Tangier has long been an important strategic place. It is one of the oldest cities in North Africa. With its two thousand and five hundred years of existence, it now has a population of 974,000 inhabitants.
Tangier is an important seaside resort with a wide range of hotel and tourist facilities and a medina that attracts a huge number of visitors.
Medina – the old Town of Tangier – is a perfect place to start or end the journey. The historical and modern worlds combine there, so it can be an unforgettable experience to visit it and spend some time in Tangier’s Medina.
We recommend starting a trip at the Place du 9 Avril 1947 (the Souk Barra or the Grand Socco). It is the large shopping mall and unique entrance to medina. With a central fountain and old buildings (the Cinémathéque de Tanger, the Anglican St Andrew's church, Mendoubia or Sidi Bouabid mosque) you can easily feel the spirit of Morocco.
Then it is the best to enter the Fez gate that leads into the old town. On the right you can find traditional Moroccan market and buy some species or other souvenirs.
The next stop can be the Petit Socco. There you can drink coffee in traditional and well-known cafés. Then, after a minute of relaxation, you can continue your trip to the Jewish cemetery. It is placed close to Bab Mirican (one of the Medina’s walls).
The following places and monuments that are worth seeing in Marocco are Beni Idderm, Oued Abhardan, Jnan Kabtan, Dar Baroud and the Kasbah. The architecture is unusual and breathtaking, so don’t forget to take pictures.
The Kasbah Museum of Mediterranean Cultures, the Nahon synagogue, the American Legation, the tomb of Ibn Battouta are other places that are must-visit during holidays in Morocco
Tangier, a city situated in northwestern Marocco is a place when you can feel and experience mythology. This is according to the Grottes d’Hercule (Caves of Hercules). When you study Greek mythology, you get to know that the cave was the place of relaxation of the mentioned hero. According to the myths, he rested there after separating two continents from each other – Africa and Europe.
The caves are three miles from the city, towards the south on the Atlantic coast. Inhabited for more than 7,000 years, these caves are to be found between the beaches of Achakkar and Sidi Kacem. Historically, they were used as a quarry for millstones, even as far back as the Phoenicians (not far from here are the ruins of Cotta), which explains their unusual appearance – part artificial, part natural – which has been an inspiration for many artists and architects, including Gaudí.
The exit of the Caves of Hercules is very popular and recognizable. It resembles an inverted map of Africa or the profile of the mythical Greek hero – it depends on you, what you’ll see there.
The Medina of Tangier has not lost its original charm despite having been modified by European influence over the past 140 years, in particular by the construction of accommodation for European diplomats and staff.
The Medina has the charm of Arab medinas and some walls have circular towers of Portuguese origin.
The main monuments of Le Grand Socco, not to be missed, are:
Le Petit Socco is located on a small square surrounded by cafes and old inns, at the end of Siaghin Street.
Entering via Siaghin Street, you will find the old Catholic Church and the social center of the Daughters of Charity in Calcutta. Right next to it is Dar Niaba, the first residence of Sultan Mendoub’s ambassador to Tangier in the 19th century.
In this street, do not miss to visit the Funduq of Siagin, classic accommodation before the colonization.
Le Petit Socco is distinguished by 2 very old cafes in Tangier. These cafes are “Café Tingis” and “Café Central”, two meeting places for artists from the city’s international era. Not far from the Café le Tingis, there is “Rue des Mouahidines”, the main area for selling handicrafts.
From this street and going towards the port, there is the Great Mosque on the site of the ancient Roman capitol and the cathedral in the Portuguese era. Its front door is very beautiful.
