A Glance at the Fascinating City of Tetouan

Morocco - Photo Display 7 of 10

We continued our journey from Chefchaouen towards the north by bus and an hour and a half later, we arrived at our riad in the medina of Tetouan, a World Heritage Site inscribed by UNESCO in 1997.

Riad in the medina of Tetouan — Photo by Sonia Duque

Like the previous ones, this riad was absolutely gorgeous.

Tea room in the riad — Photo by Sonia Duque

We never got tired of admiring the beauty of its architecture and décor. And when they served us dinner, we were able to appreciate the taste of Moroccan delicacies once again.

Restaurant in the riad — Photo by Sonia Duque

Tetouan, with a population of around 460,000, is also called “the White Dove” due to the city’s whitewashed buildings.

Medina of Tetouan — Photo by Sonia Duque

And its medina has beautiful alleys as well.

Alley in the medina of Tetouan — Photo by Sonia Duque

Alleys also connect different sections of the market area.

Alley in the medina of Tetouan — Photo by Sonia Duque

And alleys can be never ending as well.

Alley in the medina of Tetouan — Photo by Sonia Duque

We were advised to start by visiting the Queen’s Gate first.

Queen’s Gate, Tetouan — Photo by Sonia Duque

And the Queen’s Gate is near a public hand-washing station which in Morocco is generally referred to as “fountain”.

Fountain in the medina of Tetouan — Photo by Sonia Duque

As found in Google, “Tetouan is also called ‘the daughter of Granada’ because many Muslims and Jews who fled Granada in 1492 after its fall to the Spanish Reconquista settled in Tetouan. This influx of Andalusian refugees, seeking protection from the Spanish Inquisition brought with them their unique architectural style, which is evident in the medina.”

Medina of Tetouan — Photo by Sonia Duque

Our brochure indicated that, “The historic wall surrounding the medina of Tetouan is approximately 5 km long. It’s accessed by seven gates and dates back to the 17th century.”

Wall of the medina of Tetouan — Photo by Sonia Duque

We had a chance to see a joyful band playing and dancing traditional Moroccan music on the streets of Tetouan.

Traditional band — Tetouan — Photo by Sonia Duque

We also walked by the front entrance of the Royal Palace on Hassan II Square.

Royal Palace — Hassan II Square — Photo by Sonia Duque

From the top of buildings in Tetouan, you have a panoramic view of the whitewashed medina, with the city’s iconic minarets.

View form the top of buildings — Tetouan — Photo by Sonia Duque

And you can also see the Rif Mountains in the background.

Rif Mountains in the background — Tetouan — Photo by Sonia Duque

Tetouan is one of the spots where we were fascinated by the beauty of its architecture, the kindness of its people, and its delicious food, which is why we have awesome memories of this overnight stay.