Originally Posted by
TominLazybrook
I did the Algeciras ferry a while back. Unless things have changed, I'd be prepared for the following:
1) Long lines at the ferry, especially in Spain
2) Touts, touts, and touts in Tangier. No idea if they cleaned it up, but think India on steriods. They hover around and will follow you for blocks. The way I get them to go away was to enter a tourist shop, and say (Spanish will do just fine - when greeted by the clerk/owner - 'No one brought me here, please do not pay anyone a commission". The touts will grimace and then vanish. And then you're good....for about 3 blocks.
3) I found the ferry ride and the awesome views of Gibraltar and the Strait much more enjoyable than Tangier to be honest. Perhaps I was just in a "I'm not having it mood about the touts - Grumpy travel day"
However, the medina is kind of neat, it is Africa, it feels like the Middle East, and its close enough to Spain.
The touts are truly annoying. You can say "no" dozens of times but they stick to you. I finally walked into a random restaurant and the tout pestering me said, "The food there is terrible." I said something like, "Terrific, that means you'll leave me alone here," knowing it meant he got no commission.
Actually the food was good, and it was nice to be in peace for a while. But not long after I left the restaurant another one tried to attach himself to me.
Though I hate to say it, I'd recommend one of the day tours instead from the Costa del Sol. They are reasonably priced, tout free, the logistics are handled, and you don't have to buy anything at the shops they take you to if you don't want to. You don't get much free time, but the compensation is the touts look for other people.