Rabat – Did you know that Tangier has one of the richest and most interesting cafe cultures in the world?
Its cafes are richly entwined with its history, acting as hubs for artists and writers and also meeting places for spies throughout its international era.
Vibrant and intriguing, the charm of the early days remains in these traditional cafes in Tangier, so next time you’re in Tangier, why not pay a visit and enjoy a delicious glass of coffee or mint tea.
The Gran Cafe de Paris is a historic cafe located across from the French Consulate. During the world wars and the following international era of Tangier, this cafe was well known to be the meeting place of writers and spies alike.
With its central location in the Medina, the Gran Cafe Central has been a meeting place for intellectuals and artists for decades.
It was originally opened in 1813 and remains popular, especially amongst tourists for its history and contribution to the Tangier cafe scene.
Not the oldest, but definitely one of the most famous cafes in the city. Cafa Hafa is a mint tea distributing institution perched on a cliff in the Marshan neighbourhood. Its immense popularity is thanks to its beautiful multilayered terraces with a view straight across the Strait of Gibraltar to Spain.
This cafe has a charming two-story terrace and offers a view over all of the other pretty terraced roof-tops in Tangier’s Medina, catering especially to students and a youthful clientele.
Cafe Baba is a traditional cafe located in the heart of the old Medina. Crowded and small, it is slightly edgy and has a cozy traditional atmosphere perfect for relaxing with friends or a book.
This is another cafe located in Petit Socco in the center of the Medina. Named after the Roman name for the city, Cafe Tingis is known as a Tangier institution, and is a great spot to sit and people watch.
Whether you’re a local or just visiting, these cafes are great places to hangout with friends or entertain yourself alone, just like all of the artists, intellectuals and spies of days past.
What are you waiting for?
Order a tea or coffee and sit back, relax, and absorb the richness of Tangier’s cafe culture.
