Flights from Tangier to Spain

Travel to Spain from Tangier

Andalusia sits just across the Strait of Gibraltar from Tangier, so the shortest of Vueling’s direct flights to Spain land there. In total there are 18 Spanish destinations, with the north of the mainland around 2 hours away.

For many travellers from Tangier, the Moorish south is the part that feels most familiar. The big cities, the Mediterranean coast and the Atlantic north show a very different Spain.

What documents you need to travel to Spain

Spain is part of the Schengen Area, which means Moroccan citizens have a formality to complete before travelling. It is worth starting several weeks ahead.

What a Moroccan national usually needs:

• A Schengen visa, applied for before the trip at the Spanish consulate or embassy in Morocco. Processing times vary, and they determine how far ahead you need to start planning.
• A valid passport, with at least 3 months of validity beyond your intended date of departure from the Schengen Area and issued within the previous 10 years.
• Proof of accommodation and a return ticket.
• Proof of sufficient funds for your stay.
• Travel insurance with medical cover, which is required for the visa application.

If you already hold a Schengen visa, check that it covers your travel dates. Spanish and other EU citizens only need a valid national ID card or passport. Check the latest information on the travel documents page before you book.

As the flight departs from outside the Schengen Area, you will go through passport control on arrival in Spain, where you enter Schengen. Leave room for that extra time at the airport.

What to know when you land in Spain

Into the centre. The main gateways have good public transport, so there is no need to book a transfer. At Barcelona, metro line 9 Sud and the Aerobús cover the run into the centre in under half an hour. In Málaga, the commuter train serves the city centre and the Costa del Sol, and in Seville the airport bus runs to Santa Justa.

Mealtimes. Lunch in Spain is between 14:00 and 16:00 and dinner starts at 21:00, later than in Morocco. Plenty of kitchens do not open before then, and in smaller towns shops also close in the middle of the day.

High-speed rail. Madrid, an hour and a quarter from Tangier by air, and Barcelona are about 2 hours 30 minutes apart on the AVE, and lines run from Madrid to Seville, Málaga and Valencia. Buses cover the shorter journeys, and in the big cities the metro is the easiest way to get around.

Climate by region. The south and the Mediterranean have mild winters and very hot summers, not unlike northern Morocco. The north, from Bilbao to Galicia, stays damp and green all year, which often surprises people crossing the Strait for the first time.

Spain uses the euro, and cards are accepted almost everywhere. Plugs are types C and F, at 230V.

What to do in Spain

Andalusia: the legacy of al-Andalus

If you are coming from Tangier, this is the region that will feel most familiar. Seville, just across the Strait, has the tiled courtyards of the Santa Cruz quarter, the Real Alcázar and the Giralda, which was a minaret before it became a bell tower. Granada adds the Alhambra and the Generalife, and Córdoba its Mosque-Cathedral.

Málaga and the Costa del Sol

Málaga has grown into a cultural destination, with the Picasso Museum, the Alcazaba and the Roman theatre, and its old town deserves more time than most visitors give it. From there, Ronda and its gorge, along with the white villages of the surrounding hills, are a little over 90 minutes away.

City break: Barcelona

Barcelona, just under 2 hours from Tangier, brings together the Sagrada Familia, the Gothic Quarter and Park Güell, with a beach inside the city. Gràcia, the Boqueria market and El Born each have a different feel within a few kilometres, and the Costa Brava is an hour away by car.

The islands and the Atlantic north

You can fly straight to Palma de Mallorca and Ibiza without changing on the mainland. Expect coves and, on Mallorca, the Serra de Tramuntana mountains. At the other end of the country, Bilbao shows off green, rainy Spain, a long way from the Strait, with the pintxos of the Casco Viejo and the Guggenheim.

Luggage for your flight to Spain

What you can pack depends on the fare you book. The simplest fare includes a personal item that fits under the seat in front, and from there you can add cabin or checked luggage.

For a long trip, or if you are visiting family, working out your luggage while you book saves surprises at the check-in desk. Check the current conditions in Vueling’s luggage policy.