Tangier – day trip to Africa from Tarifa

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Tangier in a day – is it possible?

Yes, but it will be a long day. According to OpenStreetMap, Tarifa is about 245 km from Playa Tropical, and it takes just over 3 hours without breaks. Add an hour for check-in, an hour on the ferry and the same back. If you drive there and back yourself on the same day, you get 5–6 hours in Tangier and are home around midnight.

Our advice: Drive to Tarifa the day before and stay overnight there, or take two days and spend a night in Tangier. Then you can catch the first ferry in the morning and the last one home without rushing. Tarifa itself is a lovely town to see – it lies on the southernmost tip of Europe, and from the port you can see the mountains of Africa on the other side of the strait.

The ferry: Tarifa–Tanger Ville or Algeciras–Tanger Med

There are two ferry routes from Spain to Tangier, and they arrive in two completely different places. For a day trip there is only one real option: Tarifa–Tanger Ville.

Tarifa–Tanger Ville

For many years the route was run by FRS (most recently under the DFDS name). Baleària was granted the concession for the route for 15 years and took over in May 2025. DFDS no longer sails the route. According to the ticket sites Ferryhopper and Directferries, the Moroccan company AML (Africa Morocco Link) also sails the crossing. We have not been able to confirm this on AML's own website.

The crossing takes about 1 hour. The number of departures varies with the season: when Baleària started in May 2025, there were four departures a day from each port, and Ferryhopper mentions around ten a day in total for both companies. We have not been able to read Baleària's own winter timetable, so check the departures on balearia.com before you plan your day. The ticket sites show fares for foot passengers of about 30–50 € (≈ 373 kr.) each way (November 2026), cheapest with a return ticket.

Check-in: According to Baleària's help page, foot passengers must be at the desk no later than 60 minutes before departure in Tarifa. Another Baleària page says there is only access to the port 2 hours before, and only with a confirmed ticket – open tickets are not valid. So arrive in good time, and keep your passport ready the whole way. We have not been able to confirm whether Moroccan passport control now takes place on board or in the port in Tangier – ask the staff when you board.

Algeciras–Tanger Med

Tanger Med is Morocco's big new port at Ksar es-Seghir, and according to OpenStreetMap it lies about 49 km and a 50-minute drive east of Tangier city. From Algeciras, Baleària (about 1 hour 30 minutes according to the company), DFDS and AML sail there. The port is built for lorries, containers and drivers. As a foot passenger you have to take a bus or taxi into town. The ticket sites mention a bus for between 7 and 25 dirhams, but we have not been able to find an official timetable. For a day trip to Tangier it is a waste of two hours – choose Tarifa.

Organised day trips

If you would rather not find your own way around, you can buy a tour with ferry, guide and lunch. The tours always go via Tarifa. We have only included tours whose content we could read on the provider's or reseller's own website (02-11-2026):

• Baleària – "Maravillas de Tánger" (from Tarifa): fast ferry return, bus in Tangier, guided tour and Moroccan lunch, about 9 hours, from 89 € (≈ 664 kr.). Baleària also has a VIP tour for a maximum of 6 people from 180 € (≈ 1,343 kr.) and "Esencias de Tánger" without guide and lunch. Baleària says that EU citizens can travel on the day trip with a Spanish ID card (DNI) or a passport with at least 6 months' validity. Danes should expect to use a passport.
• Civitatis – excursion to Tangier from Tarifa: from 88.90 € (≈ 663 kr.), about 9 hours. Includes ferry, bus, Spanish-speaking guide, lunch, Cap Spartel, admission to one of the Caves of Hercules and the synagogue. Camel rides (2 € (≈ 14.92 kr.)), the Sultan's Palace (3 € (≈ 22.38 kr.)) and the other cave (8 € (≈ 59.68 kr.)) cost extra. Meeting point: the information desk in the port of Tarifa, 60 minutes before departure. Civitatis is a reseller, and the page does not say who runs the tour.
• Civitatis – excursion to Tangier from Málaga: from 169 € (≈ 1,261 kr.), about 15 hours, with coach to Tarifa, ferry, Spanish-speaking guide and lunch (harira, kebab, couscous and mint tea).
• Nattivus – Tangier day trip from Málaga: pick-up in Málaga at 4.30 (Avenida de Andalucía, stop no. 11), Torremolinos 5.05, Fuengirola 6.00, Marbella 7.20 and Estepona 7.00. Back in Málaga at 21.00 – 15 hours in all. Coach, ferry, guide on the coach and a local guide in Tangier, walking tour of the medina, kasbah and souk, panoramic coach tour and lunch. Drinks are not included. On 02-11-2026 the price was from 188.50 US dollars for adults.

None of the organised tours we have found pick up in Almuñécar, Nerja or Motril. From Playa Tropical to Málaga it is about 81 km and 1 hour 15 minutes, so if you are catching the 4.30 coach in Málaga, you need to leave home around 3 o'clock. The tours from Tarifa work best if you stay overnight in Tarifa the evening before.

A realistic day – timetable

Here are two suggestions. The ferry times are examples – check the actual departures with the ferry company. In winter Tangier has the same time as Spain (see under Practical info).

A: Overnight in Tarifa (recommended)

B: There and back on the same day

Leave Playa Tropical at 5.30, check in at Tarifa at 9.00, ferry at 10.00, in Tangier 11.00–17.00, ferry at 18.00 and home around 22.30–23.00. That is about 500 km of driving and 17 hours in one day, and you drive the last three hours in the dark. It can be done, but we do not recommend it if you are the only driver.

How to get there

By car to Tarifa

Take the A-7 towards Málaga and on past Marbella and Estepona towards Algeciras. On parts of the stretch west of Málaga you can choose between the free A-7 and the AP-7 toll motorway, which saves time. From Algeciras the N-340 crosses the hills to Tarifa. It is about 245 km. The buttons below the map at the bottom open the route from Playa Tropical directly in Google Maps – to the ferry in Tarifa, with a stop at Mirador del Estrecho, and to Algeciras.

Parking in Tarifa

By the port is Parking Puerto de Tarifa, which according to Salir.com is open around the clock, with CCTV and number plate recognition. We have not been able to find an official daily rate. OpenStreetMap also shows the municipal car park Antiguo Cuartel de Infantería at the entrance to the old town and the Trocadero car park. In the streets there is pay-and-display parking (Salir.com mentions 1.20 € (≈ 8.95 kr.) an hour). See also parking.

By bus

There is no direct bus from Almuñécar to Tarifa. ALSA runs from Almuñécar to Málaga in about 1 hour 15 minutes, and from Málaga ALSA, Comes and Secorbus run to Algeciras, where you change for Tarifa. Allow a whole day just to get there. See buses.

Sights along the way

• Costa del Sol: the motorway follows the coast past Málaga, Marbella and Estepona. If you want to see more of Málaga, read day trip to Málaga.
• The Rock of Gibraltar: from the motorway around Algeciras you can see the Rock on the other side of the bay.
• Mirador del Estrecho: the viewpoint on the N-340 about 7–8 km before Tarifa. From here you look across the strait to the mountains of Morocco.
• Tarifa: the old town inside the walls and the castle by the port. The town lies on the southernmost tip of Europe.

All along the coast, including at Playa Tropical, stand the old watchtowers that were built as a defence against pirates from North Africa. Read more in pirates and watchtowers.

What you will see in Tangier

Tangier has always been a gateway between Europe and Africa. From 1925 to 1956 the city was an international zone, governed jointly by a number of countries, and that has left its mark: Spanish, French and English names, cafés and buildings side by side with the medina.

Grand Socco

The large, round square is officially called Place du 9 Avril 1947, after the speech on Moroccan independence that Sultan Mohammed V gave in Tangier that day. "Socco" is a Spanish version of the Arabic word souk, market. The square lies between the new town and the medina, with a large fountain in the middle, and on one side is the entrance to the Mendoubia gardens. Most walks start here.

The medina and Petit Socco

From Grand Socco you walk into the medina, the old town with narrow streets, steps, small shops and workshops. In the middle of it lies Petit Socco, also called Place Souk Dakhel or, in Spanish, Zoco Chico. Before 1923 many of the consulates and banks were here. On the south side of the square is Hotel Fuentes, and on the north side Gran Café Central – both still exist according to Wikipedia. Sit down with a glass of mint tea and watch the world go by.

The kasbah and the Kasbah Museum

At the top of the medina lies the kasbah, the city's old fortress. You enter through the Bab Kasbah gate. Here stands the sultan's palace Dar el Makhzen, associated with Sultan Moulay Ismail (1672–1727). The sources disagree on whether it was built in the late 1600s or the early 1700s. Today it houses the Kasbah Museum (Musée de la Kasbah – Musée des cultures méditerranéennes) with finds from prehistoric times to the Islamic dynasties, including Roman mosaics and old manuscripts, around courtyards with fountains.

According to several travel guides, the museum is open 10–18 and costs about 20 dirhams. The guides disagree on which day it is closed (Tuesday or Monday), so ask or check on the spot. From the kasbah walls there is a view over the port and the strait.

Café Hafa

Café Hafa opened in 1921 and still has its old look: terraces on several levels down the cliff, with views across the strait towards Spain. According to Wikipedia, Paul Bowles, William S. Burroughs, Sean Connery, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, among others, have sat here. People come for the view and the mint tea, not for the food. One travel guide says the café does not take cards – bring dirhams. It is just under a kilometre from the kasbah through narrow streets.

The American Legation

In the southern part of the medina stands the old American Legation. Sultan Moulay Suliman gave the building to the USA in 1821, and it was the first property the USA owned abroad. Today it is a museum and cultural centre with paintings and a wing about the writer Paul Bowles. According to the legation's own website, it is open 10–17 on weekdays and 10–15 at weekends, closed on Moroccan public holidays. According to travel guides, admission is about 20–50 dirhams.

Cap Spartel

About 14 km west of the city lies Cap Spartel, the north-western corner of Africa, where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic. The lighthouse was built by Sultan Muhammad IV in 1864 and was renovated in 2020–21 with a small maritime museum, restaurant and botanical garden. The view from the headland is what you come for.

The Caves of Hercules

A couple of kilometres south of Cap Spartel lie the Caves of Hercules on the Atlantic. According to legend, the hero Hercules slept here before setting off to fetch the golden apples. The cave's opening to the sea is shaped like a map of Africa. The caves were opened to the public in 1920 and renovated in 2015. The travel guides give opening hours of 9–18, but there is great disagreement about the admission fee (5–80 dirhams). If you are on an organised tour, admission is often included.

How to get to Cap Spartel and the caves: It is about 15 km from the port to the lighthouse, 4 km further to the caves and 18 km back – about 1 hour's driving in all, plus time there. Take a taxi from the port or Grand Socco and agree the price for the whole trip before you set off. We have not been able to confirm a fixed price.

Markets and shopping

The medina in Tangier is one big market. Around Grand Socco and in the streets down towards Petit Socco there are shops selling spices, leather goods, lamps, pottery, carpets and clothes. Next to Grand Socco there is a market with fruit, vegetables and local produce.

One travel guide says that peasant women from the mountains come to the market on Thursday and Sunday mornings in their red and white striped costumes and wide straw hats. We have not been able to confirm this in other sources. Do not photograph them without asking – many do not want to be photographed.

Haggling: In the medina's shops there are rarely fixed prices. Ask the price, offer well below it, and meet the seller somewhere in the middle. Be friendly, take your time, and walk away if it does not suit you – that is quite normal. Do not buy anything because you feel pressured. More about markets, haggling and what you can take home: markets and food in northern Morocco. You will find the markets back home under markets.

Food

Moroccan food is spiced, but rarely hot. This is what to taste in Tangier:

• Mint tea – green tea with fresh mint and sugar, poured from a height. It is drunk everywhere and all day long.
• Harira – tomato soup with lentils, chickpeas and spices. It is the soup used to break the fast during Ramadan.
• Tagine – a stew cooked slowly in a clay dish with a cone-shaped lid, for example chicken with preserved lemons and olives, or lamb with prunes.
• Couscous – traditionally the Friday dish in Moroccan families.
• Kefta – grilled skewers of spiced minced meat.
• Fish and seafood – Tangier is a port city, and the fish comes from the harbour below the medina.

There are cafés and restaurants around Grand Socco, at Petit Socco and along the seafront promenade. We have not been able to confirm prices or quality at individual restaurants. If you are on an organised tour, lunch is included.

Hygiene: Drink bottled water, and skip ice cubes and raw salad if you have a sensitive stomach. Rather eat hot food cooked in front of you. Alcohol: According to the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, alcohol may only be drunk in hotels, restaurants and bars with a licence. At most cafés in the medina you will not get beer.

Toilets

• On the ferry there are toilets. Use them before you go ashore.
• In the medina: OpenStreetMap shows a few public toilets around Grand Socco and the kasbah, but we do not know whether they are open or what they cost.
• Cafés and restaurants are the safest option – buy a cup of tea. Bring your own toilet paper, and have a few dirhams in small coins for the toilet attendant.

Passport, visa and customs

• Passport: You must bring your passport. Danes can stay in Morocco for up to 90 days without a visa. The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends that your passport is valid for at least 90 days after departure and that it is not damaged. The Norwegian foreign ministry says six months' validity for Norwegians – if you have less than six months left, check with the Moroccan embassy. Danish emergency passports are only valid for departure.
• Return ticket: According to the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, you may be asked to show your return ticket on entry.
• Norwegians, Swedes and Germans do not need a visa for a short stay either, but check with your own country's foreign ministry – see practical guide to Morocco.
• Customs on the way back to Spain: Morocco is not in the EU, so you go through Spanish customs in Tarifa. According to Agencia Tributaria (updated 23-09-2026), travelling by plane or boat you may bring goods worth up to 430 € (≈ 3,208 kr.) per person (children under 15: 150 € (≈ 1,119 kr.)), plus no more than 200 cigarettes (or 50 cigars or 250 g tobacco), 1 litre of spirits (over 22 %) or 2 litres of fortified wine, 4 litres of wine and 16 litres of beer. Under-17s may not bring tobacco and alcohol duty-free.
• Counterfeit branded goods – "Gucci" bags and fake watches – may be confiscated at customs. Buy Moroccan crafts instead.

Practical info

• Time zone: Morocco uses UTC+1 all year round, except during Ramadan. So in winter Tangier has the same time as Spain. From the last Sunday in March, when Spain switches to summer time, Morocco is 1 hour behind. During Ramadan Morocco puts its clocks back one hour. Ramadan 2027 is expected to last from about 8 February to 8–9 March, but Morocco only announces the dates of the time change shortly before. Ferry times are always given in local time.
• Money: Moroccan dirham (MAD). According to the Office des Changes, dirhams may as a rule not be taken into or out of the country, and Moroccan media mention a limit of 2,000 dirhams per traveller. Only exchange what you need, and carry cash for taxis, toilets, tea and small purchases.
• Mobile: Morocco is not covered by the EU roaming rules. Data can be very expensive – turn off data roaming, or check your plan before the trip.
• Travel insurance: Neither the yellow nor the blue health card is valid in Morocco, says the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Take out private travel insurance that covers Morocco.
• Safety: The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs' advice is to "take extra care" throughout Morocco because of the risk of terrorism and crime, but most Danes have no problems. Pickpocketing happens especially where there are many tourists. Do not wear expensive jewellery or carry a lot of money.
• Walking: The medina and the kasbah lie on a hill with steep streets, steps and cobblestones. It is not suitable for wheelchairs or rollators, and it can be hard on bad knees. Take a taxi up to the kasbah and walk down.

Dos and don'ts

• Dress: There are no fixed rules, but cover your shoulders and knees in the medina. The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises women to avoid tight and short clothing.
• Mosques: Non-Muslims may not enter most mosques in Morocco. Admire them from outside.
• Photos: Ask before you photograph people. Never photograph police, military, border posts or port installations – according to the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it can lead to arrest. Drones are banned and are confiscated at customs.
• Fake guides: At the port and Grand Socco, "helpful" men often approach you wanting to show you the way. Say a polite but firm no thank you if you do not want a guide. If you do want one, agree the price first.
• Taxis: Agree the price before you get in, or ask for the meter. The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises using only authorised taxis.
• Tips: It is customary to give a little to waiters, guides and drivers.
• Left hand: Eat, give and receive with your right hand.
• Affection: Keep it discreet in public. The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises LGBT+ people to avoid physical displays of affection in public places.
• Drugs: You may be offered hashish, but dealing and use are punished severely, even in small amounts. Never carry other people's luggage or packages across the border.
• Ramadan: During the month of fasting (about 8 February–9 March 2027) avoid eating, drinking and smoking in public during the day. Expect quite a few eating places to be closed during the day.
• Friday is the day of prayer. Some shops may close around midday prayers.

You will find more advice in the practical guide. If you want to go on to the blue town, read about Tétouan and Chefchaouen. There are also ferries from Motril and to the Spanish city of Ceuta. More trips nearby: excursions.

Maps and routes

Red star = Playa Tropical. Click on a point for the name and distance. Map data © OpenStreetMap.

Good advice

• Bring your passport. Without a passport you will not get into Morocco – or back again.
• Stay overnight in Tarifa. Then you can catch the first ferry and avoid 500 km of driving in one day.
• Check the timetable with Baleària. Departures change with the season, and sailings may be cancelled when there are storms in the strait.
• Arrive in good time. Foot passengers must check in no later than one hour before departure.
• Carry cash. Euros and some dirhams for taxis, toilets and tea. Do not exchange more than you will spend.
• Turn off data roaming. Morocco is not in the EU.
• Wear good shoes. The medina is steep, and the stones are slippery.
• Toilet paper in your pocket. And a few small coins.
• Agree the price first – with taxis, guides and in the shops.
• Keep an eye on the clock. In summer and during Ramadan, Morocco is one hour behind Spain. The ferry will not wait.

Always check the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs' travel advice for Morocco just before your trip. It can change without notice.

Krone amounts are converted at 1 € ≈ 7.46 kr. and rounded.