The walled medina of Tangier spreads down from the kasbah on its hilltop to the Grand and Petit Sockos at its lower edge, a tangle of narrow lanes lined with spice merchants, brass beaters, tea houses, and small riads in various states of restoration. The pace is slower than the medinas of Fes or Marrakech and the touts are less aggressive — for an introduction to Moroccan urban texture, Tangier is one of the gentler places to start.
The main north-south spine, Rue Siaghine, links the Grand Socco to the Petit Socco. Side alleys peel off at every angle and lead to half-hidden mosques, courtyards, and the small Tangerine Bookshop where Bowles, Burroughs, and the Beats once browsed. The medina is best explored without an agenda — you will get lost, every street eventually exits somewhere recognisable, and the views from the kasbah at the top reward the climb.