Tangier is such an evocative city. It really does have echoes of yesteryear and its role as hang out central for the Beat Poets is legendary. The sea sparkles bright here and the mountains of Spain shimmer on the horizon just across from it. It’s somewhere that still has a bit of an edge but is a friendly city with a welcome and a smile for visitors. There’s not a huge amount specifically for children in Tangier but there’s plenty for a family to enjoy. We travelled to the city as part of our family trip to Morocco, taking the night train between Marrakech and Tangier. Here’s our top things to do in Tangier with kids – a mix of culture and fun.
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Taking the night train between Marrakech and Tangier
Table of Contents
Take a cookery class
A cookery class in Tangier is a great place to get out of the heat and find a moment of calm.
Blue Door Cookery classes provide tuition for kids and families and they’re a wonderful way to spend some time together and learn about local food.
We took one of their vegetarian classes to make a vegetable couscous and traditional bread which we took to be cooked up in the local community oven.
It was a wonderful experience for all of us.
Read our review of a cookery class at Blue Door Cuisine.
Find a playground
The wide promenade between the city and the sea is home to a number of really good playgrounds for kids.
We found them slightly unsettling when dusk arrived (with a large number of young men hanging around). But during the day they were full of other families so we were happy to let the kids stay and play a while.
There is good play equipment for all ages including trampolines and swings.
Hang out in the haunts of the Beat Poets
Take the opportunity to introduce older kids to the likes of Jack Kerouac, William Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg who would come to Tangier in the 50s to seek inspiration and a cool hang out.
We loved taking in some of their favourite haunts including the Café Central on the Petit Socco, Cafe du Paris and Le Tangerine.
Order coffee or soft drinks and watch all of the colourful characters drift past.
Go to the beach – one of the top things to do in Tangier with kids
Tangier has a large municipal beach off of the main city.
It’s not the cleanest with some rubbish strewn around but you can find spots that are more pleasant.
It’s still a nice place to get on to the sand and it’s wonderful to look across the Strait of Gibraltar to Spain and Gibraltar beyond.
There are plenty of horses here you can pay to ride but all completely unlicensed and not recommended.
It’s another good place to people watch and you’ll find other families enjoying the sand too.
Head to the mall
While the mall in Tangier is nothing like the bigger ones in the country (like Menara Mall in Marrakech for example), it is trying to add something different to the city.
The Tanger City Mall has a number of higher end shops, a nice sized supermarket and if you’re looking to get out of the heat and the craziness of the city for a while an air of calm about it.
On the top floor is the somewhat odd Super Land which for some reason is a Netherlands themed play space.
There are lots of fast food restaurants around along with a climbing wall, bumper cars and a large soft play zone.
It’s a good place for kids to burn off some energy.
Spend time in the souks – things to do in Tangier with kids
The old Medina of Tangier shouldn’t be overlooked. This is a wonderful place to get lost in the backstreets and to give the children a few dirham to have a go at bartering for a couple of souvenirs. We loved all the wicker bags, leatherwear, colourful clothes and trinkets.
Read our feature all about what to buy in Morocco.
Enjoy the colourful streets – one of the great things to do in Tangier with kids
Tangier is a really colourful city to wander through. Kids will love all the multicoloured streets which makes them fun to climb up and down. And there’s little boutiques lining the way to stop in too.
It’s a nice city to explore.
Find out more with our complete guide to Morocco with kids including places to stay and what to buy on a trip to this evocative country.
