Northern Morocco Itinerary: 5 Days Tangier to Tetouan

A Northern Morocco itinerary is the easiest way to see a side of the country most first-timers miss: the whitewashed coast towns of the Strait, the blue lanes of Chefchaouen, and the Hispano-Moorish streets of Tetouan — all packed into five very manageable days.

This route starts and ends in Tangier, so it works whether you fly into Tangier Ibn Battouta Airport or sail in by ferry from Tarifa or Algeciras in Spain. Two days in Tangier, two in Chefchaouen, one in Tetouan — with no drive longer than three hours. No domestic flights, no marathon bus rides: just one compact, scenic loop through the Rif foothills.

Day 1: arrive in Tangier, Africa's gateway to Europe

Arrive by midday and check into a medina riad — many have rooftop terraces facing the Strait of Gibraltar. Then walk it off: start at the Grand Socco, duck into the covered souks, and climb to the kasbah, where the old Sultan's palace (now the Museum of Mediterranean Cultures) sits above the city's best sea views.

End the day at Café Hafa, the cliffside café where Paul Bowles and the Rolling Stones once watched the sunset. Order the mint tea as the lights of Tarifa blink on across the strait.

Day 2: Cape Spartel, the Hercules Caves and the old international zone

Head to Cape Spartel, where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean, with the Hercules Caves below opening to the sea through a natural arch shaped like the map of Africa. Back in town, stroll the art-deco boulevards around Place de France and visit the American Legation museum — the first American public property outside the United States.

Wondering is Tangier worth visiting? For a one- or two-night stop, absolutely: walkable, mellow, affordable and culturally fascinating.

Day 3: Tangier to Chefchaouen — the blue city

Drive south into the Rif — about 110 km and two and a half hours by car or CTM bus — and Chefchaouen appears: an entire medina washed in blue. Spend the afternoon getting happily lost in its lanes, climb to the Spanish Mosque on the hill for the sunset panorama, and finish with dinner on Plaza Uta el-Hammam, the blue city's living-room square.

Chefchaouen's medina is small, clean and calm — one of the most relaxing places to simply wander in all of Morocco.

Day 4: Akchour waterfalls or a slow blue morning

Active travellers should head 30 km east to Akchour, where a riverside trail leads past waterfalls and natural pools to the famous God's Bridge — a natural stone arch over the river. The full walk takes four to five hours; shorter versions reach the first cascades in about an hour each way, with riverside restaurants for lunch.

Prefer slow? Hike to the Ras El Maa cascades, try a hammam, and shop for the town's famous woven blankets and goat cheese — then sleep a second night in the blue city.

Day 5: Tetouan, the white dove, then back to Tangier

Drive 60 km (ninety minutes) to Tetouan, the 'White Dove' — Morocco's most Spanish-flavoured city, its medina a UNESCO World Heritage site — smaller and calmer than Fes or Marrakech. Don't miss the Andalusian quarter, the archaeological museum with its remarkable Roman mosaics, and the elegant Spanish colonial Ensanche grid outside the walls.

After lunch, 75 km and ninety minutes brings you back to Tangier for an evening ferry or a final medina night.

Getting around: road trip or public transport?

This is one of the easiest road trip routes in northern Morocco: paved, well-signposted, scenic roads with no serious mountain passes. Rental cars from Tangier airport run 300–500 MAD ($30–50) per day.

Going car-free? CTM and Supratours buses connect Tangier and Chefchaouen several times daily; grand taxis (shared sedans) link Chefchaouen to Tetouan and Tetouan back to Tangier. Only Akchour is awkward without a car — hire a grand taxi from Chefchaouen for the day.

Where to stay on this northern Morocco trip

• Tangier (2 nights): a medina or kasbah riad with a sea-view terrace — most include breakfast on the roof.
• Chefchaouen (2 nights): a guesthouse near Plaza Uta el-Hammam, steps from the blue lanes and restaurants.
• Tetouan (or back in Tangier): Tetouan works as a day trip, but an overnight medina riad lets you see it after the day-trippers leave.

Book ahead in summer and Moroccan holidays — Chefchaouen is small and its best riads fill fast.

How much does a 5-day northern Morocco trip cost?

• Mid-range: roughly 600–900 MAD ($60–90) per person per day — riad, restaurant meals, museum entries, shared transport.
• Budget: hostels, street food, grand taxis and buses bring it to 350–500 MAD ($35–50) per day.
• Splurge: Tangier's boutique hotels in former colonial mansions run 1,500–2,500 MAD a night.

Carry cash dirhams — the old towns run on cash.