Ceuta

Overview

The small Spanish enclave of Ceuta is a rather pleasant city with its waterfront and duty-free products. It's also an alternative to Tangier for arriving in Africa by ferry. Although the city has been Spanish for about six centuries, it is still more or less claimed by Morocco.

Key facts

Type de lieu: city.

Intérêt touristique: (worth seeing).

Localisation: on the Mediterranean coast, east of Tangier, facing Gibraltar.

Distances: Chefchaouen (105 km to the south), Tangier (70 km to the west), Tetouan (40 km to the south).

Heure locale: Heure : Ceuta.

Population: 85,144 inhabitants (2018).

Superficie: 18.5 km².

Altitude: sea level.

Site internet: www.ceuta.si/

What to see and do

The city

Shopping

Since Ceuta is a duty-free zone, many people come here to shop. The city has quite a few stores.

In the surrounding area

Cape Spartel and the Caves of Hercules (80 km to the west)
Just a few kilometres from Tangier, Cape Spartel is a rocky promontory at the entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, towering over 300 metres above the sea. Below it, waves have carved out caves known as the Caves of Hercules.

Rif Mountains
This mountain range and plains stretch along the Mediterranean coast from Tangier to the Algerian border. It is increasingly popular for tourism, thanks to its towns and villages and especially the opportunities for trekking and other outdoor sports.

Tangier (70 km to the west)
A city with a rich history stretching from the Phoenician era to its unique status as an international zone in the 1920s–1950s.

Tetouan (40 km to the south)
The city is renowned for its medina, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Mediterranean beaches and the Rif Mountains are also nearby.

Climate and weather

Practical information

Entry requirements

The entry requirements are the same as for the rest of Spain.

Money

As elsewhere in Spain, the euro is the official currency. It's worth noting that it's better to wait until you're in Morocco if you want to buy Moroccan dirhams, rather than exchanging money in Ceuta where the rates aren't always very good.

Language

While Spanish is the official language, Arabic, Berber, and French are also widely spoken.

Time difference

Heure locale: Heure : Ceuta.

The time in the Spanish enclaves is not the same as in Morocco. It is actually the same as in the rest of Spain (or France), so there is a one- or two-hour time difference with Morocco depending on the time of year.

Transport

Getting there

From Spain

While the city has a small heliport with a service to/from Malaga, it's usually by sea that you arrive in Ceuta from Algeciras. Just over half an hour by ferry with several daily connections operated by the companies Balearia, FRS, and Trasmediterranea.

From Morocco

Getting around

The city/peninsula isn't very large. You can get around by urban bus, taxi, bike, or on foot.