Come With Me To The Kasbah

  For decades, between 1920 and the late 1950's, Tangier was a playground for adventure seekers and the rich and famous, attracting all those seeking a tax haven or a mystic destination; from authors to artists, and spies to aristocrats. Regular visitors included the likes of Truman Capote and Tennessee Williams, and Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton.

  When Spain relinquished Tangier back to Morocco in 1960 its duty-free status went with it, and the city lost a great deal of its flair. Tourism is slowly increasing once more, though; visitors succumbing to the city's proximity to Europe are discovering that its decayed grandeur still has much to offer, from its palm-treed promenade and sandy beach to the old town section, and the outlying villages and resorts. Seasoned Moroccan visitors, however, warn that it is best not to take on Tangier until you are acclimatised to the rest of the country, and to be vigilant as regards safety after dark.

  Despite it's fall from glory, a stylish cafîdociety has once again begun to build up in modern day Tangier's boulevards, and the merchants in the medina (old city) are doing a good trade with tourists exploring the maze of narrow streets, all within sight of the Spanish coast across the straits of Gibraltar.

  An essential part of a visit to Tangier is to promenade along the beach, which extends along a curve for several kilometres.