A city where North Africa meets Europe, Tangier has long been a magnet for creatives, adventurers and dreamers. With its maze-like medina, rich cultural history and dramatic coastal views, it’s no wonder it has inspired literary greats from Paul Bowles to William Burroughs and Jack Kerouac, and the legacy of Tangier’s expat writers and artists lingers in those cafés and streets. Tangier’s exotic charm and strategic location has long attracted filmmakers too, making it a popular setting for movies of all genres, including Paul Greengrass’s The Bourne Ultimatum, Jim Jarmusch’s Only Lovers Left Alive, and the Humphrey Bogart noir Sirocco, which expertly captured the intrigue and danger of post-World War II Tangier. From its tantalising Moroccan cuisine to its breathtaking sunsets over the Strait of Gibraltar, Morocco’s second largest port city after Casablanca offers an unforgettable sensory trip.
Eat Early
Fans of Christopher Nolan’s Inception may recognise the bustling Grand Socco, as featured in the film. And situated in this same, busy main square, Cinémathèque de Tanger (Cinéma Rif) is the ideal place to sit and watch the world go by. Here you can sip a mint tea with orange blossom (the best in Tangier) or chat to a local over a coffee and some delicious Moroccan pastries – if you’re lucky they may even regale you with tales of old Tangier. And if you’ve a sweet tooth, their chocolate cake is reputed to be second to none.
If you’re missing your five-a-day hit, the extensive selection of freshly squeezed juices and smoothies served up by tiny streetside gem Paradise Juices on Rue Alcasabah will get you back on track. Choose any combination you like, and it’ll be whizzed up by the affable bar owner (who speaks French, too). My companions opted for mango and pineapple, while I tried the pomegranate (abundant here on the market stalls) and pineapple. Très bon and incredibly refreshing in the midday heat. Have it in a takeaway cup (rare in Tangier), or lounge inside on banquettes.
Eat Late
If a spot has been graced by the likes of Anthony Bourdain and Rick Stein, you know it’s worth the visit – and Le Saveur de Poisson holds that distinction. With a set five-course menu for 200 dirhams, it’s the kind of destination with queues outside (no reservations) so get there earlyish and be prepared to wait. Freshly caught fish is served until it runs out – and then the restaurant closes. But in the meantime, feast on warm, freshly baked breads, unlimited juices, rich red harissa dip and the famous fish courses: soup, tagine, brochette and grilled bass.
For sheer luxury, book into Jasper Conran’s Villa Mabrouka. The property was originally owned by Yves Saint Laurent, and Conran has retained that bygone elegance to create the ultimate boutique hotel, with just 12 rooms and suites. Step through the carved wooden doors into a paradise garden, filled with the sound of birdsong, and head to the rooftop bar for an aperitif, such as a cool minty Mabrouka Mule. Here, you can watch specks of fishing boats in the distance, heading for the shore as the sun sets, and enjoy the view over the turquoise blue sea to the hazy watercolour wash of the mountains of Spain, a ferry ride away.
As night descends, head to the hotel’s L’Orangerie restaurant for dinner. Overlooking the garden and the shimmering bay, it makes for an unforgettable evening. The menu is prepared from market-fresh ingredients and vegetables from Villa Mabrouka’s own gardens. Crudités, with delicious anchovy mayonnaise and delicately thin bread sticks arrive instantly, care of maître d’ Madi and his attentive team.
The last time I was here, I had a cooling gazpacho to start – and it didn’t disappoint. A hint of garlic and the taste of straight-off-the-vine tomatoes made for a deliciously light soup, and it’s not bready, as gazpacho often is. For the main I chose grilled Dover sole, served with a tomato salsa, french fries and a garden salad. The fish was succulent and went perfectly with a chilled white wine. My chocolate profiterole dessert came with hot chocolate sauce, poured at the table, and coated in a finely chopped mélange of nuts, with the added surprise of a vanilla ice cream centre, topped with a generous swirl of whipped cream. It was divine.
Another to book into is speakeasy bar Parisa with its colourful murals on the walls, and a soundtrack of Moroccan music. It’s a fun, contemporary vibe (you can also dine on the outdoor terrace on sultry Tangier evenings), with DJs spinning records until 1am. The food is Persian/Moroccan fusion – for a starter, try the mouth-wateringly delicious zeytoon parvardeh: a combination of crushed olives and walnuts, aromatic herbs and pomegranate syrup. And for a main, you can’t beat the sea bass fillet marinated in saffron and fresh lime (mahi kebab) with roasted peppers and tomatoes – a delightful mix of summery flavours. For dessert, try the bastani-ye akbar mashti: a Persian saffron ice cream with pistachio.
Drink
Situated in the kasbah, up a spiral metal staircase, here’s another fabulous rooftop view to be had of Tangier Bay and the Strait of Gibraltar, while you enjoy a wine or beer. Once the ancient stables of the sultan’s palace, the quaint Café Salon Bleu is marinated in history: Samuel Pepys wrote under the fig tree just next to the small courtyard, while Francis Bacon had a studio on the same street, and the Rolling Stones resided nearby when they were here in the ’60s. The Kasbah itself has long inspired writers and artists of the 20th century, including Matisse, Delacroix, Jean Genet and the aforementioned members of the Beat literary movement. The décor is very blue, as the name suggests, with traditionally patterned blue ceramic plates on the walls, and even a retro blue radio on a shelf in a corner.
If it’s jazz you’re after then you’ve come to the right place: jazz has always played an important part in Tangier’s music scene and the place to go is El Morocco Club in Place du Tabor. Many renowned artists have lived and performed in Tangier, including Josephine Baker. And here you can indulge your love of live jazz over tapas and cocktails.
Do
Take time to wander the medina, an intriguing and delightful labyrinth of alleyways crammed with traditional homes and little shops full of treasures. It’s surrounded by the walls of a 15th-century Portuguese fortress, and you’ll want to photograph the blue or green arched doorways, ancient banyan trees, bougainvillea and glimpses of Moroccan life.
And for a subterranean adventure, head to the Caves of Hercules. There are two entrances, one from the land and one from the sea – the latter, in the shape of Africa, is believed to have been carved by the Phoenicians. Legend has it that Hercules himself stayed and slept in this cave during the 11th of his 12 tasks, hence the name. The cave was also believed to be the entrance of a tunnel underneath the Strait of Gibraltar that led to St Michael’s Cave. According to myth, the Barbary macaque monkeys that inhabit Gibraltar used this tunnel to get from Africa to Europe.
Finally, if you want to set your inner creative free, try Tangier Painting Holiday based at interiors stylist Gavin Houghton’s beautiful Moroccan-style house near Bab Casbah.
Shop
My buys have included a gorgeous large cream and Moroccan-blue-striped bedspread, a painted ceramic soap dish and a large serving dish, as well as an open-weave basket with leather handles (an absolute must-have).
Take time to visit Fondouk Chejra (Weaver’s Market). Here, you can watch men working on the same wooden looms they’ve used since the early 1900s, creating colourful bedspreads, rugs, robes and scarves. A rug or a bedspread can take up to four days to make, and many of the men have sons and grandsons working alongside them. Watching a centuries-old artform and being able to take a piece of it home with you is really special.
If it’s a Berber rug you want, visit Bleu de Fes. The rugs are crafted by Berber women and dyed all sorts of inky blues, greens and reds, or classic black and white. More beauty awaits at Boutique Majid. Firstopened in 1970, it’s run by Abdelmajid Rais El Fenni and Mie Nielsen and houses gorgeous collection of textiles, jewellery, silk and glassware, reflecting the artisanal history of Tangier and Morocco.
Wendy Rigg is a fashion director and writer
