Tangier from Tarifa, Spain

[jazzybee]

Taking a couple of days out in the new year to drive around Andalucia - I am thinking of stopping in Tarifa and taking the ferry to Tangier for lunch, and a walk round a food market or two. Any recommendations for Tangier in particular but also Seville or Cadiz ? And yes, the plan does include having a look at the Jerez track. Thanks.

[vandweller]

It may prove to be an expensive lunch--we did the crossing on the 'Fast-Craft' in April and from
memory it was circa 100E for 2 return.

We overnighted in an excellent B and B before catching the early train to Marrakesh.

I can let you have details if you decide to stay over.

[Huntsman]

Hi - we did a day trip from Tarifa to Tangier about 5 years ago, can't remember the cost, we agreed to pay one of the guys in the ferry port to guide us round the town, well worth it and a good fun day out.

[GoneAnon]

We also did the day-trip thing on a Marriott excursion. Kind of expensive for what it was, and the sea crossing was extremely rough - happily it was only about an hour or so. The coffee machine was torn loose soon after departure on the way out, the return was much-delayed, and there was lots of sea-sickness all around us (we were OK, though!)

[jazzybee]

Thanks for the replies. FRS is showing the trip being an hour, which should get us in Tangier for 9am. Plan to just spend some time looking around the markets, grab some lunch, and take a 2pm ferry back. Cost is coming to €107 return for the two of us. Looking for recommendations for markets (food & cooking related stuff), and a good spot for lunch - if possible.

[Amateurish]

Hi, we did an overnight in Marrakesh travelling from Tarifa. We did sightseeing by ourselves, looking round the Medina. But we got so much hassle I think maybe a guide would have been worth it, just to make the experience more relaxing.

[jazzybee]

Amateurish said:

Hi, we did an overnight in Marrakesh travelling from Tarifa. We did sightseeing by ourselves, looking round the Medina. But we got so much hassle I think maybe a guide would have been worth it, just to make the experience more relaxing.

[bennyboydurham]

Did it in September. Ferry is very quick but as pointed out it ain't a cheap day out. You'll get hassled a lot getting off the ferry - head into the town and call in to the Hotel El Minzah and have a cup of sweet Moroccan tea on the terrace overlooking the sea, all very refined. Then have a wander round the souks, climbing up the hill to the Hotel Nord Pinus Tangier for a traditional Arabic lunch. The owner is a lovely French lady and the food is authentic and tasty. At the highest point in the Medina, the hotel is an old merchant's house and the dining room has amazing views both out to sea and across Tangier. Wander back through the souk. Job done.
You will be hassled. A lot. Tangier is ib parts dirty, smelly and a bit of a culture shock only an hour across the Straits from W Europe so be prepared. A sense if humour is a must. The only big negative thing for us was the ridiculous queue for passport control coming back out. It took us the best part of two hours to get through, which was boring, hot and tiring. Then the bloody Spaniards, instead of quickly waving all the EU passport holders through one desk and then the Africans with their reams of paperwork through the other, devoted both desks to anyone who got their first. Lets just say in that race it was Africa 1 - Europe 0.

[jazzybee]

bennyboydurham said:

Did it in September. Ferry is very quick but as pointed out it ain't a cheap day out. You'll get hassled a lot getting off the ferry - head into the town and call in to the Hotel El Minzah and have a cup of sweet Moroccan tea on the terrace overlooking the sea, all very refined. Then have a wander round the souks, climbing up the hill to the Hotel Nord Pinus Tangier for a traditional Arabic lunch. The owner is a lovely French lady and the food is authentic and tasty. At the highest point in the Medina, the hotel is an old merchant's house and the dining room has amazing views both out to sea and across Tangier. Wander back through the souk. Job done.
You will be hassled. A lot. Tangier is ib parts dirty, smelly and a bit of a culture shock only an hour across the Straits from W Europe so be prepared. A sense if humour is a must. The only big negative thing for us was the ridiculous queue for passport control coming back out. It took us the best part of two hours to get through, which was boring, hot and tiring. Then the bloody Spaniards, instead of quickly waving all the EU passport holders through one desk and then the Africans with their reams of paperwork through the other, devoted both desks to anyone who got their first. Lets just say in that race it was Africa 1 - Europe 0.

Perfect. Thanks for the response. Exactly the sort of info I was looking for.

[S7Paul]

We did a day trip a few years ago, and had the passport problem going to Tangier. Quite a few people spent the whole crossing standing in the queue for the onboard customs officers.

We went on one of the guided tours, which was well worth it as the guide knew all the little alleyways through the town & markets. It also included lunch at a reasonable restaurant.

You WILL get hassled, a lot! However, on the upside, you can get a genuine Rolex for 10 Euros (well, he said it was genuine).

Overall, definitely worthwhile if only for the culture shock - you wouldn't think it was just a short ferry ride from Europe.

[Targarama]

We did a day trip on this route too. Drove to Tarifa and left the car there. Me sure you get your passport stamped while you're on the ferry to Tangiers. Otherwise you'll have to wait ages while they cash up in Tangiers to get a stamp. Hawkers and chancers everywhere, but then it is Africa. I suggest you just wonder around, the town isn't very big. Watch out for your possessions.

[clarkey328is]

Arcos de la Frontera is well worth a visit if you're around Jerez way, as is Jerez itself.

[bennyboydurham]

Also I'll add that we had no problems getting in as there was pretty much only us on the boat and we were done with passport stuff in a few moments.

Also make sure you get a photo at the Gran Cafe De Paris, where Nicky Parsons famously waited for Jason Bourne in The Bourne Supremacy and at the same location Tim Dalton bumped into a pedestrian in his Audi 200 (watch it on youtube!) in The Living Daylights.