Asilah day trip from Tangier: Medina, port & San Bartholomew

A fortified Moroccan port town in four hours, without the group

This day trip from Tangier takes you to Asilah, a small fortified coastal town with roots stretching back to Phoenician traders and centuries under Portuguese, Moroccan and Spanish rule. You'll walk through the medina, see the harbor, and visit the Church of San Bartholomew, traveling in a private air-conditioned vehicle with a guide who speaks your language. The tour runs four to six hours and includes hotel pickup.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Asilah town and landmarks

• Visit Asilah Medina
• Walk to Puerto de Asilah
• Explore Asilah town
• Pass by Church of San Bartholomew

The experience

How do you get to Asilah without renting a car or joining a bus full of strangers? This tour picks you up from your Tangier hotel and drives you south along the coast to a town that has cycled through empires but kept its character. The medina is the draw: narrow streets lined with whitewashed buildings, some painted in blues and greens, the kind of place where you can wander without a script. The guide knows the history: Phoenician traders used it as a base, the Portuguese fortified it in 1471, and it later became a pirate stronghold before Spain claimed it for three centuries. That layered past is still visible in the architecture and the layout of the streets.

The tour includes the Puerto de Asilah, where fishing boats still work and the harbor opens onto the Atlantic, and the Church of San Bartholomew, a stone structure that marks centuries of religious and political shifts. You're not rushed through these stops: the four to six hour window gives you time to actually look around, ask questions, and sit if you want to. The vehicle is air-conditioned, which matters on a Moroccan coast that can heat up fast, and the guide speaks English, Spanish, French or Arabic, so you can choose the language that works for you.

Pickup is from your hotel in Tangier, and the driver handles the navigation. Lunch isn't included, but there are places to eat in the medina if you want to stay longer or grab something quick. The tour suits all fitness levels (you're walking through a town, not hiking), and families with small children can bring a pram or stroller if needed.

What’s included

• Your hotel pickup in Tangier is included.
• private air-conditioned transportation to Asilah and back.
• a live guide in your choice of English, Spanish, French or Arabic.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day20 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 18:30

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (7 and older) · Under 7: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French and Arabic

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Aziz Saint Laurent Private Tours

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see Asilah without driving yourself or joining a large group: the private vehicle and guide who speaks your language mean you set the pace through the medina and harbor.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and Arabic.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the medina of Asilah like to walk through?

The medina is a maze of narrow streets in the old fortified town, with whitewashed buildings and some painted in bright colors. It's the heart of Asilah and where most of the history is visible in the layout and architecture.

How long does this tour actually take?

The tour runs four to six hours total, including the drive from Tangier, time in the medina, the harbor, and the church. That gives you real time to explore rather than a rushed stop-and-go schedule.

What's the Church of San Bartholomew, and why is it on the tour?

The Church of San Bartholomew is a stone structure in Asilah that reflects the town's history under Portuguese, Moroccan and Spanish rule. It's one of the landmarks that shows how many different powers have shaped the town over centuries.

Is there food included, or do I need to arrange lunch?

Lunch is not included in the tour price. The medina has restaurants and cafes where you can eat if you want to, or you can grab something quick and keep exploring.