Tetouan Travel Guide

Tetouan is city in northern Morocco near to Tangier, M'diq, Martil and Chefchaouen.

Getting there

By Plane

'Sania Ramel Airport' is an airport serving Tetouan. The airport is small but there are flights from Amsterdam (Corendon Airlines), from Liege in Belgium (JetairFly) and from Al Hoiceima or Casablanca with Royal Air Maroc. There are more choices available from Tangier airport 'Tangier-Ibn Batouta Airport'.

By Train

There is no train station in Tetouan but you take the to Tangier by train and from there by bus.

By Bus

The bus station is located in the city center.

By Car

From Rabat, Casablanca or Marrakesh : Follow A1 to N1 in Tanger-Tetouan. Exit from A1 and take R417 and N2 to Tetouan.
From Fes : Follow A2 to Route de Sidi Allal Bahraoui/R405 in Sidi Allal El Bahraoui. Exit from A2 -> Get on A1 in Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen -> Merge onto A1

Where to Stay in Tetouan

Riad Dar Achaach
From 44$

Riad El Reducto
From 36$

Riad Dar Rehla
From 30$

History

The city was founded in the third century B.C. During a revolt, the Roman army destroyed the settlement and the city was once again destroyed in 1437 by the Portuguese, after they had occupied Ceuta in 1415. Tetouan was rebuilt in 1483 by Andalusian refugees expelled after the Spanish Reconquista.
Abu Hassan Ali Al-Mandri an Andalou, commanding officer from Granada, was the founder and the architect of Tetouan.
After his death, his wife Sayyida al-Hurra became the governor of Tetouan. She wanted revenge after the loss of the kingdom of Granada in 1492 and joined an alliance with Barbarossa of Algiers. She married the Wattasside Sultan of Fez Abu al-Abbas Ahmad ibn Muhammad and he officially recognized her authority over the entire West area of the Rif.

Places to visit

Medina of Tetouan

This medina is one of the smallest in Morocco but it's the most intact. The architecture reveals a clear Andalusian influence and the medina is listed as UNESCO World Heritage.
The Medina is surrounded by 5 km of walls built in the fifteenth century. The city has 7 gates: in the North 'Bab Mqabare' and 'Bab Ejyafe', in the East 'Bab El Okla' and 'Bab Saaida', in the West 'Bab Nouader', and 2 gates in the South 'Bab Toute' and 'Bab Remouz'.
The old districts of the city are Trankat, Rbat Aala, Bled, Laayoune, Essania, Rbat Asfal and, as with all main cities in Morocco, the 'Mellah' which is the Jewish district.

Museum

Tetouan Museum of Archaeology

The museum is located downtown at the intersection between the Medina and the new part of the city. It was built in 1939. The majority of objects exhibited come from ancient and modern excavations in northern Morocco.
The archaeological material on show are diverse pottery, amphorae (type of container), mosaics, inscriptions, steles (stone monuments), architectural elements, ancient coins, prehistoric stone tools and bone, faunal remains for example.
In the museum you will find a lovely Andalusian garden, vestibule, three permanent exhibition rooms, a screening room, a small restoration workshop, a reserve and administrative offices.

Nicknamed the White Dove, Tetouan spills in white terraces down the Rif foothills a few kilometres from the Mediterranean. Its medina — the most authentically Andalusi in Morocco — is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and its Spanish-era new town gives it a flavour found nowhere else in the country. Here is what to do.

Top Things to Do in Tetouan

1. Get lost in the UNESCO medina. Rebuilt by Andalusi refugees from Granada in the 15th century, Tetouan’s medina is compact, lived-in and wonderfully untouristy - all white walls, tiled fountains and busy souks.
2. Admire Place Hassan II and the Royal Palace. The grand square linking the medina and the new town, framed by the royal palace’s ornate gates - Tetouan was the capital of the Spanish protectorate.
3. Stroll the Ensanche, the Spanish new town. Boulevard Mohammed V and its whitewashed Spanish colonial architecture feel like Andalusia - cafes, theatres and Art Deco facades.
4. Visit the Archaeology Museum. Roman mosaics from Lixus, prehistoric finds and Phoenician pieces - a small museum with genuine treasures.
5. See the Ethnographic Museum in the kasbah. Costumes, jewellery and wedding traditions of the Rif, displayed in a former fortress with rampart views.
6. Peek into Dar Sanaa, the school of arts and crafts. Tetouan’s century-old crafts school keeps zellige, carved plaster, embroidery and inlay alive - a window on the city’s artisan soul.
7. Swim at Martil, M’diq and Cabo Negro. Tetouan’s Mediterranean beaches are 10-20 minutes away: family-friendly Martil, the marina of M’diq and the pine-backed cove of Cabo Negro.
8. Shop the souks for Rif crafts. Look for the striped fouta fabrics and wide-brimmed straw hats of the Rif’s Jbala women, leatherwork and mendil weavings.

How Many Days in Tetouan?

One day covers the medina, Place Hassan II, a museum and the Ensanche; add a beach afternoon in summer. Tetouan pairs naturally with Chefchaouen, an hour away, on any northern loop — see our northern Morocco guide.

Getting There and Around

Tetouan is about an hour from Tangier and its ferries and airport, by CTM bus or grand taxi; the small Sania Ramel airport has domestic flights. Use our map of Tetouan to get oriented.

Stay near Place Hassan II for the medina at your door, or by the beaches of Martil and Cabo Negro in summer. Compare the coast on our best beaches guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Tetouan worth visiting?

Yes. Its UNESCO-listed medina is the most authentic Andalusi old town in Morocco, the Spanish Ensanche is unique in the country, and the Mediterranean beaches are minutes away - all with far fewer tourists than Chefchaouen.

What is Tetouan famous for?

Tetouan is known as the White Dove for its white medina, a UNESCO World Heritage site shaped by Andalusi refugees from Granada, and for having been the capital of the Spanish protectorate.

Tetouan or Chefchaouen - which should I visit?

They complement each other: Chefchaouen for the famous blue lanes and mountain setting, Tetouan for an authentic, untouristy medina and beaches. They are only about an hour apart, so most travelers do both.

How far is Tetouan from Tangier?

About 60 kilometres - roughly one hour by bus or grand taxi - which makes Tetouan an easy stop between Tangier and Chefchaouen.

Coordinates: 35° 34′ 21.29″ N, 5° 21′ 16.88″ W

Name in English	Tetouan
Name in Arabic	Tittwan
Region	Tangier - Tetouan
Population	550 374
Demonym	Tetouani
Zip Code	93 000

• Tétouan weather
• Sunday 12:00
• Sky is clear
• 33ºC | 91°F
• More details about Tétouan Weather