Tétouan is at the foot of the Rif Mountains (Image: Getty)
A city in Africa rarely visited by overseas holidaymakers could see a surge in British tourists due to the first direct flights from the UK. Tétouan in northern Morocco is known as the ‘white dove’, a name that is said to have derived from the city’s white-washed buildings.
The new direct route from London Gatwick to Tétouan, which is home to a UNESCO world heritage site, got underway last weekend. The flights from Royal Air Maroc are around three hours long, departing from Gatwick on Saturdays and returning on Thursdays, according to reports. Previously travellers visiting the city had to get a connection in major transport hubs like Casabalanca.
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Tétouan is known as the ‘white dove’ and its medina is a UNESCO world heritage site (Image: Getty)
Tétouan is at the foot of the Rif Mountains and only a few kilometres from the Mediterranean Sea.
Travel experts at Lonely Planet describe Tétouan as a “jewel” in a “striking location” that’s relatively off the beaten track.
They said: “Despite seeing relatively few foreign visitors, there’s an air of authenticity here that adds great value to a visit.
“The ancient medina, a UNESCO World Heritage site, looks like it has not changed in several centuries. The modern centre that abuts it gleams in white, its Spanish facades given a recent facelift to seductive affect.”
In Morocco, a medina is the historic old town area of a city.
“Although one of the smallest of the Moroccan medinas, Tétouan is unquestionably the most complete and it has been largely untouched by subsequent outside influences,” UNESCO says on its website.
It explained how the city was rebuilt by Andalusian refugees who had been expelled by the Spanish after the Reconquest.
“Tétouan was of particular importance in the Islamic period, from the 8th century onwards, since it served as the main point of contact between Morocco and Andalusia,” it added.
Some travel bloggers have described Tétouan as a “hidden gem”.
Tétouan is around an hour’s drive from the major port city of Tangier on the Strait of Gibraltar.
Metro identified the spring and autumn as the best seasons to visit Tétouan, noting temperatures regularly climb above a sweltering 30C during the peak of summer.
It could also be an option during the winter as the city is largely dry and sees pleasant temperatures averaging between 13C and 18C.
Morocco has seen a rise in UK visitors in recent years, Metro reported, with UK arrivals reaching one million last year.
Agadir, Marrakech and Fez are among the country’s most popular destinations for tourists.
