Popular Destinations in Tetouan
Medina of Tétouan (UNESCO)
One of Morocco’s best-preserved medinas, Tétouan’s UNESCO-listed old town reflects centuries of Andalusian craftsmanship — narrow whitewashed lanes, intricately carved doors, and the famous artisan quarters where ironwork, leather, and embroidery are still made by hand.
Royal Palace & Place Hassan II
Place Hassan II, with its checkerboard plaza and elegant lampposts, fronts the gleaming Royal Palace at the medina’s edge. Locals gather here in the evening, and the square serves as the unofficial entry point to the old town’s main souk.
Ethnographic & Archaeological Museums
Two small but excellent museums frame Tétouan’s identity: the Ethnographic Museum (in a Spanish-built villa) displays traditional costumes, weaponry, and zellij work, while the Archaeological Museum houses finds from nearby Lixus and Tamuda — including beautiful Roman mosaics.
Martil Beach
Tétouan’s nearest beach town is just 10 km east — a relaxed Mediterranean strip with a long promenade, family-friendly sand, and grilled-fish restaurants. Busiest in summer when locals from the Rif come to escape the heat.
Hassan II Mosque Tetouan
The Hassan II Mosque on Tétouan’s Place Hassan II is one of the city’s most prominent landmarks — a modern mosque with a tall green-tiled minaret rising over the plaza that connects the medina with the new town. While the interior is reserved for Muslims, the surrounding square is the social heart of Tétouan, especially lively at sunset.
Place Moulay El Mehdi
Place Moulay El Mehdi is the centre of Tétouan’s Ensanche — the early 20th-century Spanish-built quarter — with the Spanish-era Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de las Victorias still anchoring one side. Wide pavements, palm trees, art-deco façades, and pavement cafés make this one of the most pleasant places in northern Morocco for an evening stroll.
Cabo Negro
Cabo Negro is an upmarket Mediterranean beach resort 20 km from Tétouan — long stretches of sand, a golf course, marina, and several luxury hotels set against a pine-covered headland. The clear, calmer waters of the Mediterranean make it popular with Moroccan and Spanish families during summer.
Dar Sanaa
Dar Sanaa is Tétouan’s School of Traditional Arts and Crafts, housed in a handsome historic building beside the medina walls. Founded under the Spanish Protectorate, it still trains apprentices in woodcarving, zellij tiling, leatherwork, embroidery, and Andalusian metalwork. Visits give a rare close-up look at Morocco’s most refined artisan traditions.
