I can’t think of any big city in Europe where you wake up literally at “cock crow.” In Tangier, Morocco—right across the Strait of Gibraltar from Spain—the roosters, even more than the minaret’s call to prayer, make sure the city wakes up early. I spent a recent birthday in Tangier, and started my special day with the roosters.
I arrived in Tangier after a quick ferry ride from Tarifa, on the southern coast of Spain. Though it’s just a 35-minute boat ride away, Tangier feels a world apart from Europe. Like almost every city in Morocco, Tangier is split into a new town and an old town (medina). The old town, encircled by a medieval wall, has colorful markets; twisty, hilly streets; and the Kasbah, with its palace and mosque. The Grand Socco, a big, noisy square, is the link between the old and new parts of town. The city is light on museums and attractions, but it doesn’t need them; Tangier’s sights are living in the streets.
