http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20485
Riad Tizwa Fes is a personal and intimate Moroccan townhouse with charming and welcoming English speaking staff containing nine double bedrooms and WIFI in all the rooms. This place is an oasis we will definitely return to again and again !]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20485 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20344
You could go there on your own, but it's probably best if you book a tour from Gibraltar. Loads of tour companies do the Tangier tour - they charge different prices and some of the tours are from the Spanish side, so you should check the itinerary to see whether they pick you up at the hotel or you have to make your way to the port (it's about 30-40 minutes' drive).

Once you land in Tangier, you'll be driving all sorts of places - I suspect some places are run by relations of the guides and they try to sell you goods whether you want them or not. I'm not saying you shouldn't buy - small items are good, but be careful how much you pay!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20344 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20305
They have five beautiful rooms to stay in, a lovely roof terrace and the traditional Moroccan meals were very good (especially the lamb and prune tagine).]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20305 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20160
The best option is some form of self-catering to take advantage of the amazingly fresh fish, fruit and vegetables on sale in the local market in the medina. Shopping is a really fun, exciting experience and the locals will not rip you off.
The fishmongers will prepare the fish for a small fee.

Anything you cook from such brilliant ingredients, even if it is just salad and grilled fish, will taste brilliant.

The one and only off-license shuts at 8pm every day and is located just outside the medina at the north entrance.

For breakfast (if you don't mind the potential calories) everybody universally agrees the best is Patisserie Driss just at the rear corner of the main square. Get there before 11am for the best choice of French pastries, fresh orange juice and good coffee.

For snacks, the takeaway pizza stands near Driss are all good.

If you want a more elaborate, heavy, traditional Moroccan meal, visit one of the small restaurants in the 'dog leg' off the main square, near the carpet shops. All offer standard set menus with tagine, traditional Harira, etc. All are roughly the same standard and price (although I've recently heard bad things about Petit Pearl).

If you like fish don't miss the cafe at the back of the fish market. You buy your fish then pay them to cook it for you. If doesn't get fresher than that!

Avoid fish stalls around the port, well known to serve old manky fish to tourists and responsible for many a tummy upset.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20160 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20131
Meals can be prepared for you by a neighbour and it really is worth taking up this offer as her food was some of the best we had at some of the best prices!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20131 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20112 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20112 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20065 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20065 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20064 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20064 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20063 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20063 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20062 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20062 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20056
Just got back from a great trip to Marrakech, the High Atlas Mountains and Essaouira in Morocco. The trip was organised by a great locally-based company called Epic Morocco. We just gave them a rough idea of what we wanted to do and they organised a private tour including a three-day trek from Setti Fatma to Imlil with a trekking guide. These people are on the scene and they really know the best places to stay.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/20056 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19977
Le Pilotis was a complete contrast to what we saw earlier in the day in the medina of Casablanca and would not look out of place in Marbella. It is where the 'beautiful people' of Casablanca come yet to our UK pockets was not that expensive. It's fascinating to watch these people and there's wine and mediterranean food as well as some good music.

Plenty of seafood restaurants out here in the Corniche but one place we'd recommend is Le Pilotis.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19977 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19976
Unfortunately when we went there the church looked like it had been long closed. On Avenue Hassan II there is an Art Deco post office where even the letterboxes are tiled.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19976 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19961 However this bar/restaurant was based on the original set designs and really makes you believe you are sitting where Bogart ran his 'gin joint'.
A former US diplomat Kathy Kriger is behind this enterprise.

And yes... the pianist does play 'As Times Goes By'!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19961 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19960
Once you pass through airport security you can only use your dirhams to spend on food in the cafes.
All the other shops including the duty free shops are NOT allowed to accept dirhams and only accept hard currency such as euros.

If you did have excess dirhams you can change these in the airport before you go through security.

Especially when the cigarettes are so cheap in the duty free shops, you'd be kicking yourself if all you have is dirhams to spend.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19960 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19959 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19959 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19958
You can see the evidence with the occasional Star of David and Hebrew lettering on buildings. There are still three active synagogues out of nearly 30. For a few coins the local kids will show you where the working synagogues are.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19958 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19955
The Hivernage is a neighbourhood of nice villas and five-star hotels so Café Extrablatt is an interesting contrast to the relative poverty of the medina. Watch as the customers pull up in their 4x4s dressed in their western fashions. Still not expensive from a western point of view but interesting to people-watch.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19955 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19954 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19954 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19953
In hindsight we should have booked first class tickets a day or two before. First class does not cost that much more (Train fares are very cheap compared to UK fares). When we bought our tickets on the day of travel, the first class tickets were sold out.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/19953