Why visit
- Tamuda is the oldest layer of Tétouan's story — a Mauretanian trading settlement older than the Arab medina by more than a thousand years, and one of Morocco's best-documented Roman military sites.
Tamuda
Tetouan
Tamuda is an archaeological site on the banks of the Martil river, 5 km west of Tétouan. Founded as a Mauretanian trading town in the 2nd century BCE, it was destroyed in the Roman conquest of Mauretania Tingitana and rebuilt as a Roman military castrum. The site preserves walls, streets, and the camp grid — best read after visiting the Archaeological Museum in the city, where the mosaics, bronzes, and ceramics excavated here are displayed.
What to expect
- An open-air archaeological site on the left bank of the Martil river. You walk between low walls, a grid of Roman streets, and the remains of the castrum. Interpretation is minimal on site — the finds are in the Archaeological Museum in town.
Best time
- Morning before the sun gets high. Spring and autumn are most comfortable. Avoid after heavy rain — river-side paths get muddy.
How to combine
- Museum → Tamuda → Martil beach for a classic Tétouan day: ancient layer, riverside ruins, and a swim or a seafood lunch on the coast.
Price range
- Not free: Tamuda is a state-ticketed archaeological site. Foreign visitors pay 80 Dh and foreign children aged 7 to 13 pay 40 Dh; Moroccans and residents pay 30 Dh, and their children aged 7 to 13 pay 10 Dh.
- The site opens 9:00 to 17:00. It is one of only two places in Tétouan sold on Morocco's Ministry of Culture ticketing portal, so the ticket can be bought online in advance instead of at the gate.
- Moroccan nationals are admitted without charge every Friday and on the first day of national and religious holidays. That concession does not extend to foreign visitors, who pay the full rate on those days too.
Location
Tetouan
FAQs
Usually free and open-air. A custodian may be present — a small tip is customary if you are shown around. Facilities on site are minimal; bring water.
Foundations, street lines, and sections of wall. Tamuda is a "read-the-plan" site rather than a standing-ruins site — its value is in the archaeology, which is why you should see the Archaeological Museum in Tétouan first.
It's 5 km — possible but mostly along the road. A taxi from the Ensanche is 20–30 MAD one way and 10 minutes. Combine with Martil beach on the way back.
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