Places to Visit in Tetuan (Tetouan), Morocco, Africa

Places to Visit in Tetuan (Tetouan), Morocco, Africa

Tetouan is a Moroccan city located on the Mediterranean Sea in northern Morocco. It is situated around 60 km south of another important port city on the country’s Mediterranean coastline, Tangier. Tetouan is one of the recognized tourist destinations of Morocco, dominated by its Medina or old city, which was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its kasbah and mosques are also famous among tourists. The highest elevation of Tetouan measures 205 meters, while its geographical coordinates are 35°34′ N 5°22′ W. Tetouan features a Mediterranean climate with cool and rainy winter and hot and dry summer.

History of Tetouan:

According to the documented history, Tetouan was founded in the late 13th century. Tetouan began to develop at the beginning of the 14^th century with a large building project by the Marinid king Abu Thabit in 1305. Tetouan was under the Spanish rule from 1913 to 1956 when Morocco’s independence was declared.

Connectivity to Tetouan:

Tetouan is situated around 270 km northeast of Rabat, the capital of Morocco and around 360 km northeast of the Morocco’s largest city, Casablanca.

Tetouan is served by Sania Ramel Airport with scheduled flights from Amsterdam, Al Hoceima and Casablanca and seasonal flights from Liège. The airport is situated around 5 km away from the city centre.

Petite taxis and grand taxis are the convenient mode of transportation options to get around Tetouan.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Tetouan:

Tetouan is home to a museum, called Musee d’Archeologie a Tetouan, which showcases the complete archeological and cultural history of Tetouan with well preserved objects.

There are dozens of shops in Tetouan, most are in medina and some recommended restaurants in Tetouan include:

El Reducto
Restaurant Restinga
Blanco Riad
Ali Baba

Things to do in Tetouan:

Shopping
Visiting old Kasbah
City tours

What to see in Tetouan?

The medina (old town) of Tétouan:

The medina (old town) of Tétouan is the highlight of the city, featuring three sections like the Jewish, the Berber and the Andalusian secions. The medina is small but very beautiful, very clean and houses many attractive white houses.

The Royal Palace of Tetouan:

The Royal Palace of Tetouan is one of the gateways to the medina. The palace itself holds nice interior and exterior designs, attracting a large number of tourists.

Mohammed V Avenue:

Mohammed V Avenue in Tetouan is packed with full of tourist shops, restaurants, cafes and book stores. It usually gets crowded during the evening by both locals and visitors.

Riad Al Ochak:

Riad Al Ochak or The Lovers’ Garden is one of the landmark sites of Tetouan. This garden is similar in construction to the gardens of Granada in Spain. Very beautiful and pleasant.

Tétouan Church:

The Tétouan church is a charming dark yellow colored church, reserved for small Christian community in the city. The tidiness of the church and its surrounding is very much impressive.

List of other places of interest in and around Tetouan includes:

Musee d’Archeologie a Tetouan
The old city
Chefchaouen Old City
Asilah Medina
Dalia Beach
Cascades d’Akchour
Tangier Casbah
Medina of Tangier
Puerto de Assilah
Paradise Beach
Hercules Cave
Tangier Beach
Parc Perdicaris
Museum of Moroccan Arts in Tangier

When to visit Tetouan?

Probably the best time to visit Tetouan is during the months between May and September.

Where to stay in Tetouan?

Tetouan is the site of many star rated hotels that have a great hand in serving both tourists and professionals visiting the city, with a blend of all modern and traditional Moroccan amenities. Free Wi-Fi is a common facility in all hotels of the city. The prominent hotels in Tetouan are: