waterfall
Akchour Waterfalls
Waterfalls and a natural rock bridge in Talassemtane National Park, about 30km by road from Chefchaouen.
41 km · about 50 min drive
AfricaMoroccoTanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima
Tétouan
Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima, Morocco · Africa
About Tétouan
Tétouan sits on the route: 15 minutes from Saddina, 41km from Akchour Waterfalls.
Tétouan is in Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima, Morocco, with about 420,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Saddina, about 9 km away.
Tétouan is a city 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 kilometres (37 mi) E.S.E. of Tangier. As of 2024, the city has an estimated population of 469,465 inhabitants. It isRead more
part of the administrative division Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima.
Over the span of more than 2,000 years, Tétouan has witnessed many development cycles. Dating back to the 3rd century BC, Tétouan's first settlements, discovered a few miles outside of the modern city limits, belonged to the ancient Mauretanians. In the 2nd century BC, the Phoenicians traded there and after them the site, known now as the ancient town of Tamuda, became a Roman city under Emperor Augustus.
In the late 13th century, the Marinids built a casbah and mosque in what is now Tétouan's old city. 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. It was re-built and fortified by Ali al-Mandri, who emigrated from the Nasrid city of Granada in the decade before it fell into the hands of the Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile as the War of Granada was completed in 1492.
Hundreds of thousands of Muslims (Moriscos) and Jews (Marranos) from Andalusia settled in northern Morocco, and on the ruins of the city of Tétouan. The city went through a prosperous period of reconstruction and growth in various fields, becoming a major center of Andalusian civilization.
Tétouan is linked to Granada, and it is nicknamed "Granada's Daughter" (Spanish: "La Hija de Granada" or "La Paloma Blanca"). To this day, many families keep keys belonging to their old homes in Granada. It is also nicknamed "Pequeña Jerusalén" (Little Jerusalem) by Sephardic Jews. Today, the majority of Tétouan's population is Muslim. Although their presence has declined during recent decades, Christian and Jewish communities also exist.
In 1913, Tétouan became the capital of the Spanish protectorate of Morocco (1912-1956) which was governed by the Khalifa (Moroccan princes serving as Viceroys for the Sultan) and a Spanish "Alto Comisario" accredited to them. The city remained the Spanish protectorate's capital until 1956, when Morocco regained its full independence.
Tétouan is a renowned multicultural center. Since 1997, the medina of Tétouan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since 2017, it has also been part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the area of Crafts and Folk Art.
Where to Stay in Tétouan
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Tétouan?
Within an hour or so of Tétouan: Akchour Waterfalls (41 km), Chefchaouen (46 km), Tarifa (53 km), Cap Spartel (55 km).
Are there any good drives near Tétouan?
The nearest famous roads are A-397 San Pedro to Ronda and A-397 Ronda to San Pedro Road.
Where is Tétouan?
Tétouan is in Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima, Morocco, about 9 km from Saddina.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 415,810
- Continent
- Africa
- Country
- Morocco
- Region
- Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima
- Timezone
- Africa/Casablanca
- Coordinates
- 35.5784, -5.3684
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Morocco
Royal Gendarmerie (outside cities): 177.
Full driving guide for MoroccoTags
Worth the detour from Tétouan
4 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
Chefchaouen
A Rif mountain town whose medina is painted in blue washes, reached by winding roads from Tetouan or Fes.
46 km · about 55 min drive
landmark
Tarifa
Continental Europe's southernmost point, a windswept town where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean, beloved by kitesurfers.
53 km · about 60 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Cap Spartel
A lighthouse cape west of Tangier where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean, near the Caves of Hercules.
55 km · about 65 min drive
Driving roads near Tétouan
2 named roads, passes and coastal drives within 150km.
- 55 kmCap SpartelA lighthouse cape west of Tangier where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean, near the Caves of Hercules.
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