Things to do · Tangier
On the leafy hills west of Tangier, on the road that climbs out of the city toward Cap Spartel, lies the Old Mountain — known in French as La Montagne and in Arabic as Jbel Kbir. This affluent, green hilltop district has long been the enclave of wealthy expatriates, diplomats and the international set, a quiet world of large villas, walled gardens and woodland of pine, eucalyptus and cork oak, scattered foreign residences and a royal palace. What draws visitors today is not a list of ticketed sights — most of the villas are private homes, best admired from the road — but the leafy scenic drive, the sweeping views over the bay and the Strait of Gibraltar, and the district's place in Tangier's cosmopolitan 'Interzone' history. Here is how to read the Old Mountain, its history and views, and how to fold it into a half-day out toward Cap Spartel and the Caves of Hercules.
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The Old Mountain is a leafy, affluent residential area spread across the hills west of Tangier. Large villas sit behind walls and gardens among pine, eucalyptus and cork oak, and the overall feel is green, quiet and private — a wooded hillside of homes rather than a street of attractions, so the pleasure is in the setting itself.
For decades La Montagne has been associated with Tangier's international community — wealthy expatriates, diplomats and foreign residents who built or bought villas on these slopes. It is part of the city's cosmopolitan story from the era of the international zone, when Tangier drew an unusually mixed set of outsiders.
Because the district sits high on the hills above the coast, gaps between the trees and the higher stretches of road open onto long views over the bay of Tangier and the Strait of Gibraltar. On clear days the sea spreads wide below and the Spanish shore can sit on the horizon across the water.
More than any single stop, the Old Mountain rewards a slow drive. The winding, tree-shaded roads climb past gardens, woodland and glimpses of villas and sea, making this one of the most pleasant approaches out of Tangier — best enjoyed as a scenic loop rather than a place to park and tick off sights.
The hillside is well wooded, with pine, eucalyptus and cork oak shading the slopes and the cooler, scented air a welcome change from the city. The greenery is part of what has kept the district desirable, and it blends into the larger band of woodland that runs west toward the coast.
Among the residences on the Old Mountain is a royal palace, in keeping with the district's status as one of Tangier's most exclusive corners. Like the private villas, it is not a visitor attraction — it is seen, if at all, from the public road, so admire the setting and respect that this is a private and official residence.
The grand houses of La Montagne are private homes, often screened by walls, gates and mature gardens, so most are glimpsed rather than fully seen from outside. The interest is in the atmosphere — the scale of the properties and the greenery around them — rather than any one building you can enter.
The Old Mountain lies along the route that climbs west out of Tangier toward Cap Spartel, so it sits naturally on the way to the cape. It is easy to take the drive up through La Montagne and continue out to the headland, lighthouse and the nearby Caves of Hercules in the same outing.
The wooded slopes of La Montagne adjoin the Rmilat forest and Perdicaris Park on the same band of green hills west of the city. If you want to stretch your legs rather than just drive, the park's walking trails and clifftop viewpoints make a natural complement to a scenic loop through the Old Mountain.
This is first and foremost a quiet residential district, not a tourist site. There are few formal facilities and little to 'do' beyond enjoying the drive and the views, so keep to public roads, admire the villas and gardens from outside, and respect the privacy of residents rather than treating private grounds as an attraction.
The Old Mountain — La Montagne in French, Jbel Kbir in Arabic — is a leafy, affluent residential district on the hills west of Tangier, on the road toward Cap Spartel. Long the enclave of wealthy expatriates, diplomats and the international set, it is a green area of large private villas, gardens and woodland, with a royal palace and sweeping views over the bay and the Strait of Gibraltar.
Not in the sense of ticketed sights — most of the villas are private homes and the royal palace is an official residence, so there is no list of attractions to enter. The appeal is the leafy scenic drive, the woodland and the long sea views, plus the district's place in Tangier's cosmopolitan Interzone history. It is best enjoyed as a scenic loop and admired from the public road.
The easiest way is by car or taxi, taking the road that climbs west out of Tangier toward Cap Spartel and looping through the wooded hillside of La Montagne. Because it is a residential area rather than an attraction, arrange your transport in advance and treat it as a drive-through with stops at viewpoints rather than a place with parking and facilities.
The Old Mountain sits on the route west of Tangier, so it pairs naturally with Cap Spartel and the nearby Caves of Hercules out at the headland, and with the adjoining Rmilat forest and Perdicaris Park if you want a woodland walk. A scenic drive through La Montagne followed by the cape and caves makes an easy half-day escape from the city.
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