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If you look at the sea, you can see a line where the blue changes color. It is the point where the Mediterranean and the Atlantic meet. From Cape Spartel and its emblematic lighthouse that embrace is clear and close; Even more so if you climb to the top of the tower. This construction located 15 kilometers from the center of Tangier summarizes the spirit of this city in the north of Morocco that begins to shine away from the shadow of Marrakech. Artists such as Delacroix, Mariano Fortuny or Matisse ("Paradise exists", he said about it) and writers such as Paul Bowles -he landed with his wife Jane for a week and stayed 50 years-, William Burroughs and Truman Capote, among others, discovered it many years ago. The Rolling Stones also fell in love with the charms of this tolerant city, with its own personality and a certain bohemian air that is claimed as a tourist destination. Just an hour flight -direct from Madrid- or a couple sailing to live 48 hours in another world.

The magnetism of Tanja (her name in Arabic) is perceived as you set foot in its airport, which bears, by the way, the name of the best known of the great Muslim travelers, Ibn Battuta. The contrasts, the smells, the warm light, the colors and a certain chaos paint a city that, they say, never sleeps and boasts of being the most cosmopolitan in Morocco. One of its main attractions is in the medina and the kasbah, an old walled fortification with defensive functions that has now become a lively neighborhood with narrow streets where palatial buildings, charming restaurants, colorful stairs, carpet and slipper shops, cafes, bougainvillea, workshops ...

Walk through the city center.

It is best to wander and browse aimlessly. Recommended stop at the Kasbah Museum to contextualize the interesting history -and the successive occupations- of this strategic city that in 1923 was granted the status of International Zone. Just to contemplate the palace where it is located, that of Dar el Makhzen, it is worth the visit.

On this tour you can follow in the footsteps of Matisse, who found in Tangier a reason to paint. The artist was staying at the Hotel Ville de France, opened in the late nineteenth century and considered a landmark of the city for years. Vu d'une fenêtre painted it from his room, number 35; The light and buildings amazed the French painter. The Bab El-Assa door, green and beautiful, was captured on a large canvas that is now exhibited in the Pushkin Museum in Moscow. Obligatory photo on the route.

Have tea on the terraces

We arrive at the lively 9 de Abril Square, also known as the Grand Souk, the most iconic place in the historic center of Tangier. It's time to sit on one of its terraces and have a mint tea. Objective: to contemplate and soak up the life of the square, one of the main meeting points of the Tangerines. Located next to the park of Mendoubia, at the gates of the medina, it is painted with a marble fountain in the center and surrounded by palm trees. In it are the old Cinema Rif, with its retro aesthetics, and the mosque of Sidi Bou Abib; When the call to prayer occurs, the rhythm of space is transformed. Its name, by the way, is due to the fact that on that day in 1947 Mohamed V (grandfather of the current monarch) announced there the independence of the northern provinces and the reunification of the Kingdom of Morocco.

Swimming pool at Fairmont Tazi Palace.

We head to the Souk Chico, where the atmosphere is always lively. If you are looking for a souvenir of local crafts, they have found their place. Haggle without problem and 0j0! Because everyone understands and speaks Spanish. From here we can approach the Great Mosque, with its towering minaret decorating the skyline and its striking colors. It was built in 1684 and during the Portuguese stage of the city even functioned as a cathedral. Before going to the promenade -better at sunset-, you have to know the mythical Gran Café Central and Tingis, which when the sun goes down are filled with couples, groups of friends and, of course, tourists looking for the best photo. For decades, its tables were frequented by spies from half the world...

Probably many of them would have stayed at the Fairmont Tazi Palace, the former palace of the royal advisor Ahmed Tazi that has just opened transformed into a luxury hotel. It is located high in the hills of the city and has 133 rooms, including a signature suite, two penthouses and an impressive katara suite of 332 square meters! "We have tried to preserve the essence of the building, which was built in 1920 and never inhabited by anyone," they tell us in the establishment. Between lush gardens and wonderful pieces of Moroccan craftsmanship, peace reigns in the 1.5 hectares of the enclosure.

Typical Moroccan cakes.

Its fabulous pool invites you to settle on one of its sun loungers, while the spa, of 2,500 square meters -the largest in the city- and with 10 cabins for treatments, is presented as a perfect option to relax before enjoying the careful and varied gastronomic offer of the hotel, which has the Australian Christopher Blake (former chef of La Mamounia de Marrakech) in charge of the kitchen. In Crudo, the flavors come from the north of the Mediterranean, with fish and vegetables as protagonists; at Social Kitchen we try healthy, tasty and seasonal snacks; and in Parisa there is a journey to Persian hospitality through a proposal rich in species and herbs from all over the world. To end the evening, the Origin Bar, where the cocktails are prepared with ingredients grown in the hotel's own garden.

Between gardens and works of art

We continue discovering Tangier outside the medina through its gardens and parks. Near the Fairmont we find the Perdicaris, one of the green lungs of the city and which enjoys great views of the bay. There are signposted routes to explore it and discover the history of Villa Aidonia, the house built by the American diplomat Ion Perdicaris for his wife and which now belongs to the Moroccan state.

The furthest stop from the center is to visit Villa Harris, at the end of Avenue Mohamed VI, a Moorish palace surrounded by wonderful gardens that was reopened as the Museum of Tangier in 2021. The former residence of Walter Burton Harris, journalist and correspondent for The Times newspaper, houses an interesting selection of works of art from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, with representation of some of the most outstanding Moroccan artists: Ben Ali R'bati, Mohamed Ben Allal, Mekki Mghara and Fatima Hassan, among many others.

Classic Moroccan city gate.

We head to Café Hafa, in the Marshan neighborhood, a symbol of the city. There are no luxuries or anything like it here, but its stepped terrace overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar retains a special charm. For years it was a meeting place for the foreign colony that lived in Tangier and for a multitude of intellectuals and artists; from Juan Goytisolo to the French philosopher Bernard-Henri Levy, passing through the Rolling Stones. Opened in 1921, today it is frequented by young locals and many tourists eager to know the legends of the place.

The visit to Tangier can not be closed without trying the typical sweets of Dada Anbar, pastry shop located on Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah street. With a box of gazelle horns (crescent-shaped pastries) and chebakia, the Moroccan sweet par excellence with which they usually break the fast of Ramadan, we return to Cape Spartel to say goodbye to the city with the best views, where the Mediterranean and the Atlantic embrace.

PRACTICAL GUIDE

HOW TO GET THERE. Iberia offers direct flights from different cities: Madrid, Malaga... From 70 euros.

WHERE TOSLEEP. Fairmont Tazi Palace. Housed in a palace built in 1920, it has 133 rooms. Its gastronomic offer, the spa and the swimming pool complete the offer of this new luxury hotel. From 350€. Website: fairmont.mx/tangier

WHERE TO EAT. The Central, Tingis and Hafa Cafes. The pastry shop Dada Anbar (Av. Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah) to buy typical sweets.

MORE INFO. In www.visitmorocco.com/es

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