Africa - Forget Marrakech...Tangier's now Morocco's hot spot

....so says Conde Nast Traveler (http://www.cntraveler.com/shopping-style/2012/05/tangier-morocco-fashion-style-photos-ralph-lauren-calvin-klein?mbid=nl_daily_traveler#slide=1).

I know I'm one of the few on FT who recommends Tangier, so wanted to share this article. For those of you who made a cruise ship stop in Tangier & got turned off by the tireless touts, know that Tangier's really cracked down on that stuff in an effort to improve its image...and it's worked. From what I understand, tour guides face fines for pestering tourists, and when we were in Tangier for ~5 days last spring, not a single person asked us if we needed a guide or tried to steer us to his friend's restaurant or his uncle's rug store or his brother's spice shop. It was a refreshing change.

I love Tangier!

Any experience booking award flts from the US to Morocco? Ideally starting from SFO but any advice would be appreciated. We're planning a trip in 2013 and wondering which airlines we should start accumulating miles for an award flt.

I tried Delta: SFO-RBA but not seeing any available flts on the delta.com web site.

thanks!

If you want to fly into Rabat, there aren't many options (AF, Royal Air Maroc and a few seasonal services).

It would be easier to use Casablanca or Marrakech as an entry point.

Your best bets are with a SkyAlliance airline (Delta, which allows you to connect in Paris for an Air France flight to Morocco) or OneWorld (American, which allows you to connect in Madrid for an Iberia flight to Morocco).

As BA304 mentioned, Casablanca is one of the main international hubs. (I haven't Marrakech flights recently, so I'll take his/her word for it that Marrakech is also seeing a lot of international flights.) If you're willing to transfer to a low-cost carrier in Europe--which may require a lot more coordination, including changing airports--you will have more choices of arrival cities in Morocco.

The train from Casablanca to Rabat is only about an hour.

I just returned from a 14 day roundtrip through Morocco. The intinary was:

Rabat
Fes
Merzouga (Erg-Chabbi)
Ait Ben Haddou
Imlil (Atlas Mountain Region below Toubkal Mountain)
Marrakech
El Jadida
Casablanca

My favorite was Fes. Definitely the most original medina in Morocco. Not like Marrakech which is very touristy. Still for a first visit to Morocco Marrakech is okay but if you want to see the real Morocco you need to go to Fes.

All in all Morocco is a great country with so many different landscapes to visit.

What did you think of the Imlil region? I've spent quite a bit of time hiking around the area.

What did you think of the Imlil region? I've spent quite a bit of time hiking around the area.

A realy great area. I really enjoyed the place.

Another flight option if you wanted to get to Tangier would be flying into Gibraltar (and going to the top of the Rock) then hopping on the fast ferry to Tangier, I think it was around 3 hours when I did it back in 2000.

Another flight option if you wanted to get to Tangier would be flying into Gibraltar (and going to the top of the Rock) then hopping on the fast ferry to Tangier, I think it was around 3 hours when I did it back in 2000.

I don't think there's a Gibraltar to Tangier ferry any more. I think ferries now run to the recently opened Tangier Med port, which is about 40 km from the city of Tangier.

Been driving all over Morocco and Tangiers is the only city that is serving Alcohol freely during Ramadan. Just an FYI.

Casablanca - Meh, it's a metropolitan city. We stayed at the Hyatt Regency.

Marrakech - More "cultural" than Casablanca and more authentic. Stayed at the Le Meridien.

Fez - Tourist Trap capital.

Tangiers - Sorta like Miami Beach lite....

I'm looking at flight options from BOS to RAK for Christmas, but everything seems to involve multiple stops with horrible long layovers. If there is an IRROPS due to winter weather the entire trip would collapse.
Not sure what to do.

I'm looking at flight options from BOS to RAK for Christmas, but everything seems to involve multiple stops with horrible long layovers. If there is an IRROPS due to winter weather the entire trip would collapse.
Not sure what to do.

You could do one stop with BA but you would have to change from LHR to LGW (which isn't the end of the world).

I was just in Tangiers earlier this month (Morocco Road trip) and it's definitely a great town. With plenty of bars and clubs, all along the beach. I would recommend Hotel Continental, it's less than 5 minutes walk from the beach/bars/clubs and for what you get, it's a bargain. Just make sure to ask for an a/c room.

Wow, Miami Beach lite doesn't come close to describing the Tangier I know. It's more like Dar Es Salaam. I don't know the whole town, but driving from the ferry terminal to the Rabat highway is not that pretty at all. An Ibis was the only clean hotel I could find when the ferry was shut down due to slightly rough seas. This was a few years ago. Are there any better hotels now?

As for flights, I would recommend flying to Paris and relax for a day or two, then fly down on AT. AT is an excellent airline and way better than AF or any other Euro airline either in economy or business.

As for flights, I would recommend flying to Paris and relax for a day or two, then fly down on AT. AT is an excellent airline and way better than AF or any other Euro airline either in economy or business.

AT?

AT = Royal Air Maroc like DL = Delta or AF = Air France.

Hmm, although it was a few years ago, I was followed in and out of hotels/shops for an hour trying to rid myself of a tout. I'd rather deal with the fluff in Marrakech than Tangier again any day, but would only return to the latter if there are completely different foods to try there than in the rest of the country. Oh wait, I'd have to pay my respects to something Ibn Batouta-related as well...

Hmm, although it was a few years ago, I was followed in and out of hotels/shops for an hour trying to rid myself of a tout. I'd rather deal with the fluff in Marrakech than Tangier again any day, but would only return to the latter if there are completely different foods to try there than in the rest of the country. Oh wait, I'd have to pay my respects to something Ibn Batouta-related as well...

Tangier has passed laws in recent years that really crack down on the touts. When I was there for 5 days in the spring of 2011 my mother & I walked all over the place & were never approached/received unwelcome attention from touts. I think it's gone a long way in fixing the negative impression that many visitors used to have.

Tangier has passed laws in recent years that really crack down on the touts. When I was there for 5 days in the spring of 2011 my mother & I walked all over the place & were never approached/received unwelcome attention from touts. I think it's gone a long way in fixing the negative impression that many visitors used to have.

Besides those that want to say they've been to Africa by taking a short boat trip, I don't see the point in going to Tangier for a suq or other specifically Moroccan sights. Why not just go to another city (ie, Marrakech) where you're more likely to get bothered by another tourist than a tout? Also, if the Mediterranean is Tangier's selling point, that doesn't make it something "Moroccan." Now, if you said Tangier has a vastly different cuisine and a unique attraction, then I might be down...what did you enjoy about it, chgoeditor?

Besides those that want to say they've been to Africa by taking a short boat trip, I don't see the point in going to Tangier for a suq or other specifically Moroccan sights. Why not just go to another city (ie, Marrakech) where you're more likely to get bothered by another tourist than a tout? Also, if the Mediterranean is Tangier's selling point, that doesn't make it something "Moroccan." Now, if you said Tangier has a vastly different cuisine and a unique attraction, then I might be down...what did you enjoy about it, chgoeditor?

My Mom grew up in Morocco, so it's difficult for me to view Tangier strictly through the lens of a tourist. I've been twice now with my Mom, so I've had the chance to see the stories of her childhood come to life. We've visited the houses she called home, the school my grandfather helped found, the beaches where they spent the weekend, the site where my grandfather worked, even the grocery store and patisseries her family frequented as a child. On our last trip, we spent hours pouring through newspaper archives from the 1940s and 50s.

Now, what makes Tangier unique? Are you aware of Tangier's historic & cultural relationship with the US?

The American Legation (now the Tangier American Legation Institute for American Studies) was the first piece of property the US government owned outside of our own borders. (It's still a State Department-owned property and the first property (and only, I think) outside of the US that's on the US National Register of Historic Places as well as a National Historic Landmark. If you take time to tour the Legation, you'd see letters & other artifacts that date back to the founding of our country, as well as some beautiful artifacts. I don't know about you, but in my history classes growing up (in the US, as well as American schools in Saudi Arabia and England), I never learned about the US's relationship with Morocco. I learned something about it at the Legation.

Tangier has always been a city that, in a sense, attracts outcasts & people who are looking to escape. As a result, it's as a notable role in the biographies of many artists and other people of note. Paul Bowles, Jane Bowles, Malcolm Forbes, Tennessee Williams, William S. Boroughs, Jack Kerouac, Eugene Delacroix, Henri Matisse, The Rollings Stones, Barbara Hutton and more. I think some of its charm is getting off of the beaten path, sitting at a cafe & chatting with locals.

I am not a student of military history, but I do know enough to know that by virtue of its location, Tangier played a pivotal role in world events, including World War II and the Cold War. (Both the OSS and CIA have had a presence there.)

One thing to make sure you understand: You mention the idea of something or some place being "Moroccan." One of the things I find so fascinating about Morocco is the conflux of cultures--African, European, Arab. Tangier is different from Marrakech precisely because of its location. Over the centuries, it's been under Roman rule, Arab rule, Portuguese, British, Spanish... Heck, even in the last century it's been under British, French & Spanish rule. Maybe I'm reading too much into your comment, but you seem to imply that because the Mediterranean influence that makes it un-Moroccan. But I'd argue that it is a uniquely Moroccan city precisely because of the many influences.

So what are some of the sights you should see? I'd include the Legation, the medina, St. Andrews Church, the Grand Socco and the Grotto of Hercules, among other things. The corniche comes alive at night--particularly during warm weather--with families out for a stroll. Drive out to one of the cafes at Cap Spartel. Sit on one of the many restaurant terraces and watch the ship traffic--on a clear day you can see Spain and Gibraltar. (How many spots in the world have you visited where you can see other countries and another continent?) I haven't been to the Sultan's Palace (now a museum) or Mendoub Palace (Forbes' home, also a museum), but I've heard good things about both.

My Mom grew up in Morocco, so it's difficult for me to view Tangier strictly through the lens of a tourist. I've been twice now with my Mom, so I've had the chance to see the stories of her childhood come to life. We've visited the houses she called home, the school my grandfather helped found, the beaches where they spent the weekend, the site where my grandfather worked, even the grocery store and patisseries her family frequented as a child. On our last trip, we spent hours pouring through newspaper archives from the 1940s and 50s.

Now, what makes Tangier unique? Are you aware of Tangier's historic & cultural relationship with the US?

The American Legation (now the Tangier American Legation Institute for American Studies) was the first piece of property the US government owned outside of our own borders. (It's still a State Department-owned property and the first property (and only, I think) outside of the US that's on the US National Register of Historic Places as well as a National Historic Landmark. If you take time to tour the Legation, you'd see letters & other artifacts that date back to the founding of our country, as well as some beautiful artifacts. I don't know about you, but in my history classes growing up (in the US, as well as American schools in Saudi Arabia and England), I never learned about the US's relationship with Morocco. I learned something about it at the Legation.

Tangier has always been a city that, in a sense, attracts outcasts & people who are looking to escape. As a result, it's as a notable role in the biographies of many artists and other people of note. Paul Bowles, Jane Bowles, Malcolm Forbes, Tennessee Williams, William S. Boroughs, Jack Kerouac, Eugene Delacroix, Henri Matisse, The Rollings Stones, Barbara Hutton and more. I think some of its charm is getting off of the beaten path, sitting at a cafe & chatting with locals.

I am not a student of military history, but I do know enough to know that by virtue of its location, Tangier played a pivotal role in world events, including World War II and the Cold War. (Both the OSS and CIA have had a presence there.)

One thing to make sure you understand: You mention the idea of something or some place being "Moroccan." One of the things I find so fascinating about Morocco is the conflux of cultures--African, European, Arab. Tangier is different from Marrakech precisely because of its location. Over the centuries, it's been under Roman rule, Arab rule, Portuguese, British, Spanish... Heck, even in the last century it's been under British, French & Spanish rule. Maybe I'm reading too much into your comment, but you seem to imply that because the Mediterranean influence that makes it un-Moroccan. But I'd argue that it is a uniquely Moroccan city precisely because of the many influences.

So what are some of the sights you should see? I'd include the Legation, the medina, St. Andrews Church, the Grand Socco and the Grotto of Hercules, among other things. The corniche comes alive at night--particularly during warm weather--with families out for a stroll. Drive out to one of the cafes at Cap Spartel. Sit on one of the many restaurant terraces and watch the ship traffic--on a clear day you can see Spain and Gibraltar. (How many spots in the world have you visited where you can see other countries and another continent?) I haven't been to the Sultan's Palace (now a museum) or Mendoub Palace (Forbes' home, also a museum), but I've heard good things about both.

I did know that Morocco is the first country to have diplomatic relations with the US, but when would that ever be a reason for me to visit anywhere? You commented a lot about the ties between Morocco and the US (the latter of which where we are both from) but what you specifically wrote has zero weight in my book. Which is to say, plenty of FTers might want to/or already know about the background, so it can benefit those members. But how would seeing where Tennessee Williams took a few naps make me interested in visiting Morocco/Tangiers? Of course, that's not how you were writing about it, but it's regardless, it's not a selling point.

Also, I was aware of the numerous influences, but there are plenty of other sites dotting the Mediterranean not also filled with touts that also were ruled by various civilizations through time. I never wanted to imply that it was un-Moroccan, rather because of the factors you listed I'd rather see more of an inland city, as opposed to French or British-designed buildings that also appear in Tianjin, Shanghai or well, Europe. Nothing against what you were discussing, just bad memories of Tangiers and a seamless time in Marrakech/Casablanca (the latter of which was devoid of anything interesting beyond the attractive masjid on the Atlantic, IMO) make me wonder why going to see just another suq or cathedral should make Tangiers the place to do it. But, if there is a growing amount of Ibn Batouta-related attractions...

Any experience booking award flts from the US to Morocco? Ideally starting from SFO but any advice would be appreciated. We're planning a trip in 2013 and wondering which airlines we should start accumulating miles for an award flt.

I tried Delta: SFO-RBA but not seeing any available flts on the delta.com web site.

thanks!

If you're still looking .... I (with the help of Scott at Mile Value Award Booking Service) just booked award flights from Boston to Marrakech via Munich and Lisbon. 3 flights, leave Boston 8:25 PM, arrive Marrakech 3:15 PM the next day. Used United Miles; flights are on Lufthansa and TAP. I'm happy! It was so painful and unproductive to try finding anything by myself.

If you're still looking .... I (with the help of Scott at Mile Value Award Booking Service) just booked award flights from Boston to Marrakech via Munich and Lisbon. 3 flights, leave Boston 8:25 PM, arrive Marrakech 3:15 PM the next day. Used United Miles; flights are on Lufthansa and TAP. I'm happy! It was so painful and unproductive to try finding anything by myself.

Another option would be BOS-ZRH-RAK.