A five-day loop of Morocco's deep north, anchored on Tangier: the kasbah and Cap Spartel where two seas meet, the whitewashed art town of Asilah and the Roman ruins of Lixus, the blue city of Chefchaouen, and the Andalusian UNESCO medina of Tetouan with its Mediterranean coast — all back to the strait. The most complete short circuit of the Spanish-Moorish north.
Day by day
Your 5-day plan
- 1
Day 1
Tangier, the kasbah & Cap Spartel
Begin in Tangier: the Kasbah quarter and the Kasbah Museum, down through the medina to the Petit Socco, and a tea at Café Hafa above the sea, open since 1921 with views toward Spain. In the afternoon drive 14 km west to Cap Spartel, the northwesternmost point of mainland Africa where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean, and on to the Caves of Hercules with their famous Africa-shaped sea opening.
- Kasbah Museum
- Petit Socco
- Café Hafa
- Cap Spartel lighthouse
- Caves of Hercules
- 2
Day 2
Asilah & the ruins of Lixus
Drive about 45 minutes south down the Atlantic coast to Asilah, a relaxed walled town of blue-and-white lanes, painted murals and Portuguese sea ramparts. Continue a little further south to Larache and the hilltop Roman (and earlier Phoenician) ruins of Lixus above the Loukkos estuary, one of the oldest sites in Morocco. Grilled fish by the water before settling for the night.
- Asilah ramparts & murals
- Portuguese sea walls
- Lixus Roman ruins
- Larache estuary
- 3
Day 3
Into the Rif to Chefchaouen
Head inland and up into the Rif mountains — roughly two hours — to Chefchaouen, the blue city. Spend the day in the indigo medina, Outa el-Hammam square and the kasbah, then climb to the Spanish Mosque for sunset over the blue rooftops and the surrounding peaks.
- Rif mountain drive
- Blue medina
- Outa el-Hammam square
- Spanish Mosque sunset
- 4
Day 4
Tetouan & the Mediterranean coast
Drive about an hour and a half down from the mountains to Tetouan, the 'white dove', whose UNESCO-listed medina is the most complete Andalusian-Moorish old town in Morocco, settled by refugees from Granada. After the medina and the Royal Palace square, drop to the nearby Mediterranean at Martil and M'diq for a late-afternoon walk along the sand.
- Tetouan UNESCO medina
- Andalusian architecture
- Royal Palace square
- Martil & M'diq beaches
- 5
Day 5
Coast road back to Tangier
The scenic run back west — about an hour from Tetouan — toward Tangier, with the strait and the Spanish coast in view on arrival. Time for a last wander of the medina or the corniche before your onward ferry or flight.
- Mediterranean coast road
- Strait viewpoints
- Tangier medina
- Onward connection
Good to know
Practical notes
- The whole circuit stays in the north with short drives — Tangier–Asilah about 45 minutes, Asilah/Larache up to Chefchaouen around two hours, Chefchaouen–Tetouan about an hour and a half, and Tetouan–Tangier roughly an hour.
- Spring (April–June) and early autumn (September–October) are the best seasons: warm, clear and green in the Rif, before the summer beach crowds around M'diq and Martil.
- Chefchaouen and Tetouan both have protected or UNESCO-listed medinas that reward a local guide; the Rif roads and town transfers are far easier with a private driver-guide.
- Photograph Chefchaouen's blue lanes early — day-trip coaches arrive late morning — and carry cash, as smaller towns and cafés like Café Hafa are cash-only.
Frequently asked
What is the best 5-day itinerary in northern Morocco?
A loop from Tangier: the city and Cap Spartel on day one, Asilah and the Lixus Roman ruins on day two, Chefchaouen in the Rif on day three, Tetouan's Andalusian medina and the Mediterranean coast on day four, then back to Tangier — short drives the whole way.
Can you see Chefchaouen, Tetouan and Asilah in one trip from Tangier?
Yes — they sit within easy reach of Tangier in the north. Asilah is about 45 minutes south, Chefchaouen around two hours into the Rif, and Tetouan roughly an hour and a half from Chefchaouen and an hour from Tangier, so a five-day circuit links all three comfortably.
When is the best time to do this northern circuit?
Spring and early autumn are ideal — warm, clear and green in the Rif, with quieter medinas and beaches. Summer is hot and busy on the Mediterranean coast, while winter can bring rain and cooler mountain evenings around Chefchaouen.
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