Larache & Lixus Day Trip from Tangier: Roman Ruins, Old Town & Seafood (2026)

Quick Answer

Larache and Lixus make an easy day trip from Tangier: about 87 to 91 km, roughly one hour by car or 1h15 to 1h30 by bus. Visit the Roman ruins of Lixus in the morning, have a seafood lunch in Larache’s old town, then stop in Asilah on the way back. Plan a full day, about 8 to 10 hours door to door. Lixus is open daily from 9:00 to 18:00 and charged foreign adults 80 MAD in 2025, so confirm before you go.

Why Combine Larache and Lixus?

Lixus sits on a hill above the Loukkos estuary, just north of Larache, so the two stops fit together naturally. One gives you 2,500-plus years of history in the open air, the other a lived-in Atlantic fishing town with a Spanish-era centre. Larache also sees far fewer visitors than better-known northern towns, which makes it a relaxed change of pace after Tangier, Chefchaouen or Asilah.

This trip is for you if you like archaeology, slow travel, photography and fresh fish, or if you have already done the classic northern circuit.

Skip it if you only have one day near Tangier. In that case, Cap Spartel and the Caves of Hercules are closer.

Larache & Lixus at a Glance

Visiting the Ruins of Lixus

A short history

Lixus began as a Phoenician trading post and later passed through Carthaginian and Roman hands. It became a Roman colony and reached its peak around the middle of the 1st century AD, then was abandoned around the 5th century. Ancient writers linked the area to the myth of Hercules and the Garden of the Hesperides, the same Hercules legend behind the caves at Cap Spartel. Only about a quarter of the ancient city has been excavated.

What you can see

• The lower town, with the remains of garum factories where fish was salted to make the sauce Rome loved.
• The Roman amphitheatre, reached by a path climbing the hillside.
• Baths, where traces of mosaic floors survive.
• The acropolis, with temples, ramparts and older pre-Roman structures.
• The view over the Loukkos estuary, the salt marshes and Larache from the top.

The site was restored, officially reopened in 2023 and has an interpretation centre. Lixus is smaller and more worn than Volubilis, but you can wander it with few other people around.

Good to know: Lixus is on Morocco’s UNESCO tentative list. It is not (yet) a World Heritage Site.

Practical tips for Lixus

• Entry and hours: The site is open every day from 9:00 to 18:00. In 2025, foreign adults paid 80 MAD and foreign children 25 MAD (rates may change, so confirm at the gate). A guardian may offer a short guided walk for a tip, so bring small cash and agree on the amount first. Restoration of the amphitheatre and palace complex was postponed to 2026, so some areas may be closed.
• Finding the gate: the main entrance is just off the Tangier road, beside the estuary. Follow the road signs rather than a blind GPS turn, as some visitors report wrong turns near the site.
• What to wear: sturdy shoes, a hat and water. The path climbs a hill.
• Respect the site: stay on the paths and do not walk across the mosaics. The ruins are not heavily protected.

Exploring Larache

Larache is a compact town at the mouth of the Loukkos River. The Spanish held it from 1610 to 1689 and again ran this part of Morocco during the protectorate, which explains the Hispano-Moorish architecture. Allow two to three hours.

• Place de la Libération: the oval main square, still called Plaza de España by some locals, lined with café terraces. It is the best place to start.
• The medina: enter through the Bab Al Khemis gate into a blue-and-white old town that has changed little.
• The music conservatory: a crenellated Hispano-Moorish building with decorated balconies and zellige tilework.
• The lookout and port: a popular viewpoint over the harbour and the estuary.
• The Stork Fortress (Kasbah de la Cigogne): the Spanish-built fort that guards the harbour entrance.
• Nuestra Señora del Pilar: a Spanish church from the 1920s.
• Jean Genet’s grave: the French writer is buried in the old Spanish cemetery. If the gate is locked, you may need to ask for it to be opened.

Where to eat

Larache is a fishing port, so fish and seafood are the obvious choice. Look for the fish restaurants around the covered central market. Choose a busy place and look at the day’s catch before you order.

The beach

The town beach is small. The better beach is across the estuary, around 11 km from the centre. In summer, Moroccan holidaymakers fill this coast, so expect crowds and tight hotel availability in the warmer months.

How to Get to Larache and Lixus from Tangier

• Rental car (about 1 to 1h10, fuel, tolls and rental): most flexible. Lixus is on the road before Larache, and Asilah is on the way back.
• CTM bus (about 1h15 to 1h30, around MAD 50): several departures a day, check ctm.ma. Take a taxi from Larache to Lixus.
• Train and taxi (longer, train fare plus taxi): Larache has no station. Trains stop at Ksar El Kebir, about 35 km away, then take a grand taxi.
• Private driver (about 1h10, from about US$19 per person each way): listings for the Tangier to Larache transfer start around this price.
• Organised tour (full day, price varies): some operators combine Lixus, a garden near Asilah and Asilah in one day.

From Asilah: grand taxis run between Asilah and Larache, around 40 km and 45 minutes.

Between Lixus and Larache: a short taxi ride, or a few minutes by car.

Rent a car for this trip

Our pick for this route: a rental car lets you stop at Lixus, Larache and Asilah on your own schedule. Compare prices and cancellation terms on DiscoverCars. Before you book, read our guide to renting a car in Tangier without getting scammed.

Disclosure: this is an affiliate link. If you book through it, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Coming from Spain? See our guides to the Spain to Morocco ferry and the Tarifa to Tangier day trip.

A One-Day Itinerary: Tangier, Lixus, Larache, Asilah

Times are suggestions. Adjust for traffic and how long you like to linger.

1. 8:30, leave Tangier. Head south on the Atlantic road toward Larache.
2. About 10:00, Lixus. Spend one and a half to two hours on the ruins, before the heat and the crowds.
3. About 12:00, Larache. Park near the centre, walk to Place de la Libération and through Bab Al Khemis.
4. About 13:30, seafood lunch.
5. About 15:00, lookout and fortress. Optional stop at the Genet grave.
6. About 16:30, Asilah. Walk the old town and ramparts. Our one day in Asilah guide has the route.
7. About 19:00, back in Tangier.

Without a car: take the CTM bus to Larache in the morning, a taxi to Lixus and back, lunch in Larache, then a grand taxi to Asilah and onward to Tangier. Check bus times first, because departures are limited.

Smart Tips

• Go early. Lixus is quieter and cooler in the morning, and you reach Larache just in time for lunch.
• Carry small cash. For parking, taxis and the tip if a guardian shows you around.
• Save an offline map. GPS can send you the wrong way near the site. Our Morocco eSIM guide explains how to stay connected.
• Stay on the paths. The mosaics and walls are fragile.
• Avoid summer weekends if you can. Moroccan families fill the coast, so towns and hotels are busier.

Should You Stay the Night?

Most travellers can see Larache in a day. Stay over if you want sunset on the corniche and a slow morning at Lixus. Budget hotels cluster near Place de la Libération. For hotels back in the city, see where to stay in Tangier.

Larache & Lixus FAQ

Is Larache worth a day trip from Tangier? Yes, if you like history, quiet towns and seafood. It is less dramatic than Chefchaouen, but also far less busy.

How long do you need at Lixus? Plan one to two hours. Allow more time if you take a guide or visit the museum.

Is Lixus a UNESCO World Heritage Site? No. It is on Morocco’s UNESCO tentative list.

How far is Lixus from Larache? Roughly 5 to 8 km depending on the source, a short taxi ride or drive.

Is there an entrance fee for Lixus? In 2025, foreign adults paid 80 MAD and the site was open daily from 9:00 to 18:00. Rates can change, so confirm at the gate.

Can you visit Larache and Lixus without a car? Yes. Take a CTM bus from Tangier to Larache, then a taxi to Lixus. A train to Ksar El Kebir plus a taxi is another option. Check times in advance.

Can I combine Larache and Lixus with Asilah? Yes. Asilah is on the way back to Tangier and works well as a late-afternoon stop.

When is the best time to go? Spring and autumn are comfortable for walking exposed ruins. Summer is busy on the coast.

Keep Planning Your Northern Morocco Trip

• Best day trips from Tangier
• Things to do in Tangier
• 7-day northern Morocco road trip itinerary

Want to avoid the common first-timer mistakes? Download our free guide, 25 Mistakes to Avoid in Morocco, or browse the full guides in the shop.

Featured photo: Roman amphitheatre at Lixus by Carole Raddato, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Image resized.