Things to do
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Archaeological Museum
Roman mosaics from Lixus fill the main hall of this small museum on the edge of the Spanish quarter, alongside bronzes, coins and inscriptions from northern Morocco's ancient sites. A garden at the back displays carved stone and column fragments. Entry is ticketed, and the visit fits easily into an hour between the medina and the main square.
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Bab El Okla
Refugees from Granada rebuilt the walled medina in the fifteenth century, and its whitewashed lanes still keep their Andalusian plan. Bab El Okla, the eastern gate, opens onto quarters grouped by trade, from tanners and dyers to silversmiths and carpenters. Tourist numbers stay low compared with Fez. Many workshops close on Friday, and mornings are the busiest time in the souks.
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Cabo Negro
A dark wooded headland rises north of Martil, with villas on its slopes and coves of clear water below. The road over the cape gives wide views along the coast toward Ceuta. Small beaches on its northern side are calmer than the long strand at Martil. Summer weekends bring traffic, and the cape is quiet out of season.
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Martil
Long and sandy, the beach below Tetouan runs for kilometres along the Mediterranean, backed by a seafront promenade of cafes and apartments. Grand taxis cover the short drive from town. July and August bring crowds of Moroccan families on holiday, while June and September keep the warm water with far more room on the sand.
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Place Hassan II
Tiled paving and lamp posts fill the main square between the medina and the Ensanche, the Spanish built quarter of white facades and wrought iron balconies. On one side stands the Royal Palace, whose gates and guards can be seen only from outside. Avenues lead west into the Ensanche, best walked in the early evening when the cafes fill.
