Feeling a little tired of the grey uk?
Need something a little more exotic than your daily routine?
Hop across to Gatwick and fly to Tangiers on Friday, and you can be back on Sunday evening ready for that weekly routine again.
And while it may not be a huge amount of time, a weekend getaway that takes you to another country and continent in 4 hours has got to be worth it?
So with the scheduling of Air Arabia Maroc flights on a Friday and Sunday I decided to give some thought to what would I do if I had a fleeting 48 hours in Tangiers?
First of all decide where you want to stay!
In the medina, in the kasbah, hotel, riad??
I have a list of my personal preferences
HERE on the blog
I think for first time visitors my advice would be to head up to the kasbah - The kasbah gives you a feel of the exotic without the chaos . . . there feels like there is a little more light and space, and considering you don't have a lot of time, it will also be a bit more relaxing!
Things start pretty late in the evenings in Morocco - so no need to worry that you will be late for dinner.
If you are feeling intrepid head straight down the hill towards the Grand Socco and the Medina where there is no shortage of places to eat and sights to immerse yourself in.
If you are more in the mood to relax and unwind over a glass of Moroccan red, pop into El Morocco Club in the Kasbah and see who's who in town.
In the morning
take a stroll out of the Kasbah and do a little boutique shopping in Las Chicas right by the main entrance where you will be able browse their curated collection of contemporary Moroccan crafts and fashion.
Then head down the hill to the medina and the markets - take your time, wander around and work out what you want and where to find it.
Keep an eye out for the nougat man in the medina - in my opinion the best nougat around!
Take a coffee break at Cinema Rif and people watch.
Feeling a little peckish after all that walking - try La Petit Socco in the middle of the medina - or La Saveur up the steps just outside the medina for a taste of fresh local food.
A lot of the Moroccan experience is about sitting and sipping a tea or coffee and watching the day go by - so if you are in that frame of mind and it is a lovely sunny day, head all the way back up the hill (you can get a petit taxi but actually central Tangiers is pretty walkable) and kick back with a mint tea at the famous Cafe Hafa.
If a weekend break is more about relaxing around a swimming pool then try a place like La Maison de Tanger where you can head back to a sunlounger after negotiating the medina.
Sunday morning - you might just have enough time to dash into the medina for those babouche you decided you really want (they are apparently set to be the shoe trend of 2016!)
but honestly - if I was you - I would find a spot on the terrace . . .
admire the view and the particular light that bounces off the ocean and enticed artists like Matisse to the city.
Sip on some freshly squeezed orange juice or aromatic mint tea before heading over to the airport to wing your way home.
Its not a lot of time - but being on the northern edge of Africa, exploring the medina, hearing the call to prayer, all make for something a little more than average for a simple weekend break.
For more information re flights from London too Tangiers go to the
Air Arabia Maroc website and head off into that sunset!!
