page_title: Tétouan
section_title: Sights in and around Tétouan
hierarchical_section_title: Tétouan / Sights in and around Tétouan
caption_attribution_description: English: Aïn Zarka, Tetouan Province, Morocco Français&#160;: Aïn Zarka, Province de Tétouan, Maroc العربية: عين الزرقاء، إقليم تطوان، المغرب
context_page_description: Tétouan, nicknamed the White Dove, is a city located in northern Morocco. It lies along the Martil Valley and is one of the two major ports of Morocco on the Mediterranean Sea, a few miles south of the Strait of Gibraltar, and about 60 km E.S.E. of Tangier. In the 2014 Moroccan census, the city recorded a population of 380,787 inhabitants. It is part of the administrative division Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima.
  The city has witnessed many development cycles spanning over more than 2,000 years. The first settlements, discovered a few miles outside of the modern city limits, belonged to Mauretanian Berbers and date back to the 3rd century BC. A century later, Phoenicians traded there and after them the site—known now as the ancient town of Tamuda—became a Roman colony under Emperor Augustus.
  In the late 13th century, the Berber Marinids started by building a casbah and mosque in what is now the old city. Soon after in 1305, the scale of the settlement was expanded by sultan Abu Thabit Amir, who fortified the place. Around the early 15th century, the Castilians destroyed the settlement in retaliation for piracy.
  The modern history of the city starts around the late 15th century.
context_section_description: The medina (old town) of Tétouan is on UNESCO's World Heritage List. The inner city is very characteristic and traditional. One can find many white houses there, especially low houses. Everywhere in the city there are people performing their craftsmanship, like weavers, jewellers, leather workers. Street sellers often try to sell carpets to tourists as well. Tétouan is part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network and was named "City of Crafts and Folk Art" in 2017.
  The Archaeological Museum is located in the city center a hundred meters away from the Royal Palace. The museum exhibits artifacts from different periods belonging to indigenous, Phoenician, Roman, Jewish, and Arab cultures. The museum was constructed in 1943.
  The Museum of Modern Art is located in front of Riad Al Ochak garden.
  The Mechouar of the Royal Palace is situated just outside and by one of the entrances to the old medina. There is a public square in front of it.
  Riad Al Ochak (literally meaning "Lovers' Garden"), officially known as Moulay Rachid Garden, is a public garden designed in the moorish style. It is located at the bottom of the hills on the road down to the Martil Valley.
  The kasbah at the top of Mount Dersa, with the ruins of the former barracks of the Regulares, is located alongside a cemetery of indigenous martyrs.
  Tétouan enjoys a large coastline that spans from the border with Ceuta to the road to Al Hoceima. It is usually very busy in the summer time and hosts many international clubs, hotels, golf resorts, and marinas such as Club Med, Sofitel, and the Ritz-Carlton located in the Tamuda Bay area between M'diq and Fnideq. The nearest beach is the popular city of Martil. Other villages include Cabo Negro, Oued Lao, El Jebha.
  Tétouan is surrounded by two mounts -Dersa and Ghorghiz. Several natural spots are available and hiking activities are popular.
caption: Zerka natural spot in Mount Ghorghiz - Rif Mountains.
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