LANDMARKHISTORIC BUILDINGPolitically these are ‘autonomous cities’, with governmental powers placing them somewhere between a city and a region of
Spain.
The plazas menores (lesser places) are only inhabited by a handful of Spanish legionnaires, if that. These include three
islands in the Bay of Al-Hoceima: Isla de Mar, Isla de Tierra (both deserted, apart from Spanish flags) and El Peñón de
Alhucemas, a striking white fortress home to some 60 soldiers. El Peñón de Velez de la Gomera, at the end of a long canyon
in the National Park of Al-Hoceima, is another ancient rock fortress, connected to the mainland by a narrow spit of sand – and
a guardhouse, one of the oddest national borders you’ll ever see. The Islas Chafarinas, 3km from Ras el-Mar, have three small
islands: Isla del Congreso, Isla del Rey and Isla Isabel II, the last with a garrison of 190 troops. Spain also owns the tiny Isla
Perejil, near Ceuta, which was the cause of one of the world’s smallest conflicts, when Spanish troops evicted a handful of
Moroccan soldiers in 2002; and the Isla de Alborán, about 75km north of Melilla, which has a small navy garrison.
While the two fortress peñónes (rocky outcrops) are must-sees, none of the plazas menores can be entered, as they are
military sites. Morocco claims them all, making their defence necessary. Otherwise, their strategic importance is more elusive
than the Mediterranean monk seal, the last of which disappeared from the Islas Chafarinas in the 1990s.
Recent history has been focused on problems with Spain over immigration and political sovereignty. In 2002 there was a
bizarre conflict over the tiny nearby isle of Perejil, after half a dozen Moroccan soldiers tried to reclaim it from Spain. In 2006
youths set fire to several mosques in Ceuta, after a number of local Muslims were arrested on the Spanish mainland in
connection with the Madrid bombings. In 2007 the king of Spain visited the city for the first time in 80 years, sparking protests
from the Moroccan government. So far none of this has closed a single tapas bar. In late 2010 Moroccan youths rioted in both
Ceuta and Melilla over sovereignty of the cities, sparked by a lack of jobs.Sights & Activities
Ceuta’s history is outlined by the ruta monumenta, a series of excellent information boards in
English and Spanish outside key buildings and monuments.
Plaza de Africa
Offline map Google map This is the charming heart of Ceuta, with manicured tropical plantings, asquare of cobblestone streets and some of the city’s finest architecture. Moving clockwise from
the oblong Commandancia General Offline map Google map , a military headquarters closed to
visitors, you encounter the striking yellow Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Africa Offline map
Google map ( 9am-1pm & 5-9pm Mon-Sat, 9am-1pm & 6.30-9pm Sun & holidays) , an 18th-
century Andalucian-style church; the 19th-century Palacio de la Asamblea Offline map
Google map with its elegant dome and clock, a combination palace and city hall; and finally the17th-century, twin-spired Cathedral Santa Maria de la Asuncion Offline map Google map (
9am-1pm & 6-8pm Tue-Sun) with its museum ( 10am-1pm Tue-Sat) . The centre of the
plaza contains a memorial to soldiers lost in the Spanish–Moroccan War of 1860, a conflict over
the borders of Ceuta.
Royal Walls
The most impressive sight in Ceuta is the medieval Royal Walls (Av González Tablas;
10am-2pm & 5-9pm) , dating back to the 5th century. These extensive fortifications, of great
strategic complexity, have been beautifully restored, with information boards in English. The
beautifully designed Museo de los Muralles Reales Offline map Google map , a gallery that
houses temporary art exhibitions, lies within the walls themselves. It’s a most atmospheric
space, worth visiting regardless of what’s on show – although if you’re lucky enough to catch
local artist Diego Canca, don’t miss his work.