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A bit of ours, one bit of theirs, a foreign word, a homely soul. That’s how I’d write down a recipe for Tangier after a one-day visit. 24 hours are certainly not enough for a cook to prepare a dish worthy of this link of continents and seas, but enough for a quick taste of its charm.
This residence of many creative souls, visited, filmed, and ruled by many is positioned on a bay of the Strait of Gibraltar, not too far from the southern tip of Spain. Reaching it by ferry from the Spanish city of Tarifa took me less than an hour, during which I heard an older man speaking at least four languages. I had, even before reaching Moroccan land, felt the cultural background of the principal city of its north; before Morocco’s independence in 1956, Tangier went through the impact of several influences, from the one of the Roman Empire to the Spanish, Portuguese, French, and several others.
Photo: Dino Subašić
The many forms of Tangier are expressed through its architecture which allows one to take a walk through its rich history; in Medina, the old city, and Kasbah, at its northwest, the flow of architectural feels of different cultures can’t be left unseen. Alongside the main Muslim religion’s mosques, an Anglican church can also be found in the city which is home to Roman Catholics, Protestants, and Jews as well.
This lifestyle fulfilled with cultural and religious symbiosis reminds me of the city of Sarajevo, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, often called European Jerusalem. “Ahlan, hola, hi, salut,” filled the streets, full of vivacious merchants and curious cats, when the sight of busy narrow streets took me back to finding my way through Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar, with a slight difference; the high level of poverty here can be felt even more with the perseverance of Tangier’s retailers. They’d be reducing their prices by more than half as they were trying to catch the attention of groups of tourists wandering through the old part of the city.
I threw an eye at a Moroccan football team jersey of Achraf Hakimi. The throw was long enough for the seller to spot my interest, and without even realizing I was already too deep in the game of bargaining. After an hour and a delicious lunch which, of course, included a traditional serving of couscous, I saw him patiently waiting for me and we managed to reach an agreement leaving us both satisfied; a rather common feeling in cities that are home to the culture of negotiating.
Read also: 10 Must-See Places in Tangier
While battling for the sake of a couple of coins is very much the reality of Medina, the view from its top explains the city’s story of success as a port and trade center. Alongside tourism, fishing, pharmacy, textile, and carpet manufacturing also play a big role in Tangier’s development.
Photo: Dino Subašić
Well-connected with cities like Casablanca, Rabat, and Fez, Tangier welcomes many domestic work migrants seeking new opportunities. From an economic perspective, its future seems positively oriented, as Tangier’s entrepreneurs seem to be open to partnerships without political boundaries; like elsewhere in the country, Tangier too is working on promoting the use of the English language.
Part of Tangier’s story of success is its Tanger Med port, an industrial platform for more than a thousand companies, which is one of the biggest industrial ports in the world and the biggest port in Africa, shifting the primary trading focus from tourism to other fields.
Carefully picked by the eye of Christopher Nolan, visited by 007 in the form of Daniel Craig, depicted in the Moroccan-French drama “Rock the Casbah,” Tangier reaches the expectations of viewers, listeners, and followers of modern cultural trends. If Santana, Sting, Hendrix, and Jagger found it cozy, why not give it a shot?
After seeking explanations regarding Tangier’s fame, the locals made me realize that the main one is hidden in the city’s glorious days during the time before Morocco’s independence. Descriptions of an international, open-minded zone that allowed a relaxed lifestyle reached the ears of many famous artists seeking just that. Or a place where hashish is as welcome as a tourist with a full wallet. 
Read also: Tangier: A Day Tour of Morocco’s Northern Andalusian Gem
France, Spain, and Britain jointly administered the city back then while it was intentionally ignored by the former King of Morocco Hassan II, who didn’t fancy the international scent of Tangier. However, King Mohammed VI, his son, predicted what Tangier’s strategically well-positioned location could mean for the country’s economy and pushed investments into the meeting point of Africa and Europe, to see Tangier become what it is today.
Photo: Dino Subašić
After meeting a snake charmer, hearing the simultaneous use of four languages, and experiencing the struggle of the small local merchants surrounded by big players making use of one of the world’s biggest ports, I waved goodbye to Tangier, the city with an uncountable number of faces.
