A day trip from Marbella to Tangier in Morocco is a great way to experience the culture and history of this beautiful country. When spending your holiday on the Costa del Sol, it’s worth taking a day and heading to the African continent.
The city of Tangier is located on the Moroccan coast, at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean near Cape Spartel.
Many civilisations and cultures have influenced the history of Tangier, starting in the 10th century BC. Beginning as a strategic Berber city and later becoming a Phoenician trading centre, Tangier was a link between many cultures. In 1923, it served as an international zone – governed by European powers – and became a destination for many European and American diplomats, spies, bohemians, writers and businessmen. This status changed with Morocco’s independence in 1956.
What to visit in Tangier?
It’s a wonderful city – full of history and culture, with many sights and tourist attractions. Here are some suggestions of attractions of places to see in Tangier:
- Grand Socco/Petit Socco: a place widely considered to be the heart of Tangier, where we will buy everything our heart desires – regional products, souvenirs, handicrafts, textiles and much more. In addition, the streets of the market are filled with numerous restaurants and cafes where we will spend time enjoying the rays of the African sun.
- Kasbah: a historic part of Tangier with beautiful palaces and mosques that offer great views of the city. Worth seeing are the Palais de Mendoub, the Palais des Institutions Italiennes or the Bou Inania Mosque.
- Medina: one of Tangier’s most important and recognisable attractions. It is a veritable maze of streets lined with souvenir shops, handicrafts and food. Here you will get a great feel for the historical character of the city, steeped in the many cultures whose representatives have inhabited the city over the centuries.
- Cimetière des Chrétiens: a cemetery containing the graves of European colonisers, Tangier residents and representatives of different faiths. It is an interesting place to visit for those interested in the history of the city.
How to get to Morocco from Marbella?
There are several ways to get from Marbella to Morocco, depending on your preferences and needs. Explore some examples of the journey:
- By car: this is the easiest way, which however requires some time. You can drive through Tarifa, take the car ferry and cross the border at Tangier. The route from Marbella to Tarifa takes about 2 hours. We recommend leaving your car in the car park at the port of Tangier and hiring a taxi for the day in Africa.
- By ferry: this is a popular way to get from Marbella to Morocco. Fast ferries depart from the port of Tarifa and run to Tangier Ville. The ferry crossing takes around 60 minutes.
- By coach: this is another way to make this trip. Coaches run from Marbella to Tarifa, and then the carrier transports passengers across the border to Morocco.
- By flight: this is also a popular way to get from Marbella to Morocco. However, to use this mode of transport, you need to travel from Marbella to Malaga, where there is an international airport, and then fly to Tangier.
Ideal starting point
If you don’t fancy a trip to the neighbouring continent, an interesting alternative would be a trip to Gibraltar, which we have written more about here. Marbella, centrally located on the Costa del Sol, is an excellent base for visiting the most important sites and monuments of Andalusia.
If you like to travel by car during your holiday, you will be able to reach some of Spain’s most beautiful cities – Seville, Granada – in just 1-2 hours from Marbella, or visit the world’s largest olive groves located in the Jaen region, or take a trip through the southern part of Spain – the Pueblos Blancos route.
