Ceuta

Ceuta is one of a handful of Spanish possessions on the coastline of Morocco. Located on a peninsula jutting out into the Mediterranean, it offers a compact dose of fantastic architecture, interesting museums, excellent food, a relaxing maritime park and bracing nature walks. The city is particularly beautiful at night, a skyline of artfully lit buildings and bursting palms.

If entering from Morocco, Ceuta is also an eye-opener. You cross a 400m no-man’s-land of haphazardly placed barricades, part of the EU's efforts to prevent illegal immigration, and find yourself blinking in the light of Spanish culture, a relaxed world of well-kept plazas and tapas bars bubbling over until the wee hours. This cultural-island phenomenon is the essence of Ceuta. It explains the Spanish military presence, the immigrants, the duty-free shopping, the shady cross-border commerce and the tourism. It makes a perfect weekend getaway.

Explore Ceuta

P
Plaza de África
This is the charming heart of Ceuta, with manicured tropical plantings, a square of freshly renovated cobblestone pathways and some of the city’s finest…
M
Murallas Reales
The most impressive sight in Ceuta is the medieval Royal Walls, which date back over 1000 years and have been passed from Arab to Portuguese to Spanish…
P
Parque Marítimo del Mediterráneo
This creative maritime park is a real hit in the summer and perfect for families. One of several parks developed by the artist and architect César…
M
Museo de los Muralles Reales
This two-floor gallery houses temporary art exhibitions lasting four years each. Squeezed out of the fort's unforgiving architecture, it's a beautifully…
M
Museo de la Legión
This intriguing museum is dedicated to and run by the Spanish Legion, an army unit set up in 1920 that played a pivotal role in Franco’s republican army…
C
Casa de los Dragones
The Casa de los Dragones on Plaza de los Reyes is a fantastic dream that has entered the real world. This former home is an extraordinary example of…
M
Museo de la Basilica Tardorromana
This superbly executed underground museum is integrated into the architectural remains of an ancient basilica discovered during street work in the 1980s,…
M
Museo Histórico Militar
Named after a noseless pirate who landed here in 1417, Ceuta's Desnarigado military museum is jam-packed with memorabilia from Ceuta's many battles. An…
S
Santuario de Nuestra Señora de África
The striking yellow 17th-century baroque-style church in Plaza de África remains active among Ceuta's Roman Catholic faithful. The altar has a powerful…

P
Plaza de África
This is the charming heart of Ceuta, with manicured tropical plantings, a square of freshly renovated cobblestone pathways and some of the city’s finest…
M
Murallas Reales
The most impressive sight in Ceuta is the medieval Royal Walls, which date back over 1000 years and have been passed from Arab to Portuguese to Spanish…
P
Parque Marítimo del Mediterráneo
This creative maritime park is a real hit in the summer and perfect for families. One of several parks developed by the artist and architect César…
M
Museo de los Muralles Reales
This two-floor gallery houses temporary art exhibitions lasting four years each. Squeezed out of the fort's unforgiving architecture, it's a beautifully…
M
Museo de la Legión
This intriguing museum is dedicated to and run by the Spanish Legion, an army unit set up in 1920 that played a pivotal role in Franco’s republican army…
C
Casa de los Dragones
The Casa de los Dragones on Plaza de los Reyes is a fantastic dream that has entered the real world. This former home is an extraordinary example of…
M
Museo de la Basilica Tardorromana
This superbly executed underground museum is integrated into the architectural remains of an ancient basilica discovered during street work in the 1980s,…
M
Museo Histórico Militar
Named after a noseless pirate who landed here in 1417, Ceuta's Desnarigado military museum is jam-packed with memorabilia from Ceuta's many battles. An…
S
Santuario de Nuestra Señora de África
The striking yellow 17th-century baroque-style church in Plaza de África remains active among Ceuta's Roman Catholic faithful. The altar has a powerful…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Ceuta.

See
Plaza de África
This is the charming heart of Ceuta, with manicured tropical plantings, a square of freshly renovated cobblestone pathways and some of the city’s finest…
See
Murallas Reales
The most impressive sight in Ceuta is the medieval Royal Walls, which date back over 1000 years and have been passed from Arab to Portuguese to Spanish…
See
Parque Marítimo del Mediterráneo
This creative maritime park is a real hit in the summer and perfect for families. One of several parks developed by the artist and architect César…
See
Museo de los Muralles Reales
This two-floor gallery houses temporary art exhibitions lasting four years each. Squeezed out of the fort's unforgiving architecture, it's a beautifully…
See
Museo de la Legión
This intriguing museum is dedicated to and run by the Spanish Legion, an army unit set up in 1920 that played a pivotal role in Franco’s republican army…
See
Casa de los Dragones
The Casa de los Dragones on Plaza de los Reyes is a fantastic dream that has entered the real world. This former home is an extraordinary example of…
See
Museo de la Basilica Tardorromana
This superbly executed underground museum is integrated into the architectural remains of an ancient basilica discovered during street work in the 1980s,…
See
Museo Histórico Militar
Named after a noseless pirate who landed here in 1417, Ceuta's Desnarigado military museum is jam-packed with memorabilia from Ceuta's many battles. An…
See
Santuario de Nuestra Señora de África
The striking yellow 17th-century baroque-style church in Plaza de África remains active among Ceuta's Roman Catholic faithful. The altar has a powerful…

Guidebooks

Purchase our award-winning guidebooks

Get to the heart of Ceuta with one of our in-depth, award-winning guidebooks, covering maps, itineraries, and expert guidance.