From Beat Writers to a Booming Port: The Evolution of Cafe Baba and Tangier
On a brisk winter day, the scent of wood smoke fills the air, and Cafe Baba, nestled high in Tangier’s Kasbah, buzzes with activity. A group of teens occupies a corner of the balcony, engrossed in a board game, while a solitary smoker gazes at the sea through tall horseshoe windows that overlook white rooftops. Aside from a flat-screen TV playing hip-hop, this Tangier café, adorned with worn seats and chipped Arabesque tiles, seems little changed since the 1950s, when it catered to writers like Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, and William Burroughs.
Cafe Baba boasts a storied history of illustrious guests, from Beat Generation icons to the hippie movement and musicians like Jimi Hendrix, Mick Jagger, Santana, and Sting. A black-and-white photograph captures the Rolling Stones, bleary-eyed, relaxing at the café in 1967 alongside owner Hnifza, who still oversees the establishment today, with his grandson Mohamed now managing the mint tea service.
Perched just 35 miles from Spain, Tangier has long been seen as an intriguing destination. Between 1912 and 1956, it functioned as an international zone governed collectively by Morocco and several European nations, becoming a haven for artists, free spirits, and dissidents. Today, Tangier is known for its diverse population, with 40 percent identifying as non-Muslim.
Following Moroccan independence, King Hassan II restricted access to Tangier, causing a decline in the city that lingered through the 1980s and 1990s, leading to its reputation as a shabby tourist spot. However, with the reign of King Mohammed VI, Tangier is experiencing revitalization as investments flow in.
“My guide Ali remarked, ‘Tangier is the bridge between Africa and Europe,’ as we strolled through the medina, the cool sea breeze catching his djellaba. The city’s strategic location, once the basis of its unique ties to Europe, is now being leveraged to establish Tangier as a vital industrial hub for Morocco and a commercial link to Africa.
The recent expansion of the Tanger Med 2 port, situated 50 kilometers from the city, is poised to position Tangier as the Mediterranean’s largest commercial port by container capacity. Additionally, a new high-speed TGV train line connecting to Casablanca and Rabat is attracting affluent Moroccans for weekend getaways, while redevelopment efforts at the city-center ferry port aim to appeal to luxury yachting enthusiasts.
As I absorbed the atmosphere of Tangier, infused with the aromas of rose water and grilled sardines, I felt an enchanting energy permeating the city. After exploring the ancient Roman cemetery precariously perched on a cliff, Ali and I navigated the imposing fortified walls of the Kasbah, originally erected by the Portuguese in the 15th century to ward off British invaders.
At Bab Al Bahr, a clifftop gateway offering a postcard view of Tarifa, Spain, Ali gestured toward the marina below. “We envision Tangier’s future down there,” he said, pointing to the bustling construction scene. “Forty years ago, there was nothing; now just look at the skyline.”
During my visit in 2019, Tangier was in the midst of a construction surge. On my drive from the airport, I noticed vacant lots, advertisements for upcoming golf resorts, and a sprawling new mall. At the waterfront, 8-foot-high boards obscured the sea view, showcasing plans for a W Hotel conference center and the revamped Tanger Ville port and marina, promising a vibrant new chapter for this historic city.
