Grand Socco and Cinema Rif

Grand Socco, officially Place du 9 Avril 1947, is the open square where Tangier's medina meets the new town, in Morocco's Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region. The square has a fountain, cafe terraces, a market where rural vendors sell produce, and the Cinema Rif, an Art Deco building that now hosts the Cinematheque de Tanger and is a popular exterior shot. A tiled gate at Bab Fahs leads into the medina and offers an interesting frame of arch and street life. Morning brings the liveliest market scenes of fruit stalls, mint sellers and traders, while the Cinema Rif facade looks best at blue hour when its sign is lit. A 35mm or 50mm prime suits candid street frames, while a wider zoom gets the square and architecture together. Visitors should ask permission before photographing people, particularly market vendors, and be prepared to be refused. The square is busy with traffic and pedestrians, so a bag worn across the body is advisable. Cafes around the edge provide elevated seating for shots across the square, and the nearby Rue es-Siaghin leads into the medina.