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Morocco🇲🇦 | festivalsTanjazz FestivalKasbah courtyards, guembri and sax, theater concerts, late jams | things to do and best time to go

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Backpacking in Tanjazz
🌟 Highlightfestival ranked #6
By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 22, 2026

Tanjazz is not held in the medina or the beach resorts, as many assume, but spread across several venues in Tangier, in the north of Morocco, a short ride from the Strait of Gibraltar. It is a jazz festival that runs about four days each autumn, with concerts in the old Kasbah quarter and in historic theaters and cultural centers. I took the slow train in from Rabat, and when a stranger on the platform in Tangier saw my pack he walked me to the right taxi stand and haggled the fare for me. Expect a mellow, mixed crowd of Moroccan families, expats and musicians, not a party crowd. Skip the beach clubs. Spend your time on the Kasbah shows, where the music comes with sea views. Jazz fans and slow travelers will love it. Anyone wanting camping and all-night dancing won’t.

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✨ Why go?
Ranked #6 festival in MoroccoWhat makes it a must-see festival

Tanjazz Festival works as a route anchor because it turns Tangier, usually a quick ferry stopover, into a place to linger. The program mixes Moroccan and international musicians, so you hear gnawa rhythms colliding with bebop in the same evening. That is the cultural hook, and it is rare to see it done at this scale in a working port city.

The second reason is the Kasbah concerts. Many shows sit in or near the old hilltop quarter, so you walk between music, mint-lined alleys and the Atlantic and Mediterranean horizon with no shuttle buses. Several events are free or cheap compared with European jazz festivals, which makes it easy to add on.

It also slots well into a northern Morocco loop. Pair it with Chefchaouen and Tetouan, or arrive from Spain by ferry, and you get a festival without a festival-sized detour.

💡 HighlightsMust-see experiences and standout moments

  1. Kasbah Concerts: The shows in and around the old Kasbah quarter are what most people come for. Stone courtyards, a hilltop setting and open sky give the music a close, unhurried feel that big stages can’t.
  2. Moroccan and International Fusion Sets: The lineup regularly pairs jazz with gnawa, Andalusian and Amazigh traditions. Hearing a guembri player trade lines with a saxophonist is the festival’s signature moment.
  3. Evening Shows at Tangier Cultural Venues: Indoor concerts at the city’s theaters and cultural centers give you proper acoustics and seating. They suit the headline acts and the quieter, more experimental sets.
  4. Free Open-Air and Street Performances: Some programming spills into public squares and open spaces, so you can catch live music without a ticket. It is also the easiest way to
… read more 👉
  1. Kasbah Concerts: The shows in and around the old Kasbah quarter are what most people come for. Stone courtyards, a hilltop setting and open sky give the music a close, unhurried feel that big stages can’t.
  2. Moroccan and International Fusion Sets: The lineup regularly pairs jazz with gnawa, Andalusian and Amazigh traditions. Hearing a guembri player trade lines with a saxophonist is the festival’s signature moment.
  3. Evening Shows at Tangier Cultural Venues: Indoor concerts at the city’s theaters and cultural centers give you proper acoustics and seating. They suit the headline acts and the quieter, more experimental sets.
  4. Free Open-Air and Street Performances: Some programming spills into public squares and open spaces, so you can catch live music without a ticket. It is also the easiest way to meet local listeners and musicians.
  5. Late-Night Jam Sessions: After the main concerts, musicians gather in cafes and small venues for informal jams. The sets run late, the rooms are packed, and the best playing often happens here.
Tanjazz Festival costs least at the free open-air and street performances, where you can listen without a ticket.
Spotted a mistake or missing something? Contact us.

Things to do near Tanjazz Festival

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Tangier Highlights: 4-Hour Private Tour & Camel Ride

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Tangier Luxury Tour Private Guide Plush Van and Camel Bliss

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Airport Transfer to Tanger City

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Full Day Private Tour to Blue City Chefchaouen from Tanger

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Private Luxury 4-Hour Tangier tour

Private Luxury 4-Hour Tangier tour

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Tangier Package: Quad Bike, Cap Spartel, Hercules caves & Dining

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Ratings based on Tripadvisor reviews. When you book through this link, you support our work at no extra cost to you.

🌤️ When to go?When is the celebration of Tanjazz Festival?

Tanjazz Festival is held over several days in late September, usually Thursday to Sunday, in Tangier’s old town, with concerts at the Palais des Institutions Italiennes and other venues around the medina and Kasbah.
  • Best day: Friday and Saturday carry the biggest names and the liveliest late sets. Thursday opening nights are calmer, easier for finding a seat and good for newer acts.
  • Weather: Expect days around 25 to 28°C (77 to 82°F) and evenings of 19 to 21°C (66 to 70°F), with rain unlikely. Bring a light layer for sea breezes, a hat and comfortable shoes for the medina’s steep cobbles.
  • Booking: Reserve a bed three to four weeks ahead. Rates in the medina rise roughly 20 to 40 percent over the festival weekend.
  • Arrival: Arrive Wednesday or Thursday morning. Trains and roads toward Tangier fill
… read more 👉
Tanjazz Festival is held over several days in late September, usually Thursday to Sunday, in Tangier’s old town, with concerts at the Palais des Institutions Italiennes and other venues around the medina and Kasbah.
  • Best day: Friday and Saturday carry the biggest names and the liveliest late sets. Thursday opening nights are calmer, easier for finding a seat and good for newer acts.
  • Weather: Expect days around 25 to 28°C (77 to 82°F) and evenings of 19 to 21°C (66 to 70°F), with rain unlikely. Bring a light layer for sea breezes, a hat and comfortable shoes for the medina’s steep cobbles.
  • Booking: Reserve a bed three to four weeks ahead. Rates in the medina rise roughly 20 to 40 percent over the festival weekend.
  • Arrival: Arrive Wednesday or Thursday morning. Trains and roads toward Tangier fill on Friday afternoon, so leave Monday morning rather than Sunday night.
Buy tickets for the Saturday program first, since it sells out earliest.


source: climatestotravel.comJANJanuary: not recommended for travelingFEBFebruary: not recommended for travelingMARMarch: not recommended for travelingAPRApril: not recommended for travelingMAYMay: not recommended for travelingJUNJune: not recommended for travelingJULJuly: not recommended for travelingAUGAugust: not recommended for travelingSEPSeptember: not recommended for travelingOCTOctober: excellent for travelingNOVNovember: excellent for travelingDECDecember: not recommended for traveling

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🛏️ Where to stay?Best areas and accommodation options

The medina is the best base for backpackers, because the main venues sit within a 10 to 15 minute walk and you can stroll back after late sets. Expect narrow lanes, rooftop terraces and a steady mix of solo travelers, which makes meeting people easy. After midnight stick to the main lanes around the Petit Socco and Rue Es Siaghin, where there are still people about, and keep your phone tucked away in the tighter alleys.

The Kasbah, at the top of the old town, is quieter and more atmospheric, with sea views and a calmer feel. It suits anyone who wants sleep after loud nights, though the uphill … read more 👉
The medina is the best base for backpackers, because the main venues sit within a 10 to 15 minute walk and you can stroll back after late sets. Expect narrow lanes, rooftop terraces and a steady mix of solo travelers, which makes meeting people easy. After midnight stick to the main lanes around the Petit Socco and Rue Es Siaghin, where there are still people about, and keep your phone tucked away in the tighter alleys.

The Kasbah, at the top of the old town, is quieter and more atmospheric, with sea views and a calmer feel. It suits anyone who wants sleep after loud nights, though the uphill walk home is steep and the alleys are dimmer. Guesthouses here tend to be small and friendly, so you will often end up sharing breakfast with other festival-goers.

The Ville Nouvelle, around Boulevard Pasteur and the area near the train-side avenues, offers wider streets, cafes open late and easy taxi access. It is a practical choice if the medina is full. Rooms are usually more modern, but the social scene is thinner, so you will meet fewer travelers.

Avoid staying far out near the beach strip or the new port unless you have transport. Petit taxis are plentiful but get scarce after concerts finish.
Best hostels in Morocco


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👛 Costs (as of 22 October 2026)How expensive it really is

Tanjazz Festival costs most backpackers about US$75 to 115 a day, including a concert pass, a dorm or budget room, local meals and taxis.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Festival ticketsUS$15 to 40Single evening tickets are priced by night, with Friday and Saturday costing the most. Multi-day passes usually work out cheaper per concert.
AccommodationUS$15 to 35 (dorm); US$40 to 70 (private room)Medina guesthouses raise rates during the festival weekend, so book early for the best price.
Local transportUS$2 to 8Petit taxis within town cost about US$1 to 3 a ride, with higher fares late at night. Most venues are walkable from the medina.
Food & drinksUS$12 to 25Street sandwiches and fish plates cost US$2 to 6, while a sit-down seafood dinner costs US$10 to 18. Tea and juice are under US$2.
Miscellaneous
… read more 👉
Tanjazz Festival costs most backpackers about US$75 to 115 a day, including a concert pass, a dorm or budget room, local meals and taxis.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Festival ticketsUS$15 to 40Single evening tickets are priced by night, with Friday and Saturday costing the most. Multi-day passes usually work out cheaper per concert.
AccommodationUS$15 to 35 (dorm); US$40 to 70 (private room)Medina guesthouses raise rates during the festival weekend, so book early for the best price.
Local transportUS$2 to 8Petit taxis within town cost about US$1 to 3 a ride, with higher fares late at night. Most venues are walkable from the medina.
Food & drinksUS$12 to 25Street sandwiches and fish plates cost US$2 to 6, while a sit-down seafood dinner costs US$10 to 18. Tea and juice are under US$2.
Miscellaneous expensesUS$5 to 15Covers bottled water, small tips, SIM data and the occasional drink at a licensed bar.
Total Daily BudgetUS$75 to 115Based on a dorm bed or budget room in high season.
⚠️ Prices can change and everyone travels differently, so take this as a rough guide. Hope it helps you plan your adventure!

🍲 FoodEating & Drinking in Tanjazz

Eating at Tanjazz Festival happens mostly in the medina around the venues, so you are never far from a street stall or small cafe. Think grilled sardines, bocadillos stuffed with fried fish or spiced meat, and cones of fried calamari from the stands near the Grand Socco. Tangier is a seafood town, and that shows in what people hand you.

For something local, try harira, the tomato and lentil soup, or a bowl of bissara, a thick fava bean soup with olive oil and cumin, best eaten standing at a counter in the early evening. Between sets, sweet msemen pancakes with honey and glasses of mint tea or fresh orange juice are cheap and filling. Beer is limited at festival venues and in the medina, so many people drink tea or juice and save any alcohol for licensed bars in the Ville Nouvelle.

Carry … read more 👉
Eating at Tanjazz Festival happens mostly in the medina around the venues, so you are never far from a street stall or small cafe. Think grilled sardines, bocadillos stuffed with fried fish or spiced meat, and cones of fried calamari from the stands near the Grand Socco. Tangier is a seafood town, and that shows in what people hand you.

For something local, try harira, the tomato and lentil soup, or a bowl of bissara, a thick fava bean soup with olive oil and cumin, best eaten standing at a counter in the early evening. Between sets, sweet msemen pancakes with honey and glasses of mint tea or fresh orange juice are cheap and filling. Beer is limited at festival venues and in the medina, so many people drink tea or juice and save any alcohol for licensed bars in the Ville Nouvelle.

Carry cash in small notes, because stalls and small cafes rarely take cards. Prices are often not posted, so ask before ordering. Portions are generous, and sharing a plate of fish with a new friend is normal. Lines at popular stalls move quickly, and locals eat early, so aim for dinner before the headline act starts.

FAQFrequently asked questions about Tanjazz

Tanjazz Festival takes place in late September, normally over four days from Thursday to Sunday. Concerts run in Tangier’s old town, with the Palais des Institutions Italiennes as a main venue. Evening shows usually start after sunset and run late, so plan to arrive by Wednesday if you want to settle in first.
Tanjazz Festival costs roughly US$75 to 115 a day for a backpacker, including tickets. Single evening tickets run about US$15 to 40, and dorm beds in Tangier cost US$15 to 35 during the festival. Meals from street stalls average US$2 to 6, and petit taxis cost US$1 to 3 per ride.
Tanjazz Festival is best attended with tickets booked in advance, especially for Friday and Saturday, which tend to sell out first. Some tickets may be available at the door on quieter nights, but that is not guaranteed. Book your bed three to four weeks ahead too, because medina guesthouses fill and prices rise by about 20 to 40 percent.
⚠️ Things can change over time, so always validate details locally before you go.

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We 💚 feedbackIs it worth it?

Tanjazz Festival suits jazz lovers, curious slow travelers and anyone who likes a festival you can walk around in comfort. If you want massive stages and camping, skip it. I would book a bed early, pick two ticketed concerts and leave the rest of the days for free shows and wandering the Kasbah.

✈️ When did I visit Morocco?
In October 2011, I backpacked Morocco for two weeks, with climbing the Mount Toubkal in summer clothing as a highlight.

✍️ Help improve this page!
The information on this page is based on my own backpacking experience in Morocco, supplemented with up-to-date research and feedback from other travelers. Travel details can change, so if you notice anything outdated or incomplete, feel free to let me know.



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