Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima is a region of northwestern Morocco. The coasts are bathed by the Mediterranean Sea to the east, the Strait of Gibraltar in the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The territory of 11,570 square kilometers, which in percentage represents 1.6% of the total Moroccan surface, is characterized by the Rif mountain range but also by sandy coasts.
Tangier is the capital of the region, and is characterized by beaches, some of which are wild, both on the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts, and for the amphitheater-shaped watchtower over the Strait. The port is the largest in the country, both for its strategic position in the Mediterranean Sea, just 14 kilometers from Spain, and for the recent infrastructural expansion: Tanger Med is now a very important commercial and tourist maritime station. Places of cultural interest in the city are the Museum of Mediterranean Cultures (Dar el Makhzen), the American Legation Museum, the Anglican Church of Sant'Andrea, the Nahon Synagogue. Tangier derives etymologically from Tanjas, the name of the wife of Hercules. In fact, here are the Caves of Hercules, dating back to the Neolithic period, according to the mythology, home of the hero. The cave, located at Cape Spartel, near the summer palace of the king of Morocco, has two openings, one on the sea (it is believed that the Phoenicians created this access to the ocean that recalls the shape of the African continent) and one on the mainland. Partly natural, it is also partly artificial, given that the rock of the walls was used by the Berbers to make stone millstones.
Ceuta, an autonomous Spanish city, semi-enclave in geographically Moroccan coastal territory, is located between Tangier and Teouan.
The city of Tetouan, also known as Tetuan, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to the great historical and artistic value of its medina, the old quarter with the maze of alleys characteristic of many cities in the Maghreb. There are also cultural buildings such as the School of Fine Arts and Offices, the Ethnological Museum of Skala, the Royal Palace.
Al-Ḥoseyma, also called Al Houceima, is also an important port city on the Mediterranean coast. The Tafensa Nature Reserve and the National Park located here represent the largest reserves of fish eagles and peregrine falcons in the region. Furthermore, beaches such as Cala Iris, Quemado or Asfiha are very popular due to their beauty.
M'diq is a small Mediterranean seaside place where a large fishing fleet is active. There are many fine sandy beaches, from Restinga to Cabo Negro, passing through the tourist ports of Marina Smir and Kabila.
In the quiet town of Assila, inside the Portuguese walls dating back to the 15th century, the streets are embellished with the works of painters from different countries who every year participate in the Assilah Cultural Festival, which has as its main venuethe Hassan II International Meeting Center, masterpiece of modern architecture.
Chefchaouen is called the blue pearl due to the color of its houses. Remained almost unchanged since the 15th century, it has seven gates that give access to seven districts. The craftsmanship is very intense, with weaving and woodworking workshops that wind through the medina, El Hammam square, the Jewish quarter, the great mosque, the Kasbah.
In Larache, as in Tetouan, you will find the most striking examples of Spanish-influenced architecture in Morocco. The neighborhood that develops around the Plaza de Espana, or Place de la Libération, is Andalusian in style. The territory represents the natural extension of Lixus, whose Phoenician ruins are a few kilometers away and where, according to various sources, the mythical Garden of the Hesperides is located. Long Atlantic beaches dominate the landscape.