The kasbah sits on the highest point of the medina, a fortified citadel built on the foundations of a Roman castrum and rebuilt many times since. The walls enclose narrow car-free lanes, the 17th-century palace that now houses the Kasbah Museum, several restored riads, and a tiny but ancient mosque. From the Place de la Kasbah at the western end, the view sweeps across the strait — Spain is genuinely visible on a clear day.
The neighbourhood has become Tangier's most expensive in the past two decades, with foreign artists, writers, and design professionals (Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé among them) buying and restoring the old houses. Some operate today as boutique hotels or art galleries; many remain private and the doors give little hint of the gardens behind. Enter via Bab el-Assa or Bab al-Bahr.