We have now worked for several years with our guide, Said. We regularly spend a day with him ourselves which we thoroughly enjoy and which enables us to talk not only to him but to the owners of the various establishments to which he takes Dar Cilla guests.

 

Many visitors going to Tangier for the first time are afraid of being hassled or obliged to purchase items they do not really want. We emphasize to both Said and the shopkeepers that in no way should they pressurize our Dar Cilla guests, and we emphasize to our guests that they are under absolutely no obligation to buy. Once you know this you can relax and enjoy your day. You can decline to go into a carpet shop at all, but I personally always rather enjoy this and see it as a sort of ‘art gallery’. Of course they are disappointed if you don’t buy (it is, after all, their livelihood) – and you may well be tempted, but if you say NO firmly, and with a smile, you still part as friends.

 

But I am ‘jumping the gun’, as you only go into any shops in the latter half of your day with Said (unless you specify otherwise). Said picks you up in the harbour of Tangier (we give you explicit directions to make your ferry journey easy and to enable you to find Said without problems) and takes you straight to his minibus with (charming) driver. Now just relax and enjoy. Read more