4 Best Sights in Ceuta, Tangier and the Mediterranean

Ceuta's monumental Royal Walls date back a millennium and have been added to over the years by the Arabs, Portuguese, and Spanish to strengthen the town's fortifications. The strikingly modern Museo de los Muralles Reales, set in the walls, displays interesting art exhibitions. Crossing the San Felipe moat gives you a fine view over the walls.

The lovely Andalusian-style square is at the heart of the old city and worth exploring. Check out the memorial that honors soldiers who took part in the Hispano-Moroccan war of 1859. Flanking the main plaza is a pair of impressive churches, both built on the sites of former mosques: to the north is the baroque Nuestra Señora de África (Our Lady of Africa), and at the southern end is the larger and even more ornate cathedral.

Just under Ceuta's lighthouse, and named for a flat-nosed Amazigh pirate who made the cove his home in 1417, this fort built in the 19th century now houses a museum of military history showcasing the evolution of weapons from the 16th to 19th centuries. You can look out across Ceuta's port and, on clear days, take in a stunning view of Gibraltar from the ramparts.

At Ceuta’s longest and most popular city beach, the sand is nothing special but the clear water is relatively calm year-round. It gets crowded in summer. Amenities: food and drink; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: swimming.