Medina of Tangier
المدينة القديمة
A maze-like old town built into the hillside, where spice stalls, craft shops, cafés, and century-old hotels intertwine. It is the soul of Tangier.
The Tangier Medina lies on the hillside west of the port, enclosed by walls. Its narrow, winding lanes rise and fall through the district. The old town is smaller than Fes or Marrakesh and has a more relaxed pace. You can enter from the Grand Socco and pass the Market Street, the Petit Socco, the Grand Mosque, and the Catholic cathedral, climbing uphill all the way to the Kasbah. Along the way you will find stalls selling spices, leather goods, and pottery, traditional bakeries with communal ovens, and plenty of rooftop cafés. It is best to explore during the day, and bring an offline map. Politely decline anyone who approaches you to guide or sell something, and ask for the price before bargaining. The Grand Mosque is open only to Muslims.
Opening hours
All day (shops about 10:00–20:00)
Nearby sights
- Petit Socco
- Tangier American Legation
- Grand Socco
- Mendoubia Gardens
- Kasbah Museum (Dar el Makhzen)
- Gran Teatro Cervantes
- St Andrew's Church, Tangier
- Kasbah of Tangier