Caves of Hercules
An opening onto the sea whose shape traces the map of Africa exactly.
Duration
45 min – 1 hr 15 min
Best time
Late afternoon
Open
Every day
Entry price
To confirm
The Caves of Hercules are partly natural and partly cut by hand: Berbers quarried millstones here for centuries, and the circular scars are still visible on the walls.
The opening onto the sea, to the west, forms a silhouette that resembles the map of Africa strikingly — seen from inside, with the sea behind. Legend makes the cave the place where Hercules slept before his labours; that legend is recent, made for visitors, but the opening itself is real enough.
Getting there
Fourteen kilometres west of Tangier, on the Cape Spartel road. A taxi negotiated as a return with waiting time.
What the price covers
paid entry, rate to be confirmed on site
What to bring
- Headlamp
Rules on site
The Africa-shaped opening is heavily photographed: come early or late, as there is often a queue. Negotiate the taxi as a return with waiting — there is no scheduled transport back.