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 MYTHICAL TANGIER
A UNIVERSAL CITY WITH A THOUSAND FACES
Less than fifteen kilometers from the Spanish coasts which you could almost touch with your fingers on very clear days, situated on the Gibraltar straight where Atlantic and Mediterranean waters mix, Tangier still palpitates with one thousand mysteries that create its myth.
Door to Africa, high place of mythology, passage between Orient and Occident, summer capital of cherifian sultans, summer and congress town, duty free industrial zone, off-shore financial place, international and embassies town, corsair and rebellious city… The multiple faces of Tangier have made poets and smugglers, conquerors and beatniks, eccentric millionaires and beautiful people dream for centuries.
A MOSAIC OF CIVILIZATIONS WHERE ALL KIND OF RICHES ARE EXCHANGED
Laying on the Rif mountains, open to the straight and swept by the Chergui, Eastern purifying wind, the city has always been hosting and universal. It has been Berber, Roman, and Byzantine, conquered by Vandals and then by Arabs, Moroccan, Portuguese, Spaniard, Portuguese again, English, Moroccan once more before it became international from 1923 until its Independence in 1960. Tangier is a mosaic of civilizations, ethnic groups and religions, where all kind of riches and values are exchanged.
Remaining the same, without losing its soul, it has acquired a rare spirit of openness to the thoughts and trends coming from all over the world, as well as strength without complexes regarding History and Geography.
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A short history
Morocco has been influenced by several civilizations since Antiquity. Each has marked the land with an indelible imprint. This has produced an incomparable historical heritage.
Inhabited for more than 300,000 years, Morocco is a meeting place for civilizations which are open to others, with their own strong identity.
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The climate and the seasons
Beaches or mountains: it is important to know what temperatures and weather conditions to expect at different times of the year.
Visiting in spring
Morocco offers the guaranty of excellent quality sunshine for most of the year. The spring is particularly warm and pleasant. In spring temperatures are around 23-26 °C in Agadir and Marrakech. The trees are in bloom and the mountain peaks still have snow on them… making for fantastic photos.
Visiting in summer
The hot summer temperatures are kept in check on the coast by the sea breeze. On the far side of the upper Atlas mountains, the south of the country experiences high temperatures (38 °C on average). Take advantage of the cool and the exquisite climate of the mountains in summer. For example, as in the Ifrane valley (at 1 650m altitude) with its pastures, woodlands and waterfalls. In Morocco, a suitable climate is never far away, no matter the season!
Visit in winter
The Atlantic and Mediterranean climate provides mild temperatures all year round on the coasts. On the uplands, winter is cold and damp. That is why you can go skiing in the mid-range Atlas mountains which are covered in snow, at the same time that others are swimming in Agadir!
Visit in fall/autumn
This is the season for rest: nights are longer and temperatures fall inland. The winter rains have not yet arrived and it is still pleasant to swim in the sea.
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Landscape and geography
The variety of Moroccan landscapes is incredible. You move from summits to plains, from the greenest vegetation to the most complete aridity.
Morocco enjoys an infinite variety of landscapes and regions. Mountains, coasts, desert, every place has its own charms and a unique natural richness.
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Types of accommodation
There is an overwhelming variety of accommodation to choose from. Whether five-star camping, self-catered accommodation or a riad, there is one thing you can be sure of: the quality of the welcome.
Hotels and riads
In the country's major cities, the top names among Western hotel chains have been established for a long time. And numerous establishments across all categories offer a great range of choices. Comfort and quality of welcome can be expected at any of them. Not to mention the riads, the traditional houses around a courtyard which have been refurbished as hotels, where you can rediscover the best of Moroccan art of living. In this land of traditions, hospitality remains a key value.
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Getting around
Morocco is well served by airline companies and has numerous airports. By boat is one solution, which is slower but more romantic.
Proximity and speed
In just a few hours, you are at the foot of the High Atlas mountains or at the seaside. Casablanca is only one hour's flight from Madrid, three hours from Milan and Paris and three hours 20 minutes from London. Marrakech is hardly any further: two hours from Madrid, three hours from Paris, four hours 45 minutes from London.
Come by plane
There are 15 airports so you can land as close as possible to your final destination: Agadir, Al Hoceima, Casablanca, Dakhla, Essaouira, Errachidia, Fez, Laâyoune, Marrakech, Nador, Ouarzazate, Oujda, Rabat-Salé, Tangier and Tétouan. Royal Air Maroc and European airlines run regular services and there are many charter flights for easy access to tourist destinations.
Travel by boat
The shortest journeys of course leave from Spain, run by Transmediterranea which provides daily links between Algesiras-Ceuta in 35 minutes and Algesiras-Tangier in two hours 30 minutes. Malaga has a link to the enclave of Melilla (8hrs) and Almería (10hrs). Two other operators, Euro Ferrys and FRS offer similar routes.
Cruise atmosphere
The Compagnie Marocaine de Navigation (Comanav) represented in France by the SNCM, links Sète to Tangier in 36 hours et Gênes to Tangier in 48 hours.
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Language and key vocabulary
Arabic is the language used in Morocco, but you will also be understood in French and Spanish in many places.
Foreign languages
Geographical proximity and history make Spanish and French languages known by many Moroccans. In Tangier, Tétouan and Chefchaouen, the language of Cervantès is widely spoken. Meanwhile French is the country's first foreign language and is spoken throughout the country.
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Moroccan cuisine
Like the country, it is rich in flavors, aromas and colors. Its scents and sweet-and-sour combinations are famous around the world.
A Moroccan meal is an experience which requires all the senses. The friendly atmosphere is complemented by the scents of saffron, cumin and coriander. And every region will reveal to you its specialties, traditions and its welcome.
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Rich traditions and culture
Morocco is an Islamic land where tolerance and respect for other spiritual and cultural communities are the basis for an identity which is open to difference.
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A modern society
Morocco is most certainly focused on the future. Institutions, the role of women, social politics – no area is free from the wind of change.
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A country focused on the future
In Morocco, sustainable development is a national objective supported by His Majesty King Mohammed VI. This has one absolute imperative – putting man at the center of progress.
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