Private shore excursion · Larache and Lixus
Larache Shore Excursion: Roman Lixus and the Atlantic Medina
A day down the Atlantic coast from your ship: the Phoenician and Roman ruins of Lixus above the Loukkos river, then the squares, medina and clifftop promenade of Larache, with a licensed local guide and a private vehicle.
From $140 per person
- Private group
- 6 to 7 hours
- About 90 km by motorway
Ship times from the published Tangier port schedule. We confirm yours when you book.
- Licensed local guidesMinistry-certified
- 60-min safety bufferBack before all-aboard
- Roman LixusPhoenician and Roman ruins
- About 90 kmA little over an hour's drive
- No prepaymentDeposit only for larger groups
Why Larache
Roman ruins and an Atlantic town in one day
Larache sits on the Atlantic about 90 km south of Tangier, where the Loukkos river meets the ocean. Just outside the town, on a hill above the river, lie the ruins of Lixus: founded by the Phoenicians around the 8th century BC, later a Roman colony, and placed by ancient writers at the Garden of the Hesperides, where Hercules came for the golden apples.
The day pairs the two. A guided late morning among the amphitheatre, baths and temple hill of Lixus, then Larache itself: the oval main square from the Spanish years, the blue-and-white medina, the market and the clifftop promenade over the ocean.
It suits cruise passengers who already know Tangier, and anyone who wants Roman history and a quiet coastal town in one unhurried day, back at the ship an hour before all-aboard.
- 6 to 7 hoursPickup to drop-off
- LixusPhoenician and Roman city
- About 90 kmA little over an hour by motorway
- PrivateYour group only
Your day in Larache
Ruins in the morning, the ocean town after
Example times for a 10:00 docking at Tangier City Port. Your guide sets the real ones with you, from your ship's arrival and all-aboard.
- Port pickup
- South by motorway
- Lixus
- The temple hill
- The main square
- The medina
- Lunch and the market
- Balcón Atlántico
- Back at your ship
- 60-minute buffer
- All-aboard
Pick your ship at the top of the page and every time here moves to its arrival.
Morning
Port pickup
We meet you at the cruise terminal with a name sign and set off in a private air-conditioned vehicle.
About 1 h 15
South along the Atlantic
About 90 km down the coast on the motorway, through farmland and past the ocean. Your guide tells the story of Lixus on the way.
Late morning
The ruins of Lixus
A guided walk through the Phoenician and Roman city on its hill: the amphitheatre, the baths, and the stone tanks near the river where fish was salted and garum, the Roman fish sauce, was made.
Midday
The temple hill and the river view
Up to the temple quarter at the top of the site, where the legend of the Garden of the Hesperides was set, with the view down the Loukkos estuary to the sea.
Early afternoon
Plaza de la Liberación
A short drive into Larache and its oval main square, laid out in the Spanish protectorate years as the Plaza de España, with the arched gate of Bab el-Khemis on one side.
Early afternoon
Through Bab el-Khemis into the medina
Through the gate to the arcaded market square and the lanes of the old town, a small, lived-in medina of whitewashed walls and blue doors.
Afternoon
Lunch and the central market
Optional lunch at a local restaurant. Larache is a fishing port, so fresh fish is the thing to order. Then a look inside the white central market hall.
Afternoon
The Balcón Atlántico
The clifftop promenade over the ocean, beside the old Kebibat fortress. On request, a stop at the Spanish cemetery where the writer Jean Genet is buried. Then back north on the motorway.
Return
Back at the terminal
You are at the cruise terminal with the buffer kept, an hour before all-aboard.
What you'll see
Six places that make the day
The Lixus amphitheatre
The Roman amphitheatre, set into the slope of the hill, where the city staged its games and shows.
The temple hill
The acropolis at the top of Lixus, with its temple quarter and the widest view over the Loukkos river and the ocean.
The salting tanks
Rows of stone basins in the lower town, where Lixus salted fish and made garum to ship across the Roman world.
Plaza de la Liberación
Larache's oval main square, built in the Spanish years as the Plaza de España, and the heart of the modern town.
Bab el-Khemis and the medina
The big arched gate into the old town, the arcaded market square behind it, and quiet lanes of blue and white.
The Balcón Atlántico
The clifftop promenade over the ocean, with the old Kebibat fortress at its edge.
Good to know
Before you book, for cruise passengers
Time in port
8 hours or more
The day takes 6 to 7 hours with a little over an hour's drive each way, and we keep an hour before all-aboard.
Ports
All the ports
We meet you at your terminal with a name sign. From Tangier Med, 40 km east of the city, allow about 40 minutes more each way: 9 hours in port or more.
Walking
About 3 km
Uneven paths and little shade at Lixus, then cobbled lanes in the medina. Comfortable shoes and a hat. Tell us about any mobility needs.
Lixus entry
Small fee, paid on site
The archaeological site charges a small entry fee, paid on the day. It is not in the tour price.
Lunch
Optional, not included
Fresh fish at a local restaurant in Larache. Your guide suggests a good spot.
Late ship
Covered
We follow your ship's real arrival and plan the day around its all-aboard time.
Languages
English, French, Spanish, Arabic
Your licensed guide speaks the language you choose at booking.
Group
Private
Your group only, with your own guide and vehicle.
Payment
Pay on the day
Cash (USD, EUR, GBP or MAD), PayPal or bank transfer. No prepayment; larger groups leave a small deposit. Free cancellation up to 48 hours before.
Clear terms
What's included and what's not
Included
- Pickup and drop-off at your cruise terminal
- Private air-conditioned vehicle for the whole day
- Licensed Ministry-certified local guide (English, French, Spanish, Arabic)
- Guided visit of Lixus and walking tour of Larache
- All driving, fuel, parking and motorway tolls
- Bottled water
- A day planned around your ship's schedule
Not included
- The Lixus entry fee (small, paid on site)
- Lunch and drinks
- Personal shopping
- Tips for guide and driver
Why this excursion
Why choose Larache
A Phoenician and Roman city
Lixus was founded by the Phoenicians and became a Roman colony. You walk its amphitheatre, baths and temple hill with a guide who tells its story.
The Spanish years
Larache's oval square, market hall and arched gate date from the Spanish protectorate, and give the town its own look on the Atlantic.
The Atlantic coast
A fishing port on the ocean, a clifftop promenade and a river estuary: a different side of northern Morocco from Tangier.
Timed around your ship
The route and the times follow your ship's arrival, and you are back an hour before all-aboard.
Private from the gangway
Your group, your guide and your vehicle, with stops wherever you want them.
Book direct, pay on the day
No platform fees and no commission on top. You pay your guide on the day.
Compare
Larache, Tetouan or Chefchaouen?
Three day trips from the port, side by side.
| Larache | Tetouan | Chefchaouen | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 6 to 7 hours | 5 to 6 hours | 8 to 9 hours |
| Distance | About 90 km, a little over an hour | About 60 km, about an hour | About 110 km, about 2 hours |
| The day | Roman Lixus, Spanish-era squares, Atlantic medina | UNESCO medina, Royal Palace square, Spanish quarter | The blue medina in the Rif Mountains |
| Time in port | 8 hours or more | 7 hours or more | 10 hours or more |
| Lunch | Optional, not included | Optional, not included | Your choice, not included |
| Price | From $140 | From $75 | From $120 |
| You are here | See Tetouan | See Chefchaouen |
Guest reviews
What our guests say
Rated 4.9 from 85 reviews on Google.
★★★★★
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!
John STangier full day tour
★★★★★
Fadi made our tour unforgettable. Great communication, perfect timing, and lots of local insights. We appreciated how he customized the experience for us.
Daniel RTangier full day tour
★★★★★
Fantastic guide, very knowledgeable, patient, and friendly. He brought the history of Tangier to life. Truly a memorable day.
Mark DTangier full day tour
Reserve direct
Reserve your day in Larache
Send your ship name, date and group size. We confirm availability and a precise plan within 12 hours, with no prepayment and free cancellation up to 48 hours before.
Good to know
Larache shore excursion FAQ
What cruise passengers ask us before they book.
How far is Larache from the Tangier cruise port?
About 90 km down the Atlantic coast, a little over an hour on the motorway from Tangier City Port. From Tangier Med, allow about 40 minutes more each way.
What is Lixus?
The ruins of a city founded by the Phoenicians around the 8th century BC and later a Roman colony, on a hill above the Loukkos river about 3 km from Larache. You see the amphitheatre, the baths, the temple quarter and the tanks where fish was salted. Ancient writers placed the Garden of the Hesperides here.
Is the Lixus entry fee included?
No. The site charges a small entry fee, paid on the day. Your guide takes care of the tickets.
How much time in port do we need?
8 hours or more at Tangier City Port, and 9 hours or more at Tangier Med. The day itself takes 6 to 7 hours, and we keep an hour before all-aboard. Shorter stop? Tetouan is an hour away.
Will I get back to my ship on time?
Yes. We plan the day around your ship's all-aboard time, follow its real arrival and keep a 60-minute buffer.
How do we pay?
You pay your guide on the day, in cash (USD, EUR, GBP or MAD), by PayPal or by bank transfer. Most bookings need no prepayment; for larger groups we ask for a small deposit to hold the date. Free cancellation up to 48 hours before.
More shore excursions
Other ways to spend your day in port
TetouanThe UNESCO-listed medina, Andalusian architecture, and the Royal Palace square. The Spanish-Moorish side of Northern Morocco.See the excursion
ChefchaouenThe drive through the Rif Mountains to Morocco's blue medina. Lunch in Chaouen, time for the photographs that earn the journey.See the excursion
Tangier Full-DayAll Tangier highlights, a traditional Moroccan lunch, and an optional camel ride on Achakkar Beach. The complete day.See the excursion
Larache and Lixus photos from Wikimedia Commons, cropped: medina doorway, seafront, main square and medina market square by Dans (CC BY-SA 3.0); Lixus columns, Loukkos estuary and Kebibat fortress by Ideophagous (CC BY-SA 4.0); Lixus ruins by Maxim Massalitin (CC BY-SA 2.0); central market by Benty2003 (CC BY 4.0).
