New changes in Tangier

At the crossroads of Africa and Europe, the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, Tangier has an individual character.
Tangier, also known as the White City, revolves around its brilliant import and export port and you are sure to see many millionaires' yachts where the Mediterranean and Atlantic Ocean meets.

Tangier is one of the oldest cities in Morocco. The Phoenicians and Carthaginians established trading posts here. The Romans made it a capital city. It was occupied by the Arabs and invaded by Vandals and Visigoths. Before the Spanish, the Portuguese controlled the town. In the early part of the 20th century, Tangier was an international city whose tax-free status and cosmopolitan image attracted European and American artists and writers.

Although it has lost a little of its glamorous image, it is still a bustling city with an air of mystery surrounding it. For most visitors that arrive in Morocco by sea, it is their first point of contact with the country.

Many famous writers like Paul Bowles and William Burroughs visited Tangier and even called it their home. Tangier was also the world's first and famous gay resort - a role it maintains to a lesser degree today. The city is very popular with tourists and Moroccan holiday makers as it has beautiful beaches to entertain them. Tangier has three sources of wealth; the port, Cannabis and ferrying would-be immigrants. This beautiful city is energetic, very likeable, extremely individual and has an enduring peculiarity.

Over the last three years Tangier has experienced phenomenal growth. As the new King Mohammed VI seeks to position Morocco as a key tourist destination under the Plan Azur, Tangier has been recognized as a key factor in achieving this goal. The progress can already be seen, a new pleasure port and marina is being built in Tangier as are new conference centers and hotels. The train station has been completely modernised and a new railway line will connect Tangier with the Mediterranean coast, building on the already established train route to Rabat, Casablanca and Marrakech. However it's not just tourism that will drive the growth in demand for Tangier property, it's also business. The new port, currently being built 30 minutes from the city will be one of the biggest in the Mediterranean and will eclipse its Spanish counterpart Algeciras not just in size but also in the quality of its new modern Tangier property and other facilities.

Tangier boasts many beautiful palatial residences of varying styles and variety in its Marshan villa district, about 15 minutes walk from the medina. One of the most attractive of these is on the Rue Muhammed Tazi, and used to belong to United States multi-millionaire media magnate, Malcolm Forbes. The house is open to the public and contains Forbes· collection of miniature soldiers, about 8,000 of them!

Very interesting part is that the word 'socco' is the Spanish version of 'souk', or market, which has stuck to this square in the heart of Tangier because of its Spanish heritage. The square is, however, no longer a marketplace, but rather a city crossroads and huge taxi rank, fronted by cafes, outside the walled in, old part of the city.

Don·t forget to visit Tangier American Legation Museum. In the midst of the old medina in Tangier, America has provided a thriving cultural centre, museum, conference venue and library in the only historic landmark of the United States that is located abroad. The American Legation Museum is housed in the American Embassy, established in Tangier back in 1777 when Morocco became the first power that recognised the United States of America as an independent country. The museum houses art collections and restored rooms. Guided tours are offered.

Author: Susan Milton

There are lots of interesting places to visit and explore