A week based in Tangier is enough to combine the city itself with the blue lanes of Chefchaouen, the artist's town of Asilah and the Andalusian streets of Tetouan — with the option to push on south by high-speed train. Here are two proven routes and how to choose.
In this guide
Option A — Tangier & the Rif (slow north)
The relaxed first-timer's week: settle into Tangier, then fan out on short day trips to the best of the north. Drives are gentle, mostly under three hours, and the city always pulls you back to its café terraces in the evening.
- Days 1–2: Tangier — kasbah, medina, the Grand and Petit Socco, sunset at Café Hafa.
- Day 3: Cap Spartel and the Caves of Hercules, where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean.
- Day 4: Day trip south to Asilah — whitewashed ramparts and painted medina walls.
- Days 5–6: Two nights in Chefchaouen, the blue city high in the Rif.
- Day 7: A slow Tangier morning and departure from Ibn Battouta Airport (TNG) or the ferry to Spain.
Option B — North to imperial heart (train south)
A week that starts on the Strait and rides the Al Boraq high-speed line south: Tangier and its Rif day trips, then the medieval medina of Fes and Roman Volubilis, before returning north.
- Days 1–2: Tangier — kasbah, medina and Cap Spartel.
- Day 3: Tetouan, the whitewashed Andalusian medina and UNESCO old town.
- Day 4: Al Boraq train south, then Fes — the world's largest car-free medina.
- Day 5: Meknes and Roman Volubilis at golden hour.
- Day 6: Chefchaouen, the blue city, on the way back north.
- Day 7: Return to Tangier and departure (TNG) or ferry to Spain.
How to choose
Pick Option A for a relaxed, beach-and-Rif week that never strays far from Tangier. Pick Option B if you want to fold in Fes and the imperial heritage, using the fast train to cover the distance. Either can be reshaped around a ferry arrival from Tarifa or a flight into Tangier.
Frequently asked
Is 7 days enough for northern Morocco?
Comfortably. A week based in Tangier covers the city, Cap Spartel, Chefchaouen, Asilah and Tetouan at a relaxed pace, with time left to add a fast-train day down to Fes if you want imperial history too.
Can you do Tangier and Chefchaouen in a week?
Easily. Chefchaouen is about two and a half hours south through the Rif. Two nights there, plus Tangier and a couple of coastal day trips, makes a full and unhurried week.
How much driving is a 7-day northern trip?
Day trips from Tangier are short — Asilah under an hour, Tetouan around an hour, Chefchaouen about two and a half hours. A private driver makes the Rif roads relaxed rather than tiring.
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Itineraries
Northern Morocco Itinerary: 10 Days from Tangier
Ten days from Tangier is the sweet spot — long enough to soak up the gateway city and the Rif, then ride the high-speed train south to Fes and the imperial heart before circling back to the Strait.
Planning
The Best Time to Visit Tangier & Northern Morocco
Late spring (April–June) and early autumn (September–October) are the best all-round times for Tangier — warm but not heavy, the Strait breeze still gentle, and ideal conditions for the kasbah, the beaches and day trips to Chefchaouen, Asilah and Tetouan.
Practical
Getting Around Tangier & Northern Morocco
Tangier is Morocco's northern gateway — the ferry terminals from Spain, Ibn Battouta Airport and the high-speed train all meet here. Within the city you'll walk and use petit taxis; for the Rif day trips you'll want a private driver or an intercity bus.