Fly from Nice to Tangier

Kasbah Gate, Mulattress Fatmah, the Sitting Rifain... Any of that ring a bell? They represent just a few paintings by Henri Matisse, one of the most important painters of the last century, painted in Tangier. And the Beat Generation, ever heard of it? A prelude to the hippie wave, this literary movement of the 1950s was born right here in the city where novelists Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and William Burroughs settled for a time - or a long time. And those are just a few of the artists who have found in the white city, if not a muse, then at least fertile soil for their creativity.
And this cultural dimension still thrives. Here, you’ll chat about painting and literature, dream of cinema, meet VIPs searching for anonymity and discover young talents eager to make a name for themselves. As a couple or with friends, this is a place where grown-ups can melt into an epicurean atmosphere, a combination of simplicity, nostalgia, and sweetness where nothing is forbidden, a place that has so fascinated past generations. The word "happiness" can be written in the gold of the warm, faithful Moroccan sun and that of the shimmering sandy beaches, in the white and blue of the façades of the Medina, in the bright reds and the soft greens of the ceramics you’ll see in palaces and market stalls.

• Wander through the Grand Socco, a site immortalised in one of Joseph Kessel’s novels. Renovated, today it is home to numerous friendly cafés and restaurants, great shops, and a food market as fragrant as it is colourful.
• Turn off your phone and get wonderfully lost in the Medina. In the shade of 500-year-old ramparts, Tangier’s old city is a magnificent labyrinth of narrow streets and bright colours with an authentic and joyful atmosphere.
• While you're strolling the Medina, be sure to visit the Petit Socco and its "lazy" terraces; the Great Mosque; the American Legation, a cultural Mecca; the Kasbah, a seven-century-old citadel, and Dar-El-Makhzen palace, guardian of the wisdom and craftsmanship of Tangier.
• Capture a photo of both the Moroccan and Spanish coasts, Europe and Africa, in one click as you walk along Cape Spartel, where the Atlantic and Mediterranean meet. It’s a walk to the edge of the world, just 15 km from the city.
• Go natural by wandering the Mendoubia Gardens. An oasis in the heart of Tangier. Don’t miss the 800-year-old banyan tree! Another nature site: Perdicaris Park located at the edge of the city. 67 hectares of acacias, pines, and bay trees.
• Follow in the footsteps of Hercules. The mythological Greek demigod is said to have taken a nap near Tangier in a cave by the ocean, since named the Cave of Hercules. More than a legend, it’s a breathtaking natural site.
• Lay out your towel on the sands of Cape Malabata, Sidi Kacem, Oued Alian or Dalia, the most popular beaches in the Tangier region.
• Have a mint tea on the terrace of El Hafa, a famous Tangier café. Perched on a cliff, it has looked out over the Bay of Tangier since 1921. Many celebrities, such as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, have come for the amazing hospitality and even better view.
• Feeling homesick? Head to the Place de France, the epicentre of the city, and have a drink at Café de Paris, another Tangier institution. Who knows, you may be sipping your coffee at the same table as Jean Genet and Francis Bacon did, two regulars of yesteryear.
• Drive towards the Rif Mountains until you find Chefchaouen. This picturesque town, surrounded by mountains, is known for the beautiful Ras El Masa spring, its Medina, and its houses painted in white and a dozen different shades of blue. It feels very much like heaven.