Private tour · Licensed guide
Anthony Bourdain Tangier Tour: In His Footsteps Through the Medina
Overview
About this tour
- Duration About 4 hours
- Group Private, yours only
- Pick-up Hotel, port or airport
- Difficulty Moderate
- Start time You choose
In 2013 Anthony Bourdain came to Tangier for the fifth episode of Parts Unknown, looking for the city of William Burroughs and Paul Bowles. This private Anthony Bourdain tour of Tangier follows him through the medina: the café tables of the Petit Socco, fresh goat cheese at the Grand Socco, mint tea at Café Baba in the Kasbah and a long fish lunch at Saveur de Poisson.
Your licensed guide tells the stories in between: the International Zone, the writers and musicians who came for it, and what has changed since the cameras left.
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The walk takes about four hours at an easy pace, and lunch is included. The cafés and the restaurant are independent places with their own opening hours: your guide checks them on the day and swaps a stop when one is closed.
An independent tour inspired by the episode. It is not affiliated with Anthony Bourdain's estate, CNN or the show.
Clear terms, no surprises
What's Included in the Bourdain Tour
Included
- Private licensed local guide for the whole walk
- Pick-up and drop-off at your hotel, riad, the port or the ferry terminal in Tangier
- Tea at Café Tingis on the Petit Socco
- Goat cheese and bread at the Grand Socco
- Mint tea at Café Baba in the Kasbah
- Fish lunch at Saveur de Poisson
- Bottled water
Not included
- Travel to Tangier
- Drinks and dishes beyond those listed
- Personal shopping
- Tips for your guide
- Travel insurance
Where we'll meet you
Meeting Point and Hotel Pickup in Tangier
Your guide collects you wherever you are in Tangier, at the time you choose, and brings you back at the end of the tour.
- Your hotel or riad
- Cruise port or ferry terminal
- Airport or train station
Your day, stop by stop
Anthony Bourdain Tangier Tour Itinerary
Seven stops. Your guide adapts the order and the pace to you.
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Petit Socco and Café Tingis
The little square at the heart of the medina, where Bourdain drank tea at Café Tingis with Jonathan Dawson, a British writer long settled in Tangier. We take a table and start with the story of the International Zone.
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The Grand Socco market
Jben, fresh goat cheese sold on palm leaves, with warm bread from a stall at the edge of the square, as in the episode.
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Hotel El Muniria
The small hotel where William Burroughs wrote much of Naked Lunch, and where Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg came to see him in 1957. Seen from the street.
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The medina souks
The lanes Bourdain wandered, with the spice, olive and produce stalls, and your guide pointing out what to taste.
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Café Baba in the Kasbah
Mint tea at the Kasbah café that has been open since 1943, its walls hung with photographs of famous guests.
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Fish lunch at Saveur de Poisson
The small restaurant by the Grand Socco where Bourdain ate fish tagine, grilled fish and fresh fruit juice. A set menu that follows the morning's catch.
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Back to your hotel or the port
The walk ends where suits you, or you stay on in the medina with your guide's tips.
Good to know
Additional information
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Difficulty
Moderate
About 3 km on foot over four hours, with slopes and steps up to the Kasbah.
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Lunch
Included
A fish lunch at Saveur de Poisson, plus the tastings on the way.
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Start time
You choose
Any time that suits you. The best start is 9 or 10 am.
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Pick-up
Where you are
From your hotel or riad, the cruise port, the ferry terminal, the airport or the train station in Tangier.
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Children
All ages welcome
There is no minimum age, and child seats are included.
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Limited mobility
Tell us when you book
Every private tour works for guests with limited mobility or a wheelchair. Let us know and your guide plans the route around it.
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Languages
English, French, Spanish or Arabic
Your licensed guide leads the tour in the language you choose.
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What to bring
Shoes, sun cream, cash
Comfortable walking shoes, sun protection, and some cash for lunch and souvenirs.
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Payment
No deposit
Nothing to pay when you book. Pay in cash, by PayPal or by bank transfer.
Cancellation policy
Free cancellation, no deposit
Cancel or change your date at no cost. Tell us at least 48 hours before if you can, on WhatsApp or by email.
Questions?
We reply within 12 hours
Ask about the route, the pick-up or anything else before you book. Use the form above or message us directly.
Guest reviews
What travellers say about our guides
Fadi was an exceptional tour guide! He explained everything clearly and made the whole day fun and interesting. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience.
Our full-day tour in Tangier was perfect. Fadi took great care of us, showed us hidden gems, and made us feel like locals. Highly recommended!
Fantastic guide, very knowledgeable, patient, and friendly. He brought the history of Tangier to life. Truly a memorable day.
We loved our tour with Fadi! His professionalism and warm personality made us feel safe and welcome. The itinerary was well-balanced and full of beautiful surprises.
If you visit Tangier, make sure you tour with Fadi. He knows every corner of the city and shares great stories. This was the highlight of our trip.
Fadi made our tour unforgettable. Great communication, perfect timing, and lots of local insights. We appreciated how he customized the experience for us.
Questions and answers
Questions about the Anthony Bourdain Tangier Tour
Where did Anthony Bourdain go in Tangier?
In the Tangier episode of Parts Unknown (2013) he drank tea at Café Tingis on the Petit Socco with the writer Jonathan Dawson, ate fresh goat cheese and bread at the Grand Socco, had mint tea at Café Baba in the Kasbah and a fish lunch at Saveur de Poisson. This tour visits all four, with the Hotel El Muniria where William Burroughs wrote much of Naked Lunch, from $65 per person.
Is this an official Anthony Bourdain tour?
No. It is an independent private tour inspired by the Tangier episode of Parts Unknown (2013), led by a licensed Tangier guide.
Is lunch included?
Yes: the fish lunch at Saveur de Poisson, the goat cheese and bread at the Grand Socco, and the tea at Café Tingis and Café Baba. Tell us about any allergies or diets when you book.
What if a café or the restaurant is closed?
They are independent places with their own hours. Your guide checks on the day and replaces a closed stop with another place from the episode or a local favourite.
How much walking is there?
About 3 km over four hours, with slopes and steps up to the Kasbah. Tell us about any mobility needs and the guide plans the route around them.
Can we do this tour on a day trip from Spain?
Yes. Take a morning ferry from Tarifa to Tangier Ville; your guide meets you at the port exit, and you are back in time for an afternoon or evening ferry.
Why Tangier
Tangier, the Interzone
From 1923 to 1956 Tangier was an international zone run by several countries at once, with its own rules and a reputation to match. William Burroughs called it the Interzone; Paul Bowles made it his home for fifty years, and the Beat writers followed.
That is the Tangier Bourdain came looking for. Much of it is still there if you know which door to open: the cafés, the bookshop, the hotel on the hill. The rest your guide tells.
Photo credits: Café Baba sign by Rachidourkia and Petit Socco sign by Kwikkode (both CC BY-SA 4.0); Café Baba inside and the Petit Socco at night by Nicolas Vigier (CC0); all via Wikimedia Commons, cropped.
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