I went spontaneously went to Tangier in Morocco last June, which is on the very north of the continent, and a short journey from Spain. This was during a family holiday to Torremolinos. The opportunity to take a day trip came up, and we figured, why not take advantage of it? So, is a day trip to Morocco worth it?

The Morocco Day-Trip Experience

We had to get up at about 5am to get a bus through the whole Costa del Sol to pick up other tourists to take us to a port where we would get a ferry to Tangier. We were the first stop, and it was early, so I can’t provide any humorous anecdotes about it, but I did spend it trying to catch glimpses of the sunrise between the passing apartment blocks. 

The port was tiny and packed, and the ferry was uneventful. The view was beautiful, and being too obsessed with Pirates of the Caribbean had to refrain from dropping references. We were picked up by a bus and given a driving tour of the city, stopped briefly for a photo opportunity with camels, and then went back on to see more of Tangier. We departed the bus in the town and followed our guides, who showed us various landmarks.

Spectre was being filmed in Morcocco at the time. There were a few areas cut off for filming. Seeing a black van with “Cast & Crew” written on it drive through the middle of a snake charmers performance sure was something.

There were camel riding opportunities on our tour. There are conflicting statements about whether riding a camel is harmful or not. I’ll leave it up to you to make an informed decision.

You’d have just as good a time seeing the sights, the music, and the food without needing to ride a camel. If you’re on a tour like this, you can sit out for that part or ideally, find one that doesn’t do this at all.

Authentic Moroccan Mint Tea & Food

The tour group was treated to lunch in a restaurant with the liveliest band I have ever seen. The food was divine. The starter was a soup which tasted mildly of cinnamon, then we had beef skewers, followed by a main of couscous and chicken. I’ve couscous before, but I’ve actually incorporated it as a regular part of my diet now because I fell in love.

I couldn’t get enough of the mint tea. I know it was just a leaf in a glass, but it was perfectly minty and sweet. It was in a small shot-like glass, which wasn’t enough for me. 

Peppermint is my favourite herbal tea, but even just plain mint never replicates authentic Moroccan mint tea. I think the climate has a huge effect on the flavour. Mint leaves here are pretty bland in comparison! 

The Sights

We saw the Palace Petit Socco, which is basically the town’s square in the Medina Area, and the District Urbain de Tangier-Medina, which is the most beautiful-looking government building I’ve ever seen.

We didn’t get to see anything inside as this was basically a speed tour for visitors from Spain. However, if you’re visiting for more than a few hours, I would have loved to have seen the Caves of Hercules. 

Feeling refreshed after lunch, we got to see what most people were looking forward to the most: carpet shops. This is one of those things Morocco is known for. It was fascinating to see the people talk about how carpets are made. They showed us various rugs with different patterns and weaving styles.

Is A Day-Trip To Morocco Worth It?

I think the day trip to Morocco was definitely worth it! I feel like we saw a lot, but we weren’t rushed through it either, so there was enough time to savour everything. Of course, you don’t see everything, so if you’d like a more immersive trip, stay for longer.

I took home a yellow handmade scarf, it’s too delicate to wear every day, but I absolutely love it. We also got authentic Argan oil and locally grown saffron. You can see Tangier on my Postcard Wall, and it also earned a spot in my Adventure Book. 

This wasn’t just exciting because I was visiting another country, while already in another, but a whole new continent! This means I’ve been to three of the world’s seven continents. The others are Europe by default of living here, but I’ve seen other parts of Europe like Paris and London. I’ve also been the US, but mostly New York.

Have you ever been to Morocco?