knows the real reason why they’re blue—best reason I heard was because mosquitos don’t like this color). During our visit we drank tea at a charming teahouse in the center, shopped local for gorgeous hand-woven blankets and handmade silver jewelry. Although it’s super touristy it was one of my favorite cities on this trip to Morocco. You can get to Chefchaouen from Tangier by bus or train.
Everything is blue and beautiful!
Loved shopping at the markets here
A typical “touristy” thing to do but I loved it 😉
Kate,
How did you negotiate with the taxi driver? Did you speak Spanish to him? Any tips you can give me would be great!
Thank you!
Best,
Rachel
Hey! I think we spoke Spanish – it depends on the languages the driver speaks. Just be sure to negotiate the price before getting in the taxi.
As far as negotiating we just asked how much it would be, then suggested half, then met somewhere in the middle 😉
How much was riding the camel?
My friend who runs tours through there said it is free now…but I think we gave them a tip or ended up buying some trinkets from them. It shouldn’t be expensive, I’d say $5 maybe?
1. What the hell??? Moroccan water is 100% fine clearly you must have a weak stomach if you can’t handle it
2. We do use toilet paper, don’t come here and start writing stuff making it seem like we are a country of savages
3. Most shops and restaurants in morocco have regular flushing toilets so please get your facts straight!
Hey Lily, not meaning to offend – I love visiting Morocco and have been at least 3 or 4 times in the last few years. This post explains what I’ve personally seen/experienced, and these are my recommendations for travelers.
If you’re not from Morocco and you drink the water you can get sick. My husband has gotten sick, his father, other friends as well that have traveled through Morocco…my friend organizes excursions to the Sahara and says at least one person gets sick every trip. There’s nothing worse than traveling to an awesome country and having to stay glued to a toilet with explosive diarrhea. So my recommendation to foreigners is to not drink the water.
In Marrakesh, Tangier and Teuton the bathrooms I saw in local tea houses, gas stations, etc were this style. I know there are “regular” toilets as well, but people should be prepared just in case.
Just wondering if drinking the mint tea was safe considering the warning about the water.
I think the tea is fine – since the water is boiled (I was fine after drinking it). Also eating cooked vegetables is fine, it’s just the raw ones/salad that could cause issues. The last trip I went on was with a group of 50 people, everyone ate the same meals (including salad) and only 2 – 3 people got sick. I think it just depends on the person. I personally have a weak stomach so I don’t chance it!
Hi Kate! I wanted to travel to Morocco for such long a time. Do you recommend going on a guided tour? And did you have a guide for the entire trip to Morocco or were there times you explored on your own? Thank you!
Hey Therie! I think it depends on what you want to do. For camping in the Saraha desert it’s definitely “easier” going with a tour group. But if you’re headed there from Spain (crossing via ferry) you can totally see Tangier and Asilah on your own. I’ve visited with and without a tour group, and I’ve got friends who’ve rented a car and gone on their own! I’ve got some tips from my travels to the desert here if you’re interested too: https://katestraveltips.com/2017/01/09/a-once-in-a-lifetime-trip-to-the-sahara-desert/