Lonely Planet Morocco
Page 43
Old Spanish ChurchCHURCH
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 51 R as-Siaghin)
Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity, a handful of Indian, French and Spanish nuns, work from the Old Spanish Church in the medina. They cope with heartbreaking situations: street children, abused children, marital violence, and drug and alcohol abuse.
oPetit SoccoSQUARE
(Souq Dakhel; MAP GOOGLE MAP )
Officially named Pl Souq ad-Dakhil, this was once the most notorious crossroads of Tangier, the site of drug deals and all forms of prostitution. Today the facades are freshly painted, tourists abound and it’s a wonderful square for people-watching over a mint tea.
Grande MosquéeMOSQUE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP )
From the Petit Socco in the medina, Rue Jemaa el-Kebir leads east past this mosque, which at one time housed a Portuguese church.
Tomb of Ibn BattutaTOMB
( MAP GOOGLE MAP )
This modest tomb is purported to be the last resting place of Ibn Battuta, who was born in Tangier in 1304 and became the greatest traveller of the period – outpacing Marco Polo at an easy clip. A scholar and judge, Ibn Battuta travelled across North Africa through the Middle East then onto Russia, Central Asia and China, returning via Sri Lanka and East Africa.
After stopping at home, he then journeyed across the Sahara to West Africa, finally settling to write it all down in 1355. The tomb is frequently locked.
oKasbah Museum of Mediterranean CulturesMUSEUM
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0539 93 20 97; Pl de la Kasbah; adult/child Dh20/10; h10am-6pm Wed-Sun)
This recently refurbished museum, recently refurbished, is housed in the former sultan's palace of Dar el-Makhzen. The focus is on the history of the area from prehistoric times to the 19th century. Exhibits are well-presented (information in French and Arabic only). Work your way anticlockwise around the first courtyard before heading inside to the rest of the displays, followed by a walk in the charming Andalucian garden.
Particular highlights are the mosaic of Venus from Volubilis and statuary, plus the giant replica maps. The first map tracks trade routes from the Phoenician trade in metals to the electronic goods of the 21st century; the second is a gorgeous map of the known world made in Tangier in 1154 (hint: it's upside down from the viewer's perspective) The museum is outside the medina – follow the perimeter all the way to the western end, to the highest part of the city, enter the Porte de la Kasbah, and follow the road to the museum.
Tangier Medina
1Top Sights
1Grand SoccoB4
2Kasbah Museum of Mediterranean CulturesB1
3Petit SoccoC3
4Tangier American Legation MuseumC4
1Sights
5Galerie ConilC3
6Grande MosquéeD3
7Mendoubia GardensB3
8Musée de la Fondation LorinB4
9Old Spanish ChurchC3
10St Andrew's ChurchA4
11Tomb of Ibn BattutaB2
4Sleeping
12Dar NourA2
13Hotel ContinentalD3
14Hotel MamoraC3
15La TangerinaA1
16Melting Pot HostelC2
17Nord Pinus TangerB1
5Eating
18Art et GourmetB4
19Café à l'AnglaiseA2
20El Morocco CaféA1
El Morocco ClubA1
21Le NababC2
6Drinking & Nightlife
22Café CentralC3
Nord Pinus TangerB1
Piano Bar at El Morocco Club
3Entertainment
23Cinema RifB4
7Shopping
24Bleu de FèsC3
25Boutique MajidC3
26DARNA, The Women's Association of TangierB4
27Las ChicasA1
28Laura WeflingB1
Ville Nouvelle
With its Riviera architecture and colonial ambience, the stretch from Pl de France along Blvd Pasteur still hints at the glamour of the 1930s. It’s a popular place for an early evening promenade, or a few hours sipping mint tea in one of the many streetside cafes – particularly the venerable landmark Gran Café de Paris, where you still might half-expect to bump into Truman Capote or Jean Genet.
oGrand SoccoLANDMARK
( MAP GOOGLE MAP )
The Grand Socco (official name Pl du 9 Avril 1947) is the romantic entrance to the medina, a large, sloping, palm-ringed plaza with a central fountain that stands before the keyhole gate Bab Fass. Once a major market, its cobblestone circle is now the end of the line for taxis, the point at which the modern streets narrow into the past.
For the best ground-floor view, climb the steps at the highest point on the circle, across from the large tan building (the police station), to what locals simply call La Terrasse. This is what you came for, one of those dreamy moments when you think you’ve entered a movie set.
The Grand Socco is also the hub of several other sights, all visible from within it. First is the Cinema Rif, which stands on the circle. The brightest light on Tangier’s cultural scene, it is a combination art-house cinema, cafe and archive, and the focal point for anything to do with film. Young locals come to soak up the ambience and use the free wi-fi.
Mendoubia GardensPARK
( MAP GOOGLE MAP )
This large park is full of strolling couples and children playing football. The Mendoubia Gardens are flanked by an elegant line of colonial buildings, perhaps the most attractive of its kind in the city. At the top of the central hill is a monument flanked by cannons that contains the speech given by Mohammed V asking for independence.
St Andrew’s ChurchCHURCH
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Rue d’Angleterre; donation requested; hservices 8.30am & 11am Sun)
St Andrew's Church is one of the more charming oddities of Tangier. Completed in 1890, on land granted by Sultan Hassan, the interior of this Anglican church is decorated in high Fassi style, with the Lord’s Prayer in Arabic over the altar. Behind the altar is a cleft that indicates the direction of Mecca, with carved quotes from the Quran.
The graveyard is worth lingering in. The journalist, Moroccan explorer and Tangerine socialite Walter Harris is buried here, along with Squadron Leader Thomas Kirby Green, one of the prisoners of war shot during the 'Great Escape'. There is also a sobering section of war graves of entire downed aircrews, their headstones attached shoulder to shoulder. Caretaker Yassine is always on-site and can offer you a tour.
Tangier BeachBEACH
( GOOGLE MAP )
The wide town beach has been improved – it’s actually cleanest in the bustling summer. It works well for a seaside stroll, and the corniche (beachfront road) from the new marina makes walking easy. There are plenty of attractive beaches down the nearby Atlantic Coast.
Terrasse des ParesseuxARCHITECTURE
(Idlers’ Terrace; MAP GOOGLE MAP )
The aptly named Terrasse des Paresseux provides sweeping views of the port, Spain and, on a really clear day, Gibraltar. A set of ancient cannons faces the bay, symbolically warding off usurpers (apart from the children who love to climb them).
Tangier Ville Nouvelle
1Sights
1Centre Culturel Ibn KhaldounA1
2Galerie DelacroixA1
3Les InsolitesB2
4Terrasse des ParesseuxA2
2Activities, Courses & Tours
El-Minzah WellnessA1
4Sleeping
5El-MinzahA1
6Hotel de ParisB2
7Hotel El-MuniriaC2
8Hotel RembrandtC3
5Eating
9Casa PepéC3
10Champs ÉlyséesC3
11Fast Food BrahimA2
12La GiraldaA2
13Le PagodeA3
14Mix MaxA2
15Number OneC3
16Patisserie La EspañolaA1
17Populaire Saveur de PoissonA1
Restaurant el-KorsanA1
6Drinking & Nightlife
18Americain's Pu
bB3
19Caid's BarA1
20Gran Café de ParisA2
21Hole in the Wall BarA3
Le TangerineC2
Number OneC3
7Shopping
22Bazar TindoufA1
23Librairie des ColonnesC3
EXPLORE TANGIER'S ART SCENE
Mohamed Drissi Gallery of Contemporary ArtGALLERY
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 52 Rue d’Angleterre; h9am-1pm & 2-6pm Tue-Sun)F
Contemporary art gallery housed in the former British consulate.
Les InsolitesGALLERY
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0534 59 29 83; http://lesinsolitestanger.com; 28 Rue Khalid Ibn Oualid; h11am-8pm Mon-Sat)F
Photographic gallery with works by Moroccan artists, and a bookshop.
Galerie ConilGALLERY
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0534 37 20 54; conil.maroc@gmail.com; 7 Rue du Palmier, Petit Socco; h11am-8pm Mon-Sat)F
This small gallery, just off the Petit Socco, shows local mixed-media artists and has a collection of books and clothing.
Galerie DelacroixGALLERY
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 86 Rue de la Liberté; h11am-1pm & 4-8pm Tue-Sun)F
The exhibition hall of the Institut Français; hosts temporary exhibitions.
Centre Culturel Ibn KhaldounARTS CENTRE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Rue de la Liberté; h10am-1pm & 4-8pm)
Exhibition space specialising in contemporary art from Tangier and the surrounding region.
Instituto Cervantes GalleryGALLERY
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Rue Belgique; h10am-1pm & 4-8pm Tue-Sun)F
Hosts exhibitions of contemporary artists from Tangier and beyond.
2Activities
El-Minzah WellnessSPA
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0539 93 58 85; www.elminzah.com; 85 Rue de la Liberté; fitness room Dh200)
Pamper yourself at the luxury spa, where there’s a fully equipped gym (with superb views to the sea), hammam, sauna and Jacuzzi, as well as a range of massage and other therapeutic treatments.
Serenity Day SpaSPA
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0539 37 28 28; serenity@serenityspa.ma; Rue Adolfo Fessere, Quartier California; hammam & gommage Dh400)
Here is a chance for women to escape the all-too-male world of Morocco, at least for a few hours, and indulge the body in luxurious surroundings. This female-only hammam gets high marks from local customers. It’s west of Pl de Koweit, on the road to the golf course; take a cab.
Royal Club EquestreHORSE RIDING
(%0539 93 48 84; www.equestre.ma; Rte de Boubana; 30min Dh100, 1hr Dh150; h8am-noon & 3-7pm Tue-Sun)
Along the road to Cap Spartel, the stables are set in the midst of forested hills, a pleasant place to explore on horseback. All riders must be accompanied by a guide, included in the price of the horse hire.
TANGIER IN...
One Day
Starting in the kasbah, take a wander through the Kasbah Museum of Mediterranean Cultures and a meander down the medina streets. A cup of mint tea in the Petit Socco is an essential Tangier experience, followed by a fishy lunch at Populaire Saveur de Poisson. Wander up to St Andrew’s Church for a spot of gravestone reading, then take in the latest art exhibition at Centre Culturel Ibn Khaldoun. A drink in the Caid’s Bar is followed by dinner at Art et Gourmet, before heading to the Le Tangerine, just like a Beat poet.
Two Days
Discover the vibe of the new city with breakfast at the plush La Giralda, where you can check the views over to Spain from Terrasse des Paresseux. Head to Librairie des Colonnes to browse the historic bookshop and take coffee at the storied Gran Café de Paris. A post-prandial stroll through the Mendoubia Gardens follows, followed by a photo-opportunity visit to the fresh produce market in Grand Socco. Just around the corner is the Tangier American Legation Museum, where you can seek out Morocco’s Mona Lisa. Take dinner at El Morocco Club, staying around for a nightcap and live jazz.
TTours
Hotels can provide recommended guides, usually at around Dh250 a day. Remember that any guide who takes you shopping receives a commission, although they'll often find you things you wouldn't have found otherwise.
There is a series of colour-coded walks in the medina, with signs and maps throughout the medina in strategic spots:
Brown The kasbah
Green Rue Oued Aherdane from the kasbah to the Petit Socco
Purple Rue Dar ed-Baroud with its sea views down to the Hotel Continental
Yellow The south of the medina from the Petit Socco to the Tangier American Legation Museum
Blue Souk Dakhel: from the Petit Socco eastwards in a circle
Orange The ramparts around the medina, from the Grand Socco to the kasbah
MATISSE IN TANGIER
Of the many artists who have passed through Tangier, Henri Matisse is one of the most famous. The French impressionist and leading light of the early-20th-century Fauvist movement called Tangier a painter's paradise. His two visits to the city, in the spring of 1912 and again the following winter, had a profound influence on his work.
Inspired by the luminous North African light and the colour and harmony found in traditional Moroccan art, Matisse completed some 20 canvases and dozens of sketches during his time in Tangier. In them he honed the qualities that define his mature work: bold abstract lines, two-dimensional shapes and vibrant, expressive – as opposed to natural – colours.
Matisse mainly looked to the daily life of the medina for his themes. He produced several striking portraits of Zohra, a local prostitute, and a wonderful painting of a strong-featured Riffian woman sitting legs akimbo against an azure sky.
However, it is Matisse's renditions of the city that really strike a chord. Two of the most evocative are Vue sur la Baie de Tanger (View of the Bay of Tangier) and La Porte de la Casbah (Entrance to the Kasbah). Both are relatively subdued in their use of colour, but in Paysage Vu d'une Fenêtre (Window at Tangier) the artist hits full stride. The painting shows the view from his window in the Grand Hôtel Villa de France, looking out over St Andrew's Church, with its squat tower, to the kasbah beyond. The overriding colour is a pure, sizzling Mediterranean blue.
zFestivals & Events
There are two booklets listing events and local info: monthly Urbain Tanger and bi-monthly Tanger Pocket, both in French and available at most hotels and online at www.urbainmagazine.com and www.tangerpocket.com.
Salon International de Tanger des Livres et des ArtsLITERATURE
(www.if-maroc.org/tanger/spip.php?rubrique59; Institut Français, 41 Rue Hassan ibn Ouazzane; hMay)
Annual weeklong book festival with varying themes.
TANJAzzMUSIC
(www.tanjazz.org; Tangier; hSep)
This ever-popular festival with a good reputation for attracting leading names, has been running for over 17 years and hosts concerts by local and international jazz musicians.
Nuits Sonores TangerMUSIC
(www.nuits-sonores.com/tanger; hOct)
This cutting-edge music festival is an offshoot of the original Nuits Sonores in Lyon, and leans heavily on contemporary electronic music and arts.
Festival du Court Métrage MéditerranéenFILM
(International Mediterranean Short Film Festival; www.ccm.ma; hNov)
Weeklong festival of short films from around the Mediterranean.
PAUL BOWLES IN TANGIER
Perhaps the best-known foreign writer in Tangier was the American author Paul Bowles, who died in 1999, aged 88. Bowles made a brief but life-changing trip to Tangier in 1910, on Gertrude Stein’s advice, then devoted the next 15 years to music composition and criticism back home. In 1938 he married Jane Sydney Auer, but they were never a conventional couple – he was an ambivalent bisexual and she was an active lesbian. After WWII Bowles took her to Tangier, where he remained the rest of his life. Here he turned to writing amid a lively creative circle, including the likes of William Burroughs and Mohammed Choukri. Visiting writers, from Jean Genet to Truman Capote, all sought out Bowles.
Durin
g the 1950s Bowles began taping, transcribing and translating stories by Moroccan authors, in particular Driss ben Hamed Charhadi (also known by the pseudonym Larbi Layachi) and Mohammed Mrabet. He was also an important early recorder of Moroccan folk music.
Thanks partly to Bernardo Bertolucci’s 1990 film, Bowles’ best-known book is The Sheltering Sky (1949), a bleak and powerful story of an innocent American couple slowly dismantled by a trip through Morocco. His other works include Let It Come Down (1952), a thriller set in Tangier; The Spider’s House, set in 1950s Fez; and two excellent collections of travel tales, Their Heads Are Green (1963) and Points in Time (1982). A Distant Episode: the Selected Stories is a good compilation of Bowles’ short stories.
There is a dark and nihilistic undercurrent to Bowles’ writing, as fellow writer Norman Mailer describes in Advertisements for Myself (1959): ‘Paul Bowles opened the world of Hip. He let in the murder, the drugs, the death of the Square…the call of the orgy, the end of civilization’. The Tangier American Legation Museum has a wing dedicated to Bowles' life and work.
4Sleeping
Tangier’s sleeping options cater to all budgets and styles, spanning the spectrum from the ultra-cheap pensiónes (guesthouses) near the port to the chic hotels along the oceanfront. Ultra-budget accommodation options are clustered around the medina and close to the port gate. You can also find plenty of choice in the streets around Ave Mokhtar Ahardan and the Rue Magellan.