Casablanca or Tangier?
 

i've always wanted to visit Casablanca, but from what i've read there really isn't much there to see. at least not enough to make it worth spending a day/night there and flying in and out.

the other option is to take the 40 minute ferry from Tarifa, Spain to Tangier, spend the day and take the ferry back (day trip).

which is likely to give me the better Moroccan experience (and secondarily, value for money spent), Casablanca or Tangier?

Casablanca was a waste of a visit. Kinda liked their littoral mosque, but beyond that, it was a sad place.

Tangier, though I had an unpleasant experience, at least has a rich history, both as the home of Ibn Battouta, and many 20th century writers.

Tangier. Just make sure you're going to the Tangier Ville port and not Tangier Med, which is a good way out of town.

Highly recommend visiting the museum at the Tangier American Legation Institute for Moroccan Studies. That name is a mouthful, but in a nutshell, Morocco was the first country to recognize the United States after we gained independence, and a Legation is similar to a consulate. The Tangier Legation -- which is still owned by the US State Department, but no longer a consular office -- is the only US-owned property on the National Register of Historic Places located outside the United States. It's also the first diplomatic property the US acquired. There's a beautiful collection of Moroccan art and some fascinating artifacts from American history, like a letter expressing condolences on Lincoln's assassination, and a very funny letter about a couple of lions given to the US ambassador.

Beyond that, (re)watch Casablanca before you go -- Rick's Cafe was actually inspired by Tangier's Hotel El Minzah and during the time of WWII Tangier really was the city populated by an odd international assortment of spies, artists, royalty, people escaping the rest of the world, etc. (Tangier was the first outpost of the OSS -- the CIA's predecessor -- if that tells you anything.)

Tangier to Morocco is like Tijuana to Mexico, except safer :) You'll get a cool experience with a moroccan flavor, but it won't be 100% true moroccan :).

Casablanca doesn't have many tourist attractions - but Rabat/Salé have things to see and are only 2-3 hours away by train.

Not interesting to stay in Casa, not much to do there imo. Rabat, Tangiers much better

Chefchaouen, if you want to stay in the North, would be a more enjoyable day trip.

Chris

thanks all