<h3 class="CityName"> ☎<a href="tel:039" class="PhoneNumber">039</a> Tangier </h3> For travelers venturing out of Europe for the first time, Tangier (pop. 600,000) can be overwhelming. The heat and the hustlers often leave uninspiring first impressions, but the energy and history, as well as the novelty for daytrippers, keep travelers coming. For centuries, the region bounced from one imperial power to the next, resulting in the 1923 with the declaration of Tangier as an “international zone” loosely governed by the US and eight European powers. Law enforcement dwindled, and the city began to attract rich heiresses, drug users, spies, and Beat Generation poets. When Morocco declared its independence in 1956, the new government tried to change Tangier’s image, closing down most of the brothels and increasing police presence. Nowadays, the city has been reclaimed by Moroccans, and continues to thrive—its position as a gateway to Africa will keep the city moving, no matter who’s in charge. <h4 class="City-1Ikon ikon_116">Transportation</h4> <ul class="Listings"> <li> Flights: Royal Air Maroc, Pl. France (☎<a href="tel:039 37 95 08" class="PhoneNumber">039 37 95 08</a>). Domestic and international flights. Iberia, at the airport (☎<a href="tel:039 39 34 33" class="PhoneNumber">039 39 34 33</a>), flies daily to Madrid. A taxi to the airport, 16km from Tangier, costs 80-100dh for up to 6 people. </li> <li> Trains: Trains leave from Tanger Ville, 4km south of the town center (not the old station on Av. d’Espagne). A petit taxi there costs around 10dh. To: Asilah (1hr., 4 per day, 8am-5:15pm, 15dh); Casablanca (7hr., 4 per day 8am-9pm, 118dh); Fez (5hr., 1 per day, 97dh) via Meknes (5hr., 81dh); and Marrakesh (11hr., 9:05pm, 275dh). </li> <li> Buses: Non-CTM buses leave from Av. Yacoub al-Mansour at Pl. Jamia al-Arabia, 2km from the port entrance. Ask blue-coated personnel or check the boards for ticket information. The standard price for luggage is 5dh. A petit taxi from the port to the terminal costs around 8dh. From window #11 to: Asilah (11am, 4:30pm); from window #2 to Casablanca (6hr., every hr. 5am-1am) via Rabat (4-5hr.); Marrakesh (10hr., 6 per day, 6:45am-1am); from window #3 to: Chefchaouen (6 per day 5:45am-5:45pm); Ceuta (40min., 7 per day 6:15am-2:45pm); Fez (6hr., 5:30am, 6pm); Tetouan (21 per day, 5:30am-9:15 pm). The CTM station (☎<a href="tel:039 93 11 72" class="PhoneNumber">039 93 11 72</a>) near the port entrance offers pricier, less frequent service to the same destinations. To: Casablanca (6hr., 5 per day 5:30am-midnight, 140dh); Chefchaouen (3hr., 12:15, 8pm, 40dh); Fez (6hr., 5 per day 9:15am-9:15pm, 115dh) via Meknes (5hr., 100dh; Marrakesh (10hr.; 3 per day 11:15am, 2:45, 5:30pm; 220dh); and Tetouan (1hr.; 12:15, 8pm; 20dh). </li> <li> Ferries: The cheapest and most convenient option is to buy a ticket at the very end of the ferry terminal, where company offices are located, though ticket agencies are located throughout the city. You’ll need a boarding pass (available at any ticket desk) and a customs form (ask uniformed agents). Near the terminal, pushy men with ID cards will try to arrange your ticket and fill out your customs card for 10dh; just do it yourself. FRS (☎<a href="tel:039 94 76 12" class="PhoneNumber">039 94 76 12</a>) sends fast ferries to Tarifa (every 2hr. 8am-10pm; passenger 372 dh, car 920dh). Euroferrys (☎<a href="tel:039 94 81 990" class="PhoneNumber">039 94 81 990</a>) goes to Algeciras (7am and 4pm. Single ticket 526dh; car 1923dh). </li> <li> Taxis: Grand taxis to nearby locations. Prices subject to bargaining; a fair price for 6 passengers is 20dh per person. Found everywhere, especially by the main bus stop, the Grand Socco, and the intersection of Blvd. Pasteur and Blvd. Mohammed V. </li> <li> Car Rental: Avis, 54 Blvd. Pasteur (☎<a href="tel:039 93 46 46" class="PhoneNumber">039 93 46 46</a>). English spoken. Cars from 650dh per day with tax and insurance included. AmEx/MC/V. Min. age 25 for all cars. A special international license is not required. Open daily 8am-7pm. </li> </ul> <h4 class="City-1Ikon ikon_111">Orientation</h4> Av. d’Espagne, a large boulevard that runs from the port along the waterfront to the train station 6km away, makes Tangier easy to navigate. Many of the ville nouvelle hotels are located about 1.5km down Av. d’Espagne away from the ferry terminal (a petit taxi should cost 5dh, but if you don’t have a lot of baggage and you have your wits about you, just walk). Hustlers tend to swoop in here. Adjacent to the ferry terminal area on Ave. d’Espagne is the CTM station. Rue du Portugal heads uphill here and forms the border between the ville nouvelle and the medina. You can enter the medina and easily find some of its accommodations by turning right above the CTM station, continuing uphill on Rue de la Plage. You will reach the large, busy rotary known as the Grand Socco, which is the center of activity directly above the medina. From the Grand Socco, you can head down into the medina via Rue al-Siaghin, which leads to the Petit Socco, or walk down the bustling Rue d’Italie (if facing the medina, the street on the left through the large archway), which skirts the medina’s western wall. The ville nouvelle’s main commercial road is the Blvd. Pasteur, which connects the main square, Pl. de France, with Blvd. Mohammed V. Banks, the post office, and cafes can all be found on Blvd. Mohammed V. <h4 class="City-1Ikon ikon_105">Practical Information</h4> <ul class="Listings"> <li> Tourist Office: 29 Blvd. Pasteur (☎<a href="tel:039 94 80 50" class="PhoneNumber">039 94 80 50</a>). Some English, French, and Spanish spoken. Glossy brochures and basic map of the city, but nothing to get excited about. List of accommodations available. Open M-F 8:30am-noon and 2-7:20pm. </li> <li> Currency Exchange: There is a branch of BMCE on most ferries and one in the port complex, although these only change cash. BMCE’s main office in Tangier is located at 21 Blvd. Pasteur (☎<a href="tel:039 93 11 25" class="PhoneNumber">039 93 11 25</a>). No commission here, but other Moroccan banks charge fees for exchanging traveler’s checks. Open M-F 9am-1pm and 3-7pm. Major banks line Blvd. Pasteur and Blvd. Mohammed V, several of which have ATMs. Travel agencies near the port are required to change money at official rates. There are Western Union locations at Pl. de France and the main post office. </li> <li> Luggage Storage: At the train station (10dh per bag). Open 24hr. Also at the bus station (7dh per bag). Both open daily 6am-1am. </li> <li> Police: ☎<a href="tel:19" class="PhoneNumber">19</a>. At the port and main train station. At the port, ask for the Brigade Touristique, which deal with issues and complaints from travelers. </li> <li> Medical Services: Red Crescent, 6 Rue al-Mansour Dahbi (☎<a href="tel:039 94 25 17" class="PhoneNumber">039 94 25 17</a>), runs a 24hr. medical service. Ambulance: ☎<a href="tel:039 31 27 27" class="PhoneNumber">039 31 27 27</a>. </li> <li> Internet Access: Several cafes in the ville nouvelle, including Cyber Café Adam, 2 Rue Ibn Roched, off Blvd. Pasteur and Blvd. Mohammed V. 10dh per hr. Open daily 8:30am-2am. Espace Net is on Ave. de Mexique, 1 block from Pl. de Paris. </li> <li> Laundry: Pressing Jemelas, 20 Rue de las Once (☎<a href="tel:063 22 21 98" class="PhoneNumber">063 22 21 98</a>), off the Petit Socco and around the corner. 6-7dh per garment. </li> <li> Post Office: 33 Blvd. Mohammed V (☎<a href="tel:039 93 25 18" class="PhoneNumber">039 93 25 18</a>), on the downhill continuation of Blvd. Pasteur. Poste Restante. Open M-Th 8:30am-6:30pm, Sa 8:30am-12:15pm. Parcels received around the corner from main entrance, on the back side of the building. </li> </ul> <h4 class="City-1Ikon ikon_97">Accommodations</h4> Whether you stay in the ville nouvelle or medina, you are bound to meet some hustlers “welcoming” you to Morocco. Your best bet is to ignore them and look like you know where you’re going, even if you don’t. In late summer, reservations are a good idea, as hotels fill up. Accommodations in the ville nouvelle generally offer more comfort and cleanliness, which is definitely worth the extra dirhams. Singles run from 50-80dh. In many places you’ll have to pay for a hot shower, and you will definitely have to bring your own toilet paper. <h4 class="Bigcity-Smallheader">Medina </h4> The most convenient hostels are near Rue Mokhtar Ahardan, off the Petit Socco. From the Grand Socco, take the first right down Rue al-Siaghin to the Petit Socco, which is really a small intersection. Rue Mokhtar Ahardan begins at the end of the Petit Socco closest to the port. At night, the smaller streets off the medina can be unsafe. <ul class="Listings"> <li> Pension Palace, 2 Rue Mokhtar Ahardan (☎<a href="tel:039 93 61 28" class="PhoneNumber">039 93 61 28</a>). Downhill, on the alley exiting the Petit Socco to the right. The gorgeous courtyard, full of plants and tilework, starred in Bertolucci’s adaptation of The Sheltering Sky. Clean, soft beds and one stark lightbulb. Communal toilets could use lids. Singles 50dh; doubles 100dh, with bath 150dh; triples 150/200dh; quads 200/260dh. ➊ </li> <li> Hotel Marhaba, 14 Rue de la Poste (☎<a href="tel:039 93 88 02" class="PhoneNumber">039 93 88 02</a>), to the left off of Mokhtar Ahardan. Set back off the madness of the medina, it’s clean and not crumbling—a relief from some of the other budget options in the neighborhood. Big beds and sinks in all the rooms, and the showers are clean. Hot showers 7dh. Singles 80dh, doubles 100dh. ➋ </li> <li> Hôtel Continental, 36 Dar Baroud (☎<a href="tel:039 93 10 24" class="PhoneNumber">039 93 10 24</a>), overlooking the port. From the ferry terminal, bear right around the CTM station, and follow the many signs. A splurge for comfort and ambience. A grand hotel furnished with a mix of Moroccan ornament and Art Deco. Nice terrace overlooks less appealing port and warehouses. Wi-Fi available. Breakfast included. Showers hot only in the mornings. Reservations recommended. Singles 426dh, doubles 552dh, triples 668dh. MC/V. ➎ </li> </ul> <h5 class="Subhead">Ville Nouvelle </h5> Hotels line Av. d’Espagne heading away from the port. The best values lie a few blocks uphill toward Blvd. Pasteur and Blvd. Mohammed V. <ul class="Listings"> <li class="Pick"> Hôtel El Muniria, Rue Magellan (☎<a href="tel:039 93 53 37" class="PhoneNumber">039 93 53 37</a>). From the port, walk south along the tree-lined pedestrian walkway. Take 1st right after Hôtel Biarritz on Av. d’Espagne walking away from the medina, and follow as it winds uphill. William Burroughs wrote Naked Lunch in room #9, and Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg stayed in room #4. A great deal for Tangier, with spacious rooms, hot showers, and towels. Attached bar ( Tanger Inn, see) is the hippest place in town. Singles 150dh, doubles 180dh. ➋ </li> <li> Pensión Omar El Khayam, 26 Ave. Antaki (☎<a href="tel:063 71 84 60" class="PhoneNumber">063 71 84 60</a>), up the hill from Av. d’Epagne past the port. In a distinctive yellow-brick imitation Moorish house, this pensión offers clean, neat, tiled rooms. Communal baths old, but clean and serviceable. Hot showers included—a plus. Singles 80dh, with bath 120dh; doubles 120/150dh. ➊ </li> </ul> <h4 class="City-1Ikon ikon_102">Food</h4> <h5 class="Subhead">Medina </h5> The Grand Socco is home to fruit stalls, sandwich joints, and juice stands galore, so pick and choose before heading down to the Petit Socco, where there are cheap eateries on all sides. La Rue d’Italie is the place to go for a sit-down meal, with Moroccan and European fare side by side. <ul class="Listings"> <li> Restaurant Hammadi, 2 Rue de la Kasbah (☎<a href="tel:039 93 45 14" class="PhoneNumber">039 93 45 14</a>), the continuation of Rue d’Italie just outside the medina walls. Moroccan carpets, plush booths, and a group of local musicians set the ambience and attract tourists in droves. Specialties are tajine (40dh) and couscous (45dh). Beer and wine served. Entrees 40-60dh. 10% tax added to each meal. Open daily 11am-3pm and 7pm-midnight. MC/V. ➋ </li> <li> Restaurant El-Amrani, at the end of Rue Smihi. From the Grand Socco, walk down Rue d’Italie and head through the first gate (Bab Rahbat Zraa), and follow Smihi to the end. A hole-in-the-wall joint where old Moroccan men come to get heaping plates of beans and meat or fish (15-25dh) or the delicious   watermelon (8dh). Unless you speak Arabic, ordering will involve a bit of charades, but it’s worth it. ➊ </li> <li> Palace Mamounia, 4 Rue al-Siaghine (☎<a href="tel:039 93 50 99" class="PhoneNumber">039 93 50 99</a>), towards the Petit Socco. Elegant dining upstairs among wicker chairs, shady arbor, and huge Moroccan vases. Take note of the 15% service charge before you sit down. Massive Moroccan set menu 100dh. Open daily 8am-10pm. ➌ </li> </ul> <h5 class="Subhead">Ville Nouvelle </h5> The restaurants along Av. d’Espagne tout unspectacular and overpriced menus touristiques for 50dh and up. Beachfront restaurants run by high-end hotels are what you might expect—expensive and boring. You’re better off scouting around Pl. France or grabbing a hot sandwich along Blvd. Pasteur. <ul class="Listings"> <li> Salon de Thé Liberté, 47 Rue de la Liberté. The cafe on the street is excellent for people-watching, but the secret garden, niftily hidden in the back, offers a better and quieter place to chow down on Moroccan favorites (meat dishes 35-45dh) and Western dishes alike. Spaghetti 15-35dh. Couscous 45dh. Open 8am-10:30pm. ➋ </li> <li> Brahim Abdelmalek, 14 Rue de Mexique (☎<a href="tel:039 93 17 96" class="PhoneNumber">039 93 17 96</a>), under an off-white awning. Cheap sandwiches in a hurry. King Hassan II allegedly lunched here; you can too, for less than 15dh. Open daily 10:30am-3am. ➊ </li> <li> Restaurant Africa, 83 Rue Salah Eddine al-Ayoubi (☎<a href="tel:039 93 54 36" class="PhoneNumber">039 93 54 36</a>), just off Av. d’Espagne near Pension Miami, opposite the old train station. A quiet, unassuming place with small tables sticks to international favorites (spaghetti, hamburgers) and Moroccan staples. Beer and wine served. Big 4-course menu du jour 50dh. Entrees 35-45dh. Open daily 9am-12:30am. ➋ </li> </ul> <h4 class="City-1Ikon ikon_115">Sights</h4> <h5 class="Subhead">In And Near The Medina </h5>  Old American Legation. The old legation is quirky and fascinating look at early American history. In 1821, this became the first foreign property acquired by the United States. The museum contains correspondence between George Washington and his “great and magnanimous friend” Sultan Moulay ben Abdallah —Morocco was the first nation to recognize America’s independence. The legation displays a hilarious letter from the consul detailing his attempts to (unsuccessfully) refuse a gift of lions from the sultan. Visit the room dedicated to famous expat writer Paul Bowles, featuring photographs from Tangier’s storied “interzone” days. The friendly curators will give excellent tours on request, but calling first is recommended. (8 Rue d’America. Enter the medina via the large white steps on Rue du Portugal and look for the yellow archway emblazoned with the US seal. ☎<a href="tel:039 93 53 17" class="PhoneNumber">039 93 53 17</a>. Open M-F 10am-1pm and 3-5pm. Donation suggested.)  St. Andrew’S Church. In 1883 Moulay Hassan I granted this parcel of land to Great Britain to build an Anglican church. Out of respect for local architecture, it was built in a fusion of English and Moorish styles, with the roof above the altarpiece composed of intricately carved wood. A highlight is the Lord’s Prayer inscribed in Arabic around the chancel arch. The cemetery outside is quiet and holds some English notables in North Africa. The church is kept locked but if you can find Mustapha, the happy, friendly caretaker, he will let you in and tell you a little about the church. (At the end of Rue d’Angleterre. Open daily 9:30am-12:30pm and 2:30-4:30pm. Services Su at 8:30 and 11am. Donations recommended.) Dar Al-Makhzen. An opulent palace with handwoven tapestries, inlaid ceilings, and foliated archways, the Dar al-Makhzen was once home to the ruling pasha of Tangier and is now the Museum of Moroccan Art. The museum highlights the societies of Tangier from pre-Roman times to the Romans and Moors, with lead sarcophagi, funerary urns, pottery and musical instruments, and a gorgeous Roman mosaic depicting the voyage of Venus. It is all set around a lovely courtyard with a fountain and zellij tilework. The gardens in the middle are nicely shaded and a good place to hide from the heat. (The easiest way to reach the museum and the Pl. de la Kasbah grounds is to enter the medina from Porte de la Kasbah gate and stick to the rampart wall until you reach the wide open space of Pl. de la Kasbah. The museum is to the right. ☎<a href="tel:039 93 20 97" class="PhoneNumber">039 93 20 97</a>. Open M and W-Su 9am-12:30pm and 3-5:30pm. 10dh.) Markets. The medina’s commercial center is the Grand Socco. This busy square and traffic circle is cluttered with fruit vendors, parsley stands, and kebab and fish stalls. Off of Rue de Fez is the small, colorful Fez Market, where local merchants cater to Tangier’s Europeans. (Uphill on Rue de la Liberté, across Pl. France, and 2 blocks down Rue de Fez on the right.) More pungent are the market stalls south of the Grand Socco, where saffron and a hundred other spices are on sale along with watermelons, dates, figs, olives, parsley, mint, melon, mango, and of course, tangerines—they originally came from Tangier, or, in French, Tanger. (South of the Grand Socco along Rue Ayoubi and the streets off of it.) Other Sights. Rue Riad Sultan runs alongside the Jardins du Soltane and continues to Pl. de la Kasbah, a sunny courtyard with a promontory offering spectacular views of Spain and the Atlantic Ocean. With your back to the water, walk toward the far right corner of the plaza. Just around the corner, to the right, the Mosque de la Kasbah rears its octagonal minaret. Outside the medina, 17th- and 18th-century bronze cannons hide in the Jardins de la Mendoubia, a welcome escape from the excitement of the Soccos. (Opposite Rue de la Liberté, where Rue Bou Arrakia joins the Grand Socco, through the white gate marked #50.) To laze about with a cold drink and stare across the glinting strait to Spain, head to the Terrace des Parrasseux (Idler’s Terrace), which has benches with a clear view across to Europe. (Off Pl. de France down Pasteur.) <h4 class="City-1Ikon ikon_101">Entertainment</h4> The most popular evening activity in Tangier is sipping mint tea in front of a cafe on Pl. de France, in Blvd. Pasteur, or in Ville Nouvelle, which does have its share of small bars. The Café de Paris, 1 Pl. de France, hosted countless meetings between spies during WWII. Coming from the Grand Socco, look to the left. (☎<a href="tel:039 93 84 44" class="PhoneNumber">039 93 84 44</a>. Tea and coffee 5-6dh. Open daily 7am-11:30pm.) Inside the medina, Café Central was a favorite of William S. Burroughs, but today is mostly a hangout for middle-aged Moroccan men. (Off the Petit Socco; same hours and prices as Café de Paris). Café Hafa, an old Paul Bowles haunt, has a great view of Spain on a clear day. Sipping a mint tea (5dh) on one of the cafe’s many terraces is a great way to clear your head of the city’s bustle, and worth getting lost on the way there. (From the Kasbah, follow Rue Tabor for 10 minutes. When you can see the water through the buildings to the right, head toward it; it’s down a street to the left. You may have to ask around to find it. Open daily 10am-8pm.) Cafes tend to attract a male crowd, but female tourists should not be afraid to grab a table and an orange juice, as it is perfectly acceptable. For a harder drink, there are few spots with ambience that attracts both genders in equal number. The hippest place in town is Tanger Inn, Rue Magellan, next to Hotel Muniria. Subdued house music attracts men and women, both local and foreign, for a nice cosmopolitan mix. A good place to sit back and nurse a drink (beer 20dh) at the end of the day. (Open daily 10pm-1am, until late Th-Sa.)

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