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Tangier: when your ship stops here

The old port is now for passengers only: the medina and its Portuguese walls, the Kasbah and its museum, and the caves and lighthouse at the tip of Africa.

Facts checked Nov 3, 2026, each with its source. No prices on this page.

Tangier sits at the Strait of Gibraltar, where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic and Africa looks across at Spain. Cruise ships use the Tanger Ville passenger port in the city itself: since King Mohammed VI's new commercial port opened, cruise ships no longer unload beside cargo containers. A cruise port guide says shuttle buses and taxis wait at the terminal.

Sources: Wikipedia: Tangier; CruiseMapper (a cruise port guide site): Tangier

Top 3 things to do

  1. 1. The medina

    The old walled town, ringed by what is left of more than 1,800 m (6,000 feet) of stone rampart, most of it from the Portuguese occupation. Its craftsmen work leather, wood and silver, and the Petit Socco is the small square at the heart of its southern part; the Grand Socco, the old marketplace, is the big square outside the walls.

    Tip: Start at the Grand Socco and give the lanes an hour; a small craft bought here is the souvenir of the day.

    Source: Wikipedia: Tangier

  2. 2. The Kasbah and its museum

    The citadel on the western hill, La Montagne, above the medina. The Kasbah Palace, built where the English once had their Upper Castle and later the residence of the governors, is now the Museum of Mediterranean Cultures.

    Tip: It is uphill from the medina: climb to it first, then walk down through the lanes.

    Source: Wikipedia: Tangier

  3. 3. The Caves of Hercules and Cap Spartel

    The caves are 14 km (9 miles) west of the city at Cap Spartel, the north western tip of mainland Africa, beside the King's summer palace. They open to the sea through a hole shaped like the map of Africa, and reopened in October 2015 after a renovation. On the cape stands a lighthouse built by Sultan Muhammad IV in 1864, and visitors can go up it for the view of the Strait.

    Tip: It is a taxi or tour trip out and back along the coast; agree the wait and the return before you leave the port.

    Sources: Wikipedia: Caves of Hercules; Wikipedia: Cape Spartel

What to skip

  • Chefchaouen on a short call

    The blue town of the Rif is in the mountains between Tétouan and Ouazzane, and Tétouan alone is about 60 km (37 miles) from Tangier. A day in port is not enough to get there, see it and get back.

    Sources: Wikipedia: Chefchaouen; Wikipedia: Tétouan

Before you go ashore

You do not have to book a tour: you are free to go ashore on your own. Royal Caribbean sets the all aboard time about 30 minutes before the ship sails, posts it near the gangway, and says the ship does not wait for guests touring on their own.

Source: Royal Caribbean FAQ: Do I need to book a shore excursion?

Back-to-backs that stop in Tangier

Back-to-back cruises from these home ports have a stop in Tangier, from the Royal Caribbean sailings we track:

Sources

Read on Nov 3, 2026. Opening days, hours and rules change: check with the place itself before you go. legtolegcruises.com is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by Royal Caribbean International or any place named here.

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