Tetouan

Tetouan is 11 kms from the coast at Martil. It was built between 1550 and 1600 by Arabs and Jews who been evicted by Philip the second of Spain. They had mainly lived in the Granada province of Andalucia. The area of Granada was conceded by the last Arab Emir , Boabdil, to the Reys- Catolicas by the treaty of Santa Fe in December 1491. After this they lived in relative peace until they were evicted in 1560 for refusing to accept catholic religion and dress.

On their arrival in what is now Morocco they settled in Tetouan and built the city as a new town copying the architecture of places such as Granada, Cordoba and Sevilla. To this day Tetouan looks and feels like the old arab and jewish quarters of Andalucian cities. The second language is still Spanish not French.

There is a large an plescent Medina similar to that of Marrakech but without the pressure to Buy. The central square is dominated by the royal palace

There are several hotels and the nearest camp site is at Martil.