Is a day trip to Tangier worth it?

Personally, standing in Tarifa and staring longingly at the African continent so tantalisingly close was not enough for me. I needed to get us there. I needed to introduce my kids to the continent on which their parents met (when I worked in Rwanda) and I needed to renew my own deep connection to this magnificent continent.

Even if you don’t have a long relationship with Africa, this is absolutely a day trip everyone should take because Tangier is a beautiful city on the north Morocco coast, and it has so much to offer its visitors. Think: culture, food, history, nature and more.

While of course generally the longer the better in a new country, if you only have a day then a day in Tangier is absolutely worth it.

And honestly, who doesn’t want to cross continents just for fun?

In this article you’ll learn

→ The best ways to buy your ferry tickets to Tangier Ville

→ What documents you’ll need to leave Spain, enter Morocco and then return to Spain

→ What to do with your Tangier day trip (including tour suggestions for those who aren’t sure about independent exploration of Morocco) – if you don’t need information about buying ferry tickets and how the process between the countries works, click here to go straight to the “what to do in Tangier” section

→ And, of course, you can flip over to the MexicoCassie guide to what to do in Tarifa for more information, too

Best time to take a day trip to Tangier from Tarifa

🌸 Spring is a delightful time to take a day trip to Tangier as the weather is good and the city isn’t too crowded

🔆 You’ll have a great time in summer but bear in mind it may very hot and there will be crowds of tourists. Be sure to book boat tickets and tours in advance

🍁 Autumn, like spring is a good time to visit as the crowds have gone and the weather is cooler

🧤 Winter can be extremely cold and the highest rainfall is between Oct – Feb

⏰ Remember to check when Ramadan is before booking your trip to Tangier and that Fridays will be quieter than other days as it’s the Muslim holy day.

Where is Tangier? Where is Tarifa?

🧭 Tangier is a city on the northern coast of Morocco

🧭 Tarifa is a city on the southern Costa de la Luz of Spain. It is 1hr20 from Cádiz and 2hr20 from Seville. While there is no direct train from Madrid, Sevilla is well connected so if you’re staying in Madrid, head to Sevilla and then to Tarifa.

✈️ The nearest airport in Spain is Seville airport.

There is about 30km between the two cities across the magnificent Strait of Gibraltar.

How do You get to Tangier from Tarifa

There are two ferry companies working the route between Tarifa Port and the Port of Tangier Ville.

👀 Note that there are two ports in Tangier: From Tarifa you need to go to Tanger Ville, the port right by the city of Tangier, not Tangier Med, which is about 40km away.

🛳 FRS – ferry departure times from Tarifa are every two hours between 7am and 9pm and between 6am and 8pm from Tangier.

🛳 Intershipping – there are 4 a day every four hours between 8am and 8pm from Tarifa and 9am – 9pm from Tangier.

Notes on taking the ferry from Tarifa to Tangier

📌 The fast ferry is meant to take an hour but depending on weather conditions can take longer or even suffer serious delays. Always travel with a bottle of water and a snack in case of delay.

📌 I noticed that despite correctly inputting everyone’s personal details when I bought our tickets, when I went to print our boarding cards, everything was wrong. I had to call to get it fixed. Be very careful.

📌 You can either buy tickets in advance online or on the day. I recommend buying in advance as the tickets can sell out particularly in summer.

Did you know that you can also take the ferry from Barcelona to Morocco?

Can you drive from Spain to Morocco? 

🚘 Yes! You can. I mean, there’s obviously the Strait of Gibraltar to cross but since you can put your car on the ferry, technically you can drive between Tarifa and Tangier. Like Spain, Morocco drives on the right. You will require the car’s grey letter (permission to drive in Morocco), the ownership papers, rental contract or a letter from the owner giving you permission to take it to Morocco, insurance papers and the car’s data sheet.

What happens when you arrive at the port in Tarifa?

If you’ve bought your ferry tickets in advance then you will be expected to arrive 90 minutes early having already checked in online. When you arrive go through the entrance gates to the port of Tarifa and walk to the main terminal building.Stop at the ferry company office whether you have checked in online or not as they will want to give you paper boarding passes.

You need landing cards for Morocco so you can either get these in the terminal or wait until you’re on the boat (I recommend collecting these in the terminal and filling them in before you get on the ferry)

You’ll be invited to line up for passport control to leave Spain- show your ticket and passport here. You then go through to another, bigger waiting room (there are vending machines if you have a sudden desperate need for a snack) to wait until you can board the ferry. 

Boarding is through the car deck. You walk onto the boat with any suitcases you may and then leave them at the side of the cars and head up a flight of steps to the passenger space.

The ferry crossing between Tarifa and Tangier

Note that my experience is based on the FRS ferry but Intershipping is similar.

⭐️ Passport control – at the front of the boat is a small Moroccan Passport Control where you are required to show your passport and hand in your landing card. I highly recommend doing this as soon as you board as the line was the length of the ferry for the entire journey. We were first through passport control so had free time to sit, relax and enjoy the journey.

☕️ There is a decent (but slightly pricy) cafe onboard selling soft drinks, beers and snacks. There’s also a duty-free store.

💳 You can use a credit/debit card or Euros on board. Moroccan Dirhams are not accepted. 

🛟 There is a small outdoor space on the FRS ferry where people crowd to smoke or wave goodbye to the Spanish coast. The Intershipping ferries look as if they have more outdoor space than FRS. 

Will you feel seasick between Tarifa and Tangier?

🤢 We were five people in our party. Three felt fine in both directions. Two of us did not. Sigh. Yes, I felt sick. My younger child actually vomited but she is prone to severe motion sickness. The water was moderately choppy. I’d definitely take dramamine if you’re concerned. 

⭐️ There are a myriad of excellent reasons to visit Spain, keep reading to learn more about this magnificent country ⭐️

Arriving in Tangier

🇲🇦 Getting off the boat and into Morocco is a little slow as everyone tries to get off at the same time. You have to show your passport (the freshly stamped page) once or twice more before you’re even in the port of Tangier building. 

Once you’re inside, your bags are scanned and then you head down the escalator. This is where you will get your first taste of Morocco (and find cash machines). People will immediately come to you trying to sell you their services – taxis and tours.

👣 If you’re meeting your tour guide they’ll find you here. The meeting point for your local guide is generally at the bottom of the escalators into the arrival hall in the port of Tangier Ville. If you’re visiting on your own, then head out of the door and towards the port exit in front of you on the left.

📌 Once you’re out of the port your day of fun begins. Cross the road and head into the market areas if that’s your plan, or turn right and walk along the boardwalk towards Cafe Hafa (30 minutes) with the impressive park on your left. 

Important to know when you arrive in Tangier

Time in Morocco

⏰ Morocco is one hour ahead of GMT and they do not observe daylight saving so during the winter they are in the same time zone as Europe. However, during the month of Ramadan, the clocks go back an hour. Be sure to check your watches and phones are correct when you arrive so you don’t miss the ferry back.

☑️ It’s definitely worth being aware of Moroccan festivals, prayer times and any other times that might impact on when shops are shut.

We chose to go on a Friday because after doing my research I decided it would be fine for our needs. When we arrived in the morning not everything was open and things remained that way until about 3pm when prayers finished. After 3pm, shops opened, streets got more lively and everything was more fun. That said, before 3pm we still had enough shops open that we could enjoy ourselves. 

Money in Morocco

☑️ Morocco uses the MAD – Moroccan Dirham. It’s about 10:1 with the Euro. Take money out of the cash machines in the port when you arrive.

☑️ Many shopkeepers are perfectly happy to use Euros and will even quote you a price in Euros.

☑️ Bigger stores will have credit/debit card facilities.

☑️ Haggling is a way of life in Morocco. Don’t be nervous to engage in haggling but do remain calm and friendly. My rule of thumb is to halve whatever price the vendor starts with and to expect to meet somewhere between the two. Don’t haggle if you have no intention of buying, that’s just rude. You can always ask for extra discount if you buy more than one of anything.

Language in Morocco

☑️ The primary languages spoken are Moroccan Arabic and French.

☑️ You’re unlikely to find anyone who doesn’t speak English and given the proximity to Spain, many people will speak Spanish too.

While in Tangier, I spoke a mix of French and English with the few words of Arabic I know thrown in.

What to wear in Morocco

☑️ Remember you’re visiting a Muslim country and dress accordingly. You will see locals in both traditional dress and in modern western clothing.

☑️ Women should wear loose fitting clothes and cover their shoulders and legs above the knee.There is no official clothing requirement but the best advice is to not wear anything too revealing to prevent unwanted attention.

I wore jeans that were rolled up to mid-calf because it was hot and a regular t-shirt.

☑️ Men can wear shorts.

What are the visa requirements to travel between Spain and Morocco?

☑️ You’ll need a valid passport or EU ID card (I saw people showing just their Spanish residency cards on the way home) to get into Spain.

☑️ If you’re on a Schengen Visa be sure to check you have multiple entry to Europe or you may find yourself stuck in Morocco.

☑️ People from around 65 countries do not need a visa to enter Morocco including the EU, UK, USA. You can check if you need a visa for Morocco here.  

Alcohol in Tangier

☑️ Do not visit Tangier expecting a boozy day out. It is possible to find hotels and restaurants that sell alcohol but you’l need to do your research in advance. Remember, this is a Muslim country. Instead, enjoy a mint tea, a strong coffee or even a shisha pipe instead. And if you’ve really missed alcohol, grab a beer on the ferry on the way back to Tarifa.

Getting back to Tarifa from Morocco

📌 There can be delays to ferries, particularly those later in the day and when winds are high.

We had a short delay on our way back to Spain but nothing that held us up too much. They also cancelled our ferry, which meant we had to go home two hours earlier than planned but that’s apparently very unusual.

The ticket offices in Tangier Ville Port are actually by the entrance gate and not in the port building. If you need your boarding passes, pick them up here.

You will have to show your passport at the entrance to the port building. You then go up the escalators into a waiting room. You’ll have to show your passport and ticket again to leave the building and then to get on the boat. 

Note that on the way home you do not have to deal with passport control until you’re actually back in Spain. Then you get to stand in a line for a while and once again scan your belongings. 

Okay so that’s the logistics and dull stuff out the way so let’s figure out what you can do once you’ve crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and you’re safely in Tangier.

What to do with your day in Tangier

Tangier is a great option for a day trip from Tarifa. Use your day in Tangier to soak up the rich history and different culture that sits just 14km from Europe.📌 Explore and shop in the local markets of the Grand Socco, Petit Socco and the Old Medina – walk up to Bab Al Fahs and the Mendoubia Garden on rue D’Italie.

We had great fun chatting with vendors while buying rugs, trinkets and spices to bring home to Spain. 

📌 Visit the Kasbah District and Museum.

📌 Drink Moroccan mint tea in Cafe Hafa. The Phoenician tombs are close to here too if you have time to visit, as is the king’s palace (Marshan Palace). Everywhere sells mint tea and there’s little that’s more pleasurable than watching the world go by over a cup of mint tea.

If bottles of water are placed on your table when you order drinks, be sure to check you aren’t charged if you don’t drink them.

📌 Eat tagine and couscous in a traditional Moroccan restaurant.

Friday is couscous day in Morocco, which is partly why we decided to visit when we did! It was worth it.

📌 Check out the American Legation Museum

📌 Be impressed with the beauty of the mosques including the Grand Mosque and the Masjid Lallah Abosh mosque, which is right in front of the ferry terminal.

📌 Caves of Hercules – see where Hercules allegedly rested and marvel at the cave’s opening, which is in the shape of the continent of Africa. 

Should you hire a guide while in Tangier?

👣 Having been to Tangier without a local guide I can tell you that it is perfectly possibly to visit without one. If you are feeling worried about exploring somewhere where you don’t speak the language or know much about the culture then hiring a guide could make all the difference to your day.

🇲🇦 Hiring a local Moroccan guide would mean having someone who can answer all your questions about local culture, who could take you to the best local markets and help you find an amazing local restaurant rather than eat somewhere touristy in the medina. A guide will generally pick you up at the port and then drop you off there at the end of the day.

🐪 If you have always secretly wanted to experience a camel ride, while in Tangier you could find a tour that offers this.

Consider the following Tangier excursions

5 ⭐️ Private Tour of Tangier: Includes camel ride on the beach, visit to Cap Spartel, Hercules Caves, Kasbah Museum, time in the markets, lunch, ferry tickets and air conditioned vehicle. Guide meets you in Tarifa.

Group Tour of Tangier: Bus tour around the main sites of Tangier, guided walking tour through the kasbah, medina and markets, traditional Moroccan lunch and free time to shop in the markets

Premium Class Tour of Tangier: With first class ferry tickets included, this tour can pick you up from anywhere along the Malaga coast as well as in Tarifa. A guide stays with you through passport control. Tour includes Cap Spartel, Hercules Caves, optional camel ride on the beach, time exploring the Kasbah, medina and markets. Lunch is not included.

A final note on taking a day trip to Tangier from Tarifa

We thoroughly enjoyed our day trip to Tangier from Tarifa. I loved being able to introduce my kids to a new culture. They learned how to haggle respectfully, tried new foods, heard the muezzin call to prayer for the first time, tried out some Arabic words and learned why there are so many beautiful cats strolling around Tangier (in Islam cats are admired for their cleanliness and are treasured). For my family, this is one of the very best things to do with kids in Andalucía.

One day in Tangier was a great introduction to Morocco and we can’t wait to explore more.