Tetouan is an hour from Tangier and feels like a different country. The white medina was built by refugees from Granada, the new town was the capital of Spanish Morocco, and far fewer visitors make the trip than it deserves. Here is how to get there and how to spend the day.
See the Tangier and Tetouan Tour
Most people who visit Tangier either skip Tetouan completely or drive straight through it on the way to Chefchaouen. That is a pity. The medina is one of the best preserved in Morocco, it is far calmer than Tangier or Fes, and the artisans still work in the same streets their families have for generations.
I take guests there often, and it is the trip that surprises people most. Here is everything you need to plan it.
Getting from Tangier to Tetouan: Your Options
There is no train. The rail line from Tangier heads south to Rabat and Casablanca, not east, so every way of making this trip is by road. The good news is that the road is a fast modern motorway for most of the way.
| Option | Time | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bus (CTM and others) | About 1 hour | 30 to 70 MAD | Budget travellers, simple one way trips |
| Shared grand taxi | About 1 hour | A seat, a little more than the bus | Flexible timing, leaves when full |
| Private taxi or car hire | About 1 hour | Negotiated per car | Groups, or combining with Chefchaouen |
| Private guide and driver | Your pace | From 150 euros per person | A full day with the medina explained |
Buses leave Tangier through the day, with around 17 departures listed on booking sites. You can check CTM times on the CTM website. Shared grand taxis leave from the rank when all six seats are sold, which can be ten minutes or an hour.
Tetouan’s bus station is outside the old town. Budget a short petit taxi ride to the medina gates, and agree the fare or ask for the meter before you set off.
Why Tetouan Is Worth the Trip
Tetouan’s medina feels Andalusian because it largely is. Many of its first families came from Granada.
Tetouan was rebuilt at the end of the 15th century by Muslim and Jewish refugees from Andalusia, and you can see it in the whitewashed houses, the carved doors and the tiled fountains. UNESCO listed the medina in 1997 as one of the most complete in Morocco.
Then in the 20th century it became the capital of the Spanish Protectorate, and the Spanish built a new town, the Ensanche, right outside the medina walls. So in a few hundred metres you walk from Andalusian lanes into white Spanish avenues with balconies. No other city in Morocco does that quite so neatly.
- Place Hassan II and the Royal Palace, the grand square between the old and new towns
- The medina souks, organised by trade: leather, textiles, metalwork, spices
- The School of Traditional Arts and Crafts, where you can watch zellige and wood carving being taught
- The tanneries, smaller and quieter than the ones in Fes
- The Ensanche, the Spanish colonial quarter with its cafes and architecture
A One Day Plan
If you want more, Chefchaouen is about another hour past Tetouan. Doing both in one day from Tangier is possible, but you spend most of it in a car. I would rather give each its own day.
On Your Own or With a Guide
Getting to Tetouan by bus is easy. Understanding the medina is harder. It has no signposts, the trades are grouped by street, and a lot of the best workshops are behind doors you would walk straight past. A local guide turns it from a maze into a story.
Tangier and Tetouan Private Excursion
From 150 euros per person, private tour
- Pickup at your hotel in Tangier
- Traditional Moroccan breakfast on the way
- Tetouan medina, souks and artisan workshops with a certified guide
- Air conditioned vehicle and professional driver
- 6 to 8 hours, back in Tangier by evening
Practical Tips
The motorway makes the trip quick. The last stretch into Tetouan is where traffic builds.
- Go on a weekday. Friday afternoon and Sunday evening are busy on the road back to Tangier
- Many medina shops close on Friday around midday prayers. Mornings are the best time any day
- Tetouan is not on the sea. The nearest beach is Martil, about 10 km away
- Bring cash. The artisans rarely take cards
Frequently Asked Questions
About 60 km by road, which takes roughly an hour on the motorway. Traffic entering Tetouan and on weekend evenings can add 20 to 30 minutes.
No. The railway from Tangier runs south toward Rabat and Casablanca, and Tetouan has no passenger rail link. The trip is made by bus, shared taxi or private car.
Tickets usually cost between 30 and 70 dirhams depending on the company, and the trip takes about an hour. There are many departures through the day.
Yes. Its UNESCO listed medina is one of the most authentic in Morocco, it is much calmer than Tangier, and the mix of Andalusian old town and Spanish colonial new town is unique in the country.
It is possible with a private driver, since Chefchaouen is about an hour past Tetouan, but you will spend four to five hours on the road. Most travellers enjoy them more as two separate days.
See Tetouan Properly
A private day with pickup in Tangier, breakfast on the way and a local guide through the medina, the souks and the artisan workshops.
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