Southern Spain has long been a favourite holiday destination for Brits. Cities and towns brimming with history, mouth-watering cuisine, and sandy beaches, all within two hours’ reach of the UK, have proven to be an unbeatable combination.
But popularity comes with its own problems, particularly for local people. Anti-tourist demonstrations have sprung up across Spain this summer, with tension between visitors and locals in tourist hotspots such as Mallorca, Menorca and Barcelona.
Last week, a continent-wide YouGov survey revealed that a third of Spanish residents say that their local area now has too many international visitors.
While there’s no disputing the appeal of such destinations, it’s worth venturing just eight miles across the Strait of Gibraltar to discover some of north Africa’s best cities, which enjoy many of the same attractions and welcoming locals – with only a smattering of crowds.
Tangier
Situated on the northernmost tip of Morocco, Tangier is home to a series of whitewashed, shuttered houses built up the hill from the port. Tall palm trees frame the esplanade and purple bougainvillea peek out of urban gardens.
This is a city with a storied history: it’s been a haven for spies, a magnet for writers like Jack Kerouac and Paul Bowles, a stepping-off point for the Arab conquest of Spain, and a bolthole for pirates.
Today, it has a thriving cafe culture, with strong, bitter espresso served in tiny cups. The Petit Socco is in the centre of the old town, the medina. This is where the literati used to slurp coffees between drug and absinthe binges, and it’s an ideal spot to soak up some history and sun. It’s also a great place to have a chat with local Tanjawis. Lead with football, government corruption or terrible bus crashes and you are onto a winner, as they are in the news every day.
Read more: Tangier’s new dawn – how Morocco’s dissident dive got its mojo back
Just five minutes away, in the central fruit and vegetable market, you’ll spot women who have come in from the countryside with their produce, dressed in the traditional clothes for this region. They wear distinctive…
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