Tangier is a city of northern Morocco with a population of about 700,000 (2008 census). It lies on the North African coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel. It is the capital of the Tangier-Tétouan Region.
The history of Tangier is very rich due to the historical presence of many civilizations and cultures starting from the 5th century BC. Between the period of being a Phoenician town to the independence era around the 1950s, Tangier was a place —and, sometimes a refuge— for many cultural diversities. However, it wasn't until 1923 that Tangier was attributed an international status by foreign colonial powers, thus becoming a destination for many Europeans and non-Europeans alike such as Americans and Indians.
Nowadays, the city is undergoing rapid development and modernization. Projects include new 5-star hotels along the bay, a modern business district called Tangier City Center, a new airport terminal and a new soccer stadium. Tangier's economy will also benefit greatly from the new Tanger-med port.
The multicultural placement of Muslim, Christian, and Jewish communities and the foreign immigrants attracted writers like Paul Bowles, William S. Burroughs, Jack Kerouac, Tennessee Williams, Brion Gysin and the music group the Rolling Stones, who all lived in or visited Tangier during different periods of the 20th century.
It was after Delacroix that Tangier became an obligatory stop for artists seeking to experience the colors and light he spoke of for themselves - with varying results. Matisse made several sojourns in Tangier, always staying at the Hotel Villa de France. "I have found landscapes in Morocco," he claimed, "exactly as they are described in Delacroix's paintings." The Californian artist Richard Diebenkorn was directly influenced by the haunting colors and rhythmic patterns of Matisse’s Morocco paintings.
In the 1940s and until 1956 when the city was an International Zone, the city served as a playground for eccentric millionaires, a meeting place for secret agents and all kinds of crooks, and a mecca for speculators and gamblers, an Eldorado for the fun-loving "Haute Volée". During World War II the Office of Strategic Services operated out of Tangier for various operations in North Africa.
PLACE TO VISIT
The Kasbah
The tomb of Ibn Battouta, a 14th century famous traveller who was born in Tangier. Pay tribute to a fellow traveller.
Teatro Cervantes, rue Salah Eddine et Ayoubi. Closed and falling to pieces but take a photo from outside the gates as you pass by on the way up to the Grand Socco.
The American Legation, 8, Rue America, . The Tangier American Legation Museum (TALM), a thriving cultural center, museum, conference center and library in the heart of the old medina in Tangier, is housed in the only historic landmark of the United States located abroad. The museum exhibits a large collection of art and historical items. It also houses the Paul Bowles Museum dedicated to the writer and composer who lived most of his adult life in Tangier. edit
Musée d'Art Contemporain de la Ville de Tanger
The Kasbah Museum, the former Sultan's palace deserves to be seen not only for it's collection of artefacts from the Phoenician to modern times, but also for the building and garden. There is a small fee for entrance (about 5 euros) and varying opening times winter and summer.
WHAT TO DO
People watching on the Terrasse des Paresseux, boulevard Pasteur.
Drink a mint tea in rustic café of El Hafaa 1925 and enjoy the view of a wide wide ocean.
Mnar Park aquatic park with a tremendus view of the coast. Open in 2005 it costs 5€ for children and 10€ Adults has aqua slides, karting circuits, café, romantic restaurant. (Excellent pancakes!).
SHOPPING
Most brasswork is made in other towns but is available here. Leather goods are also available. Stay away from the tourist traps and you may find the price quite agreeable. There is a infamous market in Tangier called "casa barata" (the house of cheap things) - there are bargains to be had here but be wary of forgeries and stolen goods (these are sold along vegetables, electronics, clothing, shoes, spices, carpets, ironmongery and everything else one can think of!). There are other markets notably the souk in the medina (mainly vegetables, clothes and tourist items) and in Ben Mekada (vegetables). The latter does not cater for tourists at all and is known as one of the "rough spots" of tangier and back in the 1980's there were bread riots here.
HOW TO REACH
By plane - Boukhalef Airport (TNG) is located 12 km (7.5 miles) from the city (travel time about 20 minutes). Taxi 100 Dh (10€) to Tangier (150 Dh (15€) at night). At present only Royal Air Maroc, British Airways, Ryanair, Iberia, and Regional Airlines fly here. Easyjet is due to fly here from Madrid in February 2008. Coming in by plane is the easiest and hassle free way of coming to Tangier. All persons entering or leaving Morocco are required to complete an entry/exit card. Tourists who are look different to the stereotyped image of a particular nationality will also be asked to identify their origin; for example a person who is of Chinese appearance with a British passport will be asked his origin and a simple answer of "British" will not suffice irrespective of his or her actual nationality or their parents nationality. This question does not appear on the card but those who appear "different" should be prepared to deal with this enquiry. There are no touts at the airport and the prices of the taxis are more or less fixed.
Europe and North America (New York and Montreal) serve Morocco.
By rail - ONCF opened a new train station, Tanger Ville, in 2003, which is now the end of the line. While it's closer to the city center than Tanger Morora, the original end-of-the-line, it's still quite a long walk so take a petit taxi for 15dhs or so.
The country has an excellent railway system with 1,893km (1,176mi) of track and a fine intercity passenger service utilizing 669,637 passenger cars. Overnight train services running throughout Europe can connect with Morocco. Most of the time, non stop trains are fine but those which are not direct sometimes make unscheduled stops en route but do not panic as you will reach your destination eventually.
By car - When coming into Tangier by car, be careful of hustlers on motorbikes who will ride alongside you and attempt all manner of dodginess.
You can come by car by ferry from Algeciras and Tarifa in Spain or through the Spanish enclave of Ceuta (reached by ferry from Algeciras). The ferry crossing varies from 1 hour to 3 hours.
By bus - Tangier has two long distance bus stations. The first, at the CTM offices near the port, is the arrival point of most CTM buses. Some other CTM buses, and those from other companies, arrive at the station on Place Jamia el-Arabia.
By boat - The port is located beside the medina, and a few hundred metres from the ville nouvelle. Although the government has been partially successful in reducing the number of touts, money changers, taxi drivers and faux guides hassling people arriving by boat, expect to be mobbed. Look like you know where you're going, politely refuse any offers of help or ignore the "guides" completely, or if you really feel like you need to escape jump in a taxi to escape the throng; just make sure that the taxi driver is no worse than the mob you are trying to escape. The taxi rank is inside the port area - you are likely to be mobbed by requests from many drivers. There is no queuing system - just take the taxi which you have agreed a fare with and are comfortable with. The blue coloured petit taxis are substantially cheaper and used more by locals and are preferable to the cream coloured grande taxis who are mostly unmetered.
