Tangier and the Mediterranean
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Tangier and the Mediterranean - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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1. Lixus
Perched on a hilltop with stunning views over the Loukos Estuary, Lixus is a fascinating archaeological site, just 10 minutes from Larache and one hour from Tangier. Although the site may not as famous or imposing as the Roman ruins of Volubilis near Meknès, you’ll be able to explore without the crowds. Only a small portion of Lixus has been excavated, but the main attractions are an amphitheater, a column-lined road, and a mosaic of a sea god (half man, half crab). Also notable is the religious center of the town, at the summit, which retains the foundations for the places of worship of each civilization to have settled there—from Phoenicians in the 7th century to the Carthaginians to the Romans. The Romans believed it was here that Hercules picked the golden apples of the Garden of the Hesperides. A visitor center has an interesting display charting what’s known of the site’s history, and the guardians (Mohammed speaks excellent English) at the entrance are informative and happy to show you around; a tip of around 100 DH is appreciated. You can reach the site by petit taxi from Larache; arrange for your driver to pick you up after your visit.
Larache, Tangier-Tétouan-Al Hoceima, MoroccoSight Details
Rate Includes: 60 DH -
2. Muralles Reales
Ceuta's monumental Royal Walls date back a millennium and have been added to over the years by the Arabs, Portuguese, and Spanish to strengthen the town's fortifications. The strikingly modern Museo de los Muralles Reales, set in the walls, displays interesting art exhibitions. Crossing the San Felipe moat gives you a fine view over the walls.
Av. San Francisco Javier, Ceuta, Ceuta, Spain -
3. Plaza de África
The lovely Andalusian-style square is at the heart of the old city and worth exploring. Check out the memorial that honors soldiers who took part in the Hispano-Moroccan war of 1859. Flanking the main plaza is a pair of impressive churches, both built on the sites of former mosques: to the north is the baroque Nuestra Señora de África (Our Lady of Africa), and at the southern end is the larger and even more ornate cathedral.
Plaza Nuestra Señora de África, Ceuta, Ceuta, Spain -
4. Royal Artisan School
Just across from Bab el Okla, this prestigious school was founded in 1919 to preserve Morocco's rich craft heritage. Here you can watch the masters passing on their skills, including wood painting, pottery making, and embroidery, and also buy directly from the artisans. The Moorish-Andalusian building is a work of art in itself, with a colonnade inscribed with Kufic inscriptions, stained-glass details, and a vibrant zellij tiles.
Av. Mohammed Ameziane, Tetouan, Tangier-Tétouan-Al Hoceima, Morocco0539-97–27–21Sight Details
Rate Includes: 50 DH, Closed Fri. afternoon and weekends -
5. Archaeological Museum
Close to Place Al Jala, this three-room museum holds a small collection of Roman mosaics and statuettes, coins, bronzes, and pottery found at various sites in northern Morocco such as Lixus and Cotta. It also has pictures of the archaeological site of Tamuda (which resembles Stonehenge), where Anteus is fabled to have been buried after his battle with Hercules. There are further exhibits in the garden.
2, av. Mohammed Ben Larbi Torres, Tetouan, Tangier-Tétouan-Al Hoceima, MoroccoSight Details
Rate Includes: 10 DH, Closed Tues. -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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6. Cap Spartel Lighthouse
At 985 feet above sea level, the land around the lighthouse offers amazing views over the water: on a clear day, it's possible to see the meeting point of the dark blue of the Atlantic and the turquoise of the Mediterranean. Built by Sultan Mohammed III in 1864, this lighthouse was maintained by Britain, France, Spain, and Italy until Morocco's independence from France in 1956.
Cap Spartel, Tangier-Tétouan-Al Hoceima, Morocco -
7. Castillo del Desnarigado
Just under Ceuta's lighthouse, and named for a flat-nosed Amazigh pirate who made the cove his home in 1417, this fort built in the 19th century now houses a museum of military history showcasing the evolution of weapons from the 16th to 19th centuries. You can look out across Ceuta's port and, on clear days, take in a stunning view of Gibraltar from the ramparts.
Carr. Castillo del Desnarigado, Ceuta, Ceuta, Spain0956-51–40–66-in SpainSight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
8. Caves of Hercules
Six kilometers (4 miles) south of Cap Spartel are the Caves of Hercules, a popular tourist attraction tied to the mythical Hercules, who’s said to have rested here after his labors. One cave has been decorated with amateurish paintings; the other has been left in its natural state and is famed for its windowlike opening in the shape of the African continent, through which the surf crashes. Legend has it that the cave leads to a subterranean tunnel that crosses the Mediterranean. At one of the many cafés by the entrance to the caves, you can sit under a parasol and take in the sea views over a cold drink. You can tour the caves on your own if you're not with a guide or a group.
Cap Spartel, Tangier-Tétouan-Al Hoceima, MoroccoSight Details
Rate Includes: 5 DH -
9. Cotta
Approximately 7 km (4½ miles) south of Cap Spartel, look down toward the beach and you'll see the ruins of the 3rd century BC Roman town of Cotta. It was known for its production of garum, an anchovy paste that was exported throughout the Roman Empire. All that remains of the town now are the foundations of buildings, baths, and villas. You can walk to the site from the road or, more easily, from the expanisve beach that runs south from the lighthouse, known locally as Robinson Plage.
Cap Spartel, Tangier-Tétouan-Al Hoceima, Morocco -
10. Dar El Oddi
A hidden gem in the medina, this beautiful 1920s mansion has been painstakingly restored by the El Oddi family and opened to the public as a small but fascinating cultural space. Among the ornate zellij tiles, carved stucco, and stained glass, there are collections of photographs, postcards, and stamps (miniature works of art) honoring the city’s history. There’s also a souvenir shop and a small peaceful café to sip a mint tea.
5, Derb Oddi, Tetouan, Tangier-Tétouan-Al Hoceima, Morocco0539-72--16--71Sight Details
Rate Includes: 25 DH, Closed Mon. -
11. El Chorrillo Beach
At Ceuta’s longest and most popular city beach, the sand is nothing special but the clear water is relatively calm year-round. It gets crowded in summer. Amenities: food and drink; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: swimming.
Ceuta, Ceuta, Spain -
12. Medina
Tetouan's UNESCO-protected medina—established in the 8th century—is one of Morocco's most compact and interesting. Surrounded by a wall and accessed by seven gates, it includes a Jewish quarter, the Mellah, as well as exceptional 19th-century Spanish architecture from the period of the protectorate. Crafts, secondhand clothing, food, and housewares markets are scattered through the medina in charming little squares, such as the Souk el Hout Al Kadim (the old fish market); there’s even a small tannery near the Bab Mkabar. Tetouan's medina is relatively straightforward, so don't hesitate to deviate from the main path and explore; it's hard to get lost.
Bab er-Rouah, Tetouan, Tangier-Tétouan-Al Hoceima, Morocco -
13. Parc de Perdicaris
Halfway to Cap Spartel, Rmilet is a park popular with local families on weekends. It has shady pine, mimosa, and eucalyptus groves, as well as camel-riding and humble kebab huts at the end of the path in a parking lot with incredible views. Here you can also see the restored house of Ion Perdicarus and imagine his kidnapping by the Rifi bandit El Raissouni, with whom he later became friends. It's a great stop-off or day-trip for a few hours with the family. The stylish café across from the main entrance offers yet another stunning and unusual view of Tangier.
Cap Spartel, Tangier-Tétouan-Al Hoceima, Morocco -
14. Place Hassan II
If you follow the pedestrian Avenue Mohammed east, past Spanish houses with wrought-iron balconies and tilework, you’ll soon arrive at Place Hassan II, an open square with the Royal Palace to the north. On the east side is the Bab er-Rouah, the entrance to the historic covered market, and the Mellah is to the south. On the west side, look up to see Dar Tair (House of the Bird), an old Spanish apartment building crowned with a majestic bronze statue of a man sitting atop an eagle; it's close to Rue Zawiya, where you'll find some good dining options.
Tetouan, Tangier-Tétouan-Al Hoceima, Morocco -
15. Place Moulay El Mehdi
A leisurely stroll through Tetouan begins most naturally at the Place Moulay El Mehdi, a large circular plaza ringed with cafés, a post office, and the Spanish church of Nuestra Señora de las Victorias; the church glows with strings of lights in the evening. The plaza is a favorite spot for the evening promenade and often the site of outdoor concerts.
Tetouan, Tangier-Tétouan-Al Hoceima, Morocco
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