Tangier in 3 days

Three days in Tangier let you discover the city without rushing: a historic day in the medina and Kasbah, a nature day on the Atlantic coast, and a 'bay' day between Marina, Corniche and Marshan. This progression follows the geography and avoids pointless back-and-forth. Each day can be shortened or stretched depending on your energy, the weather and your transport. The goal isn't to tick everything off, but to grasp the rhythm of a city stretched between two seas.

Start at the Grand Socco in late morning, enter through Bab el Fahs and drift down to the Petit Socco for a coffee break. Cross the market lanes towards the Kasbah, stop at the Kasbah Museum, then finish at the viewpoint. Short alternative: if you tire quickly, skip the museum and keep more time to wander. Lunch: a Moroccan restaurant in the medina. Late afternoon: come back down via the wider outer streets to the Corniche for tea by the sea.

Take a taxi to Perdicaris Park (Rmilat) for a morning walk under the pines. Continue to Cap Spartel and its lighthouse, then drop down to the Caves of Hercules and Achakkar beach. Bring water, sunscreen and some slack between stops: official opening hours can shift, so don't over-pack the day. Weather alternative: a windy or wet day — swap the beach for a long lunch facing the ocean and head back earlier.

Morning at Tanja Marina Bay and along the Corniche promenade: easy walking, cafés, views over the bay and Malabata. Early afternoon, taxi to Marshan for a quiet tour of the neighbourhood and the Phoenician necropolis. Finish at Café Hafa at sunset, when the terraced levels open onto the strait. Family alternative: linger on the Corniche and Marina, both flat and stroller-friendly. Hot-day alternative: swap the midday walk for a long shaded lunch.

Depending on your arrival, shift the plan: ferry from Tarifa → start with the Marina and medina near the port; plane to Ibn Battouta → allow a 20–30 min transfer and begin later; Al Boraq train to Tanger Ville → the centre is walkable or a short petit taxi away. In summer, move outdoor visits to early morning or late afternoon. In rain, keep Day 2 as an indoor plan B. Calm pace: split Day 2 in two and add a tea break; full pace: chain more stops by taxi.

Checklist: comfortable shoes, water, some dirhams, hat and sunglasses in summer, a rain layer outside the dry season, an offline map. Check official opening hours on the day, and always keep a nearby fallback in mind.