The Top 5 Things To Do in Tangier: The Ultimate Guide for First-Time Visitors
These are my top five things to do in Tangier if you’re a first-time visitor! I really didn’t know what to expect from Tangier but I was pleasantly surprised. I tried to do some research ahead of time to see what the major sights were but I honestly don’t think there are many. It’s more of a city where you come to relax and eat good food rather than a major sight-seeing mecca, but the five things below is what I would recommend to friends.
- Related Article: A Perfect Day Trip to Chefchaouen from Tangier: The Ultimate Guide
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What Should You Pack/Wear
If you are planning to go to Morocco (especially in summer), make sure you pack appropriately. Morocco is hot! Tangier is located closer to the water so it’s cooler than other places in Morocco, but it can still get pretty hot. Below are the items I took with me on this trip along with what I wore if you’re interested.
- Dress: I bought this dress from Nordstrom Rack mostly because since Morocco is a conservative country, I wanted something that covered my knees and my shoulders. They color I’m wearing is out of stock but there are plenty of other colors you can choose from. Also, I’m 5’2″ and the dress hits right at my foot so I didn’t need to hem it.
- Selfie Stick: This is my favorite selfie stick of ALL TIME to capture all my iPhone pictures and videos. I’ve bought millions of selfie sticks over the years and this one has consistently helped me in all of my travel. It’s super lightweight and is also a tripod so I can set it up quickly, set up a timer, take my picture, and be gone! It collapses within seconds. I love it so much I bought two of them lol.
- Sunglasses
- Breathable Hat
- Sunblock: I use this one or if I have time, I go to Trader Joe’s and pick up their face sunscreen
- Backpack/Purse: You’ll definitely want to keep a water bottle on you so make sure to have something that fits that
- Tissues (to wipe sweat or if you need to use the public bathroom).
- Fan (Either one of those foldable ones or an electric one. I’m not joking about how hot it’ll get.)
- Extra Battery Pack or Charger: I usually don’t want to carry an extra battery pack since it’ll just add more weight to my backpack. But on this trip, I noticed that I was severely draining my phone battery so I finally gave in an bought this one because it was mini.
Top 5 Things To Do in Tangier
The first four things on my list are all within the Old Media and can be done in one day if you choose. The 5th thing is technically not in Tangier and you will need to take a long bus or taxi to and is recommended as a day trip.
1. Walk Around the Old Medina/Kasbah
This was by far my favorite thing to do during the day OR night. It also helped that my Airbnb was located directly in the kasbah so it made it easy to walk everywhere. All the buildings were so beautiful and every place I went to was so clean. I totally understand why it’s called the “White City.” At first, I was kind of disappointed that I was so far from the train station, but that all went away when I saw how amazing this neighborhood was. All the good cafes, restaurants, and shops are around too. You can definitely spend a whole day exploring here.
A lot of the popular restaurants are here as well like Restaurant Kebdani and Restaurant Ahlen which are the #1 and #2 on TripAdvisor right now. I went to both and got the tagine at Kebdani and the couscous at Ahlen. Both restaurants spoke English and I had no problem getting a table for 1 person. If you are in a rush and only have a choice of one place, I would pick Restaurant Kebdani just because it was more lively.
If you have the chance to stay until the night, I think you’ll be in for a real treat. The weather is more bearable and the Old Medina lights up beautifully, especially along the water. There are a lot of plazas where you can post up, people watch, and just soak up the scenery.
Pro Tip: If you want to take pictures in the kasbah without people, come in the morning around 8:00 or 9:00 am. Tangier is a late city and people don’t start moving until around 10:00 am. I literally had the whole kasbah to myself.
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2. Salon Bleu’s Rooftop
If you want a place to soak in the views and get some vitamin D, I highly suggest going to Salon Bleu’s rooftop. It’s located within the kasbah and provides great views of the sea and the medina. With that being said, the food was only so-so. I would only get the orange gelato and a cold drink to wash it down with. It’s does get hot up on the rooftop since there’s no shade, so make sure to bring your sunglasses and sunblock. Otherwise, there’s indoor seating, but the rooftop is really where it’s at.
3. American Legation Museum
I’m not a big fan of museums but I found this one quite interesting since it has to do with Morocco’s relations with the U.S. If you’re not a museum person either, the courtyard is at least good enough for some cute pictures. A saw a couple of people posing in the courtyard and it’s a safe enough safe where you’re not scared of getting your phone or camera stolen.
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4. Kasbah Museum
This is a pretty small museum and won’t take up much of your time. It’s an old restored building with a lush green courtyard. During my visit, they only accepted exact change. They didn’t have anything to break my bill so I decided to come back later. The Kasbah Museum is also right next to Salon Bleu so you can do both pretty easily. If you’re on a time crunch though (and not really into museums), you can probably skip it.
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5. Chefchaouen
Chefchaouen is technically not in Tangier and is actually a 2.5-3 bus ride away but absolutely worth a visit. I did a day trip out there ($5 each way) by bus and only needed a couple hours to stroll around and taken pictures. I also like how Chefchaouen is named the “Blue City” and Tangier is named the “White City.” It’s fun to see the contrast. You can also read more about my trip to Chefchaouen here.
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Things I Did Not Do in Tangier
1. Visit the Beaches
A lot of blogs mention to visit the beach but I’m not really a beach person so I didn’t feel the need to go. I only go to beaches if they are truly worthy places like Hawaii, Dominican Republic, Thailand, etc. Also, since I was traveling solo, I didn’t really feel like going by myself.
2. Cave of Hercules
This was something that was genuinely interesting to me since I’m a nature person and it provided the potential for some good photos but I just didn’t have the energy to get there. It required me to take a 30-minute taxi ride to and from and I couldn’t be bothered at the time. Granted, taxis are pretty affordable here but 30 minutes just seemed like a lot especially after taking a 3-hour bus ride each way to Chefchaouen.
Where to Eat in Tangier
There are a few places I’ve mentioned above on where to eat in Tangier, but I’ll put everything down below so it’ll be easy for you to bookmark.
- Salon Bleu: Great for rooftop views. Get the orange gelato. The food that I got was only okay though. They have an English menu.
- Restaurant Kebdani: The most popular restaurant on TripAdvisor. Got seated in the basement which was unfortunately dark. Wish I got seated upstairs but understood since the restaurant was very busy. I got the chicken tagine (olive and lemon), Moroccan sweets, and water. 130 MAD total ($13 USD). They have an English menu.
- Restaurant Ahlen: This food at this restaurant was tasty and the portions were LARGE, but I wish the interior was more inviting. It wasn’t crowded at all so you won’t have a problem finding a seat. I got the couscous which could have served as two meals. They have an English menu.
- Gran Cafe Central: This is a very popular cafe that sits at the heart of the Old Medina. I went in the morning to grab a coffee and it wasn’t crowded at all. But I passed by there again around sunset and it was COMPLETELY packed. It’s a great place to sit out on their patio and people watch. They have an English menu.
- Chez Hassan: This place was recommended to me by my Airbnb host and it absolutely kills. It’s probably my favorite place I ate at just because of the liveliness. Since it’s so busy, you will most likely get seated with other people. I got seated with a group of three guys from Belgium and after they left, a solo traveler and a couple sat next to me. So, if you’re solo traveling, it’s a great way to meet and talk to people at the very least. I got the beef kofta and it was delicious. They have an English menu.
Where to Stay in Tangier
I seriously can’t get over how great my Airbnb was! For $87/night, I got to stay in a 4-story apartment with a rooftop patio! I made an Instagram reel about it which paints a better picture if you’re curious. If you’re looking to stay at the same place, this is the link. I’m not affiliated with Airbnb or the host in any way. Just wanted to pass on good info!
Instagram Reels
If you’re more of a visual/video person, I’ve made Instagram reels of my trip so you can watch those to get a better idea!
Conclusion
Hopefully, this will help you decide on what things to do in Tangier. It seriously was one of my favorite cities in Morocco and you should definitely not miss it. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below or send me an email. I love hearing from everyone and love to help out where I can. See you next blog post!
