Has anyone had an experience recently with the day trips into Tangier from Tarifa? Did you take the VIP tour, group tour, or visit on your own. What are your recommendations?
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
4555 posts
We've done a group tour and gone on our own, using Rick's tour listed in his Spain book. We preferred the self-guided tour because it allowed us to go off the planned route whenever we wanted to, without getting too confused...old Tangiers is a tangle of narrow streets, seemingly without any order to them! And it meant we weren't subjected to the hour-long display of carpets we got on the organized tour! Just remember Rick's point about getting your passport stamped on the ferry if you're going it on your own. And remember that Tangiers is TWO hours BEHIND Spanish time during the summer months, so watch the time for your return ferry trip. You can book your crossing at http://www.frs.es, a good idea, since this is a VERY popular run and sells out.
Posted by
OP
San Clemente, CA, USA
6 posts
Thank you for the recommendation. Did you experience problems with people constantly trying to barter or guide you as Rick references several places?
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
4555 posts
We ALWAYS have people in the market areas trying to "encourage" us to look at their wares. But we found a smile and a firm "No" usually took care of them. That was one "benefit" of the tour. Since the guide got a kickback at the places he took us, he made sure none of the other vendors came close to us! But when we return, we'll likely go on our own again.