Tangier Kasbah

The highest point of the old city, where the sultans once lived and the views reach to Spain. The kasbah was a fortress before it was a palace before it became the tangle of streets it is now — a neighbourhood above a neighbourhood.

The gates are worth finding. Bab el-Assa leads through the old mechanics' quarter; Bab Haha opens to the sea. Inside, the streets narrow and twist. Getting lost is the method. You'll emerge at a viewpoint eventually — the Strait of Gibraltar, the Spanish coast, the ferry traffic crossing between continents.

The Dar el-Makhzen palace, now a museum, contains Moroccan arts and antiquities. The collection is less important than the courtyard — a quiet rectangle of orange trees and fountains, walled off from the medina chaos.

Best time: Late afternoon (views toward Spain)

Allow: 2 hours (with museum)

Combine with: Petit Socco and Grand Socco