You NEED to visit these places !
I am writing this article a little bit late (a week after my little getaway in Tangier) but here’s the story…
1. Dar Nour
Last week-end we decided – unexpectedly- to visit Tangier. I have never spent more than few hours there, so I was really excited to discover the city !
First, we arrived at our Hotel, a little riad I chose carefully after reading hundreds of reviews… and I must admit, it did not disappoint ! Dar nour was everything you could imagine the Tangier medina holds for you. Charming, chic, friendly, historical and with an amazing view ! When you get there, everyone greets you with the sentence “Welcome HOME !” I guess it’s their mantra and it really makes you feel welcomed.
Dar nour was the location for movies, photoshoots with international magazines and home to some famous actors ! Before you get there, you will have to cross the magnificent little streets of Tangier, all white and blue freshly painted. I was so amazed and mesmerized by all the history and charm of the Medina, It honestly felt like Greece.
2. Le Tangerino
On our first day we went out for a walk to discover the city, and had lunch at le Tangerino, I saw that Chris Hemsworth was there, so I thought, if it’s good enough for Thor its good enough for me ! Tangerino for all Casaoui is the equivalent of Casa Jose but with a slightly different Vibe and a beautiful view of the coast !
The food was honestly delicious and the prices were very reasonable. We chose several tapas ( salads, calamari, patatas bravas…) and non alcoholic cocktails. The bill was 380 DHS for two.
3. Le Mirage
We continued our walk discovering Tangier’s streets and went to Le Mirage Hotel, a luxurious hotel straight from a Hampton’s postcard with the most amazing view I have ever seen. You literally feel like on a boat.
We had tea admiring the sunset on the Mediterranean thinking of how magical that place was !
3. Les grottes d’Hercules
Never have I ever, thought that Morocco had such beautiful landscapes and natural spots to visit. Les grottes d’Hercules are located under Le mirage Hotel and they are split in two. There is a free area and a paying area. The paying area was only 5 dhs and offered a little entertainment. Once you were in the cave, there were Gnawa playing, a man with a little monkey you could play with and a little waterfall. On the other hand, the other cave was immense, dark, and mesmerizing. It’s crazy how nature could make you feel so small sometimes. This cave had also an opening on the see like an eye on the outside world. Such an amazing discovery !
You’ll see more of it on my highlights “travel category”
6. Plage Achakkar
We were craving a good beach day so we visited this well known beach called Achakkar. The coast road to the beach made us speechless, people were stopping on the road to take pictures. I snapped some from the car and we finally arrived at our destination. The intensity of the blue was the first thing I noticed, you could have quickly thought you were in italy or South of France. The beach was also quite empty so that was refreshing !
Unfortunately, the wind (char9i) as they call it, made the experience less enjoyable but we were so happy to discover this little jewell.
5. La villa Josephine
On our last day, we visited this incredible House called Villa Josephine located on Tangier Hills with an amazing view of the mediterranean. This house was built in the 1900 and was home to Le pacha El Glaoui of Marrakech. The house was decorated with a particular style, a crossroad between French Riviera and Mediterranean style.
We had dinner on the Villa’s Terrace, however, despite the incredible spot and it’s amazing architecture, we didn’t appreciate the service nor the food. For such an amazing spot we expected better ! We waited 45 min for the food to arrive and I couldn’t even choose what I wanted, because nothing was available. I ended up choosing grilled salmon that came NAKED on a plate with some taglietalles that didn’t look so tasty. However, we didn’t pay attention as we really wanted to enjoy the space. Therefore, we talked while admiring the view and ended up eating our dessert and having tea in the cozy saloon all decorated with wood, red velvet and beautiful chandeliers…
But here’s where the Drama starts…
Sunday morning, I woke up so sick we had to call an emergency doctor because I couldn’t walk, my arterial pressure dropped to 9, I was about to loose consciousness because of how much my body was reacting badly to everything, even water and meds. Unfortunately, after coming back to Casa ( not the best trip trust me ) I felt sicker and sicker. 2 days later, I ended up at the hospital with at least 5 bottles of different serums injected into my arm. A real nightmare, at first I thought it was that Bocadillo Sandwish I just tasted (only few bites) while my husband took a whole one, but the more I think about it, the more I am sure it was that damn Salmon ! And you know what makes me so sad ? Beside the fact that I actually bought a dress to go there ? It’s How unfortunate that such a beautiful diamond with such history could be held by such unprofessional people ! Like, How ?
Apparently the owner died 6 months ago and no heir is there to claim the estate… So, if you have few millions in the bank go for it…
PS : Despite of the food poisoning, I would still recommend you to visit ONLY, drink tea and enjoy the place because it’s worth the view, but STAY AWAY FROM THE FOOD.
