Tétouan — The White Dove of the Rif
Nicknamed "the white dove" for its dazzling whitewashed medina, Tétouan sits at the foot of the Rif Mountains, a short drive from the Mediterranean. Rebuilt in the 15th century by Andalusian refugees expelled from Spain, its Andalusian-influenced architecture, tilework, and street layout survive almost untouched — UNESCO named it the most complete of Morocco's historic medinas when it inscribed the old city as a World Heritage Site in 1997. Later, as the capital of Spanish Morocco through much of the 20th century, it picked up a second architectural layer: elegant Spanish colonial squares and Art Deco facades sit just outside the medina walls.
Why Tétouan?
- The UNESCO-listed medina, ringed by roughly 5km of walls and entered through seven historic gates
- Place Moulay El Mehdi, the circular Spanish-era square at the heart of the modern town, with the Church of Our Lady of Victory and a lively evening fountain
- The Royal Palace (Dar al-Makhzen) on Hassan II Square, still an official royal residence
- The Tétouan Archaeological Museum and the Ethnographic Museum of Bab El Okla for the city's Andalusian and Amazigh heritage
- The closest real city base for day trips to Chefchaouen's blue streets and the Rif Mountains
Browse hotels near Chefchaouen and the Rif for options within easy reach of Tétouan.
