Between two continents:
A trip to Morocco
Text: Christian / Pictures & short films: Carola
By ferry from Tarifa to Tangier - a short trip full of contrasts and surprises.
The alarm clock wakes us from our sleep early in the morning. Still sleepy, we struggle out of bed and drink our first coffee in the cockpit as dawn slowly breaks outside. Our boat is safely moored in the marina La Línea de la Concepción, near Gibraltar.
Stress before the start: traffic jam instead of motorway
The timetable is set: The tickets are bought and the ferry leaves Tarifa at 9.00 am. So we get into our little hire car, a Fiat 500, and set off on the hour-long journey to the ferry harbour.
We set off in a good mood and the sat nav shows a relaxed arrival time. Caro confidently steers the car through the streets of La Línea to the motorway slip road.
Then the surprise: uniformed police everywhere, roadblocks prevent us from joining the motorway. No diversion, no signs. So we simply follow the other cars, turn into a narrow side road and are promptly stuck in a traffic jam.
Nothing works any more. The narrow coastal road is completely overwhelmed by the unexpectedly high volume of traffic. As the clock ticks relentlessly, it slowly dawns on us: we will probably miss the ferry.
After what feels like an eternity of 45 minutes, the convoy slowly begins to move. We reach a roundabout where a policeman waves the cars onto the slip road to the motorway with determined gestures. At last we can continue!
Caro accelerates (a lot), we make up time. And indeed: we reach the ferry terminal in good time, park the car and board the ferry on foot.
We slowly move away from the Spanish mainland as the Moroccan coast draws closer. We complete the customs formalities conveniently on board. When we arrive in Tangier, we can disembark directly. Our first step onto the African continent.
Arrival in Tangier: Welcome to Africa
„I’ll take you to the city. Believe me, the problem is not here, it’s in the city…“
What's the problem? I ask myself as we politely walk past the tour guides and taxi drivers offering their services. We walk the short distance from the ferry terminal towards the old town. The promenade is surprisingly clean, modern and well-kept. We reach the slightly higher old town centre via wide steps.
Just made it
The ferry has left
Tangier in sight
And then we arrived - Africa, Morocco - Tangier
First impressions come flooding in
Welcome to Tanger
Morning coffee in the awakening old town
It is early morning. The first cafés and shops are just opening and setting up their tables and chairs on the street. The thought of a second coffee is just what we need. We settle down in the next best café and observe the slowly awakening city (time difference: we left at 09:00 and arrived in Tangier at 09:00 local time). It's quiet, orderly, very different from what we had expected. Instead of bustling chaos, we experience a relaxed morning.
Strengthened, we make our way through the winding alleyways. Old churches, picturesque shops, small museums and fortresses cross our path. In between, there are fantastic views of the coast, while a fresh breeze blows in from the sea.
The typical Moroccan mint tea - a delight
The market is still relaxed
There's more going on in the fish hall
A touch of 1001 nights 😅
We are moving away from the old town
From the old town to the modern age
On the southern edge of the old town, we reach the new town. With its busy streets, modern facades and shopping centres, it almost feels like any other Spanish city. It's not what we were looking for.
Tired from all the impressions, we are drawn back to the water. We stroll along the coastal road, the so-called ‘Corniche’, and turn into the modern marina. The marina is well maintained, guarded and offers a contrast to the old town. Curious, we stroll past boats and restaurants, a short break does us good.
Urban jungle
So that we also know where we are
Let's go to the water and the marina
Refreshment is a must - a small breakfast with a view of the skylines of Tangier
Strengthened we continue
Well-kept promenade
Getting lost is impossible - thanks to Google Maps
With renewed energy, we now want to explore the northern part of the old town. Past colourful shops and restaurants with an oriental flair, through narrow, shady alleyways. Thank goodness for Google Maps, otherwise we would have got lost long ago.
In the Kasbah district, we visit a museum in the former sultan's palace. Magnificent coffered ceilings, ornate mosaics, richly decorated courtyards - an impressive example of Moorish-Moroccan architecture.
Arriving at the northern edge of the old town, a breathtaking view opens up across the strait back to Europe. Atlantic air, cool and refreshing, wafts towards us. We savour the view over a drink, a moment to take a deep breath.
The old theatre is currently being renovated
Winding alleyways and stairs
Wonderful architecture
Cool Atlantic air and a view of Europe
Museum in the former sultan's palace
Very beautiful facility
A tortoise comes towards us in the neighbouring garden
It's a great place to be
Very impressive wooden ceiling
We can't stop marvelling
The doors are fascinating
In one of the countless alleyways with many shops
Interesting house facade
Exit from the old town
We are ‘foot lame’
We slowly realise how long this day has already been. Our feet are getting heavy, the impressions are numerous. Back at the Corniche, we sit down in a restaurant and are served a Moroccan dinner, a worthy end to an impressive day.
Just the right thing
A successful finale
Back to Europe
Tired and full of all the experiences, we take the ferry back to Tarifa and from there we travel to the boat to La Línea. Africa, just a stone's throw away, but a world of its own.
The ferry that takes us back to Europe
Tired and filled with many wonderful impressions, we drive back