Mystical and dangerous with winding narrow roads seems the mystery of Tangier, at least that was our anticipation based on all our favourite spy books. In reality, the city is relatively modern. Perhaps not as much so as Rabat but lightyears ahead of Casablanca. (That said, we did drive by where Jason Bourne was seen in a coffee shop in Tangiers and the roads in the centre of the old part of the city are narrow & confusing, so perhaps our original impressions of Tangier were accurate!)

In actuality Tangier feels very welcoming with 6 synagogues, 12 churches and numerous mosques.

First was a stop at Saint Andrew's Church, which is an Anglican church consecrated in 1905. The building is constructed in a Moorish architectural style. which makes it quite unique as a church.

During both of his visits of several months here, Matisse stayed at the Grand Hotel Villa de France, specifically in room 35. Here is where we had a little break for tea and cookies. It's located across the street from St. Andrew's, a subject that Matisse also painted.

Next up was a walk through the Kasbah. The former citadel dates from around the tenth century and, although it has gradually been altered, it still retains enough of its original characteristics to transport you back in time. There we observed the architectural details of stately homes. all painted white with blue, streets with beautiful bougainvillea, brightly-coloured doors and windows and much more. 

It was Sunday morning so initially it was quite quiet.

That changed as we walked through the Grand Socco, which is described as "home to a cavalcade of colour, charm, street musicians, a fish market, scenic handicrafts, and spices.". It lived up true to this description and I have a many, many photos to prove it.

We made a short stop at the American Legation. This was the first American public property outside the United States in Africa, as Morocco was one of the first countries to recognise America's independence. As such, the US established a legation in Tangier in 1821.

We made it back successfully to the ship without being persuaded to buy a carpet or other objects we definitely don't need, or any spices, at the two shops we visited.

Our take is that it may be well worth a few days visit to Tangier.