I didn't see any recent info on Tangier, so thought I'd post a report for other travelers. We booked a tour with Said Tours (#1 on TripAdvisor), and specifically asked to avoid the shopping portion, which he obliged completely. Given the negative reviews of Intershipping (vs. FRS) here and on TripAdvisor, I was worried, but we had absolutely no issues with them. We drove our rental car from Sevilla to Tarifa; 2 hours and 20 minutes on very reasonable roads (7 Euro toll). Yes, it was a long day (left at 6 am, back after 10pm), but absolutely worth it. The parking lot at the Ferry is easy to find, but relatively small. There were only a few spots left at 8:30 when we arrived. You can park in town as well; we didn't try that, opting for the 18 Euro day rate in the lot. The first 30 minutes are free, so you can park, drop your bags with someone, and then leave the lot to try your luck at stree parking if you wish. Other web sites mention that you can get a discount from a machine on the wall, before passport control--this is outdated. When you enter the lot, and get your ticket, look to your right: the small hut there is where you will take your parking ticket and your ferry tickets to pay your fee before you leave. The Interferry tickets gave us a 5 Euro discount--not sure if FRS also qualifies. The ferry building has bathrooms and a small cafe with free wifi. You pick up your ticket and register your passport at the main counter an hour in advance of your departure; they will also give you a departure card to fill out. About 45 minutes before departure, they open the line to have your tickets checked, go through security, and enter the waiting room. There is one exit for FRS, and one for Intershipping. The ferry trip was about 35 minutes (fast ferry). As soon as you board, you can queue up to have your passport stamped by the Moroccan police who have a desk on the ferry; if you're early on the boat, this makes sense, otherwise, you may want to find seats and wait until the line dwindles. When you disembark in Tangier, have your passport open to the page that was stamped, as they will check to make sure of that. On the return trip, you will have your passport stamped again, pass through security, and once again, as you take the ramp to the ferry, have your passport ready so they can confirm you have the correct stamps. When you disembark at Tarifa again, head to the left, and pass through passport control one final time. Pay your parking ticket at the hut by the gated entrance, and then get in your car and leave.
On tour guides: we had a wonderful tour with Said's tour company, but we were extremely detailed in what we wanted from it, and what we didn't.
On Tangier: Lovely experience. The locals were quite friendly and patient with tourists. The architecture is amazing. We have traveled extensively, including some sketchy areas, and we felt completely safe. Our guide definitely buffered us from some hawking simply by his presence. Overall, if you can spare a day in Spain, this is a highly recommended day trip.
Posted by
Tucson, Arizona
502 posts
Thanks for the information!
Posted by
Hendersonville, NC
112 posts
Thank you so much for this update! We will be in Spain around Christmas and have gone back and forth about Tangier but our teen boys really want to go and we think it would be cool as well.
We definitely do not want a rug! What is not to miss there? I'd love a trip report on what you saw, and what not to miss.
Thanks
Posted by
OP
4 posts
The highlights for us were the Medina, including an old synagogue, and the Kasbah. The majority of our time was spent walking in those areas, which was excellent, and perfect for photography. In the Medina, the market area was fascinating, and incredibly clean. We've been to a lot of markets around the world, and this one was astoundingly fresh and un-stinky (except the fish market, which was probably less fresh due to the day we visited). We were there on a Friday, and some things were closed (no fresh fish catch, for one), as that is the holy day, and we saw a lot of activity around the mosques. We visited the hotel room that Henri Matisse used as his vantage point for some of his paintings; which was moderately interesting, but not a must-see for us. In the Medina, we also visited the American Legation, which is interesting conceptually, but dry, and we moved on quickly from it (a definite advantage to a private tour). We were driven through the neighborhood of the palace and the rich & famous, which we could have skipped, but it was on the way to a coastal overlook of the point where the Atlantic and Mediterannean waters mix. On a clear day, that could be quite nice, but it was too hazy to see a lot when we visited. We also had a camel ride overlooking the Atlantic, which we could have skipped (if you've never ridden one, it's worth the experience) though our group of camels included two very young ones, which made it worth our while. Finally, we visited the cave of Hercules, which we'd also skip in retrospect, but others may find it interesting. That order of events is somewhat reversed from the normal Said tour, due to it being Friday. We stopped for lunch at a high point in the Kasbah, which was a welcome rest after a lot of walking, and a good meal with a great view, though two of the three of us did have some gastric backlash the next day (apparently this is extremely common for Morocco, and I don't want to sugarcoat it, but it was worth it, and I would do it again. We always travel with Imodium anyway--'nuff said). I believe there was also a snake charmer on the sample itinerary, which was one of the first things we nixed when negotiating a more customized itinerary in advance.
Posted by
Hendersonville, NC
112 posts
Oh thank you so much for the great details! Will we are traveling with 2 teen boys who might like the cobras or camels, if nothing more than for the photo op. I love to take pictures so the Medina sounds perfect. I've been searching everywhere for information on a day trip but only seem to get people saying...don't go! LOL. So I really appreciate the advice.
Posted by
OP
4 posts
Absolutely! A day trip is often a different experience than staying longer, but I still think it's a nice taste. Just be sure to communicate exactly what you do & don't want from the tour. I hope and your family you love it as much as we did!
Posted by
1 posts
We are also booked with Said Tours and expect a great day. We are also thinking of renting a car to drive down from Seville, staying overnight in Tangiers and then heading to Granada once we get back to Spain on the ferry.
How was your experience renting a car? Is there a particular company that has worked well?
Thanks !
Posted by
OP
4 posts
We picked up a car in Granada, from Avis, at the airport. Despite mixed reviews, we had absolutely no issues. We drove it through Spain and into Portugal, dropping it in Lisbon. I thought the driving in Spain was very easy--the Spanish are very considerate drivers. I think it would be wonderful to stay overnight in Tangiers--you will get to see the city after all the day trippers leave, and I'd love to hear about your experience. We were pretty ambitious in making it a day trip from Sevilla, though it was the one night when we started dinner at a more Spanish hour (23:30). I don't know if you (or your designated driver) are comfortable with a manual transmission, but that's most likely what you will get (even possibly if you specify an automatic).
Posted by
3444 posts
Thanks for this report. I'm obsessed with Spain right now - after our wonderful trip to Madrid/Seville/Barcelona.
I will definitely consider a trip to Tangier.