The beautiful north African city that is getting its first ever direct flights from the UK

In 2024, a record number of Brits took a trip to Morocco. With some parts of Spain actively trying to drive tourists away, many have been swapping the shores and city buzz of Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands for the likes of Marrakech, Agadir and Fez. And soon, UK-based travellers will have the chance to fly directly to one of Morocco’s lesser-known cities for the very first time. 

Royal Air Maroc will start running twice-weekly direct flights from London Gatwick to Tetouan on March 29. 

Tetouan is a port city that sits at the foot of the majestic Rif Mountains in the north of the country. It was once the Spanish capital of Morocco and was known as the ‘daughter of Granada’ after Muslims and Jews from Andalusia fled there in the 15th century. It’s full of gorgeous Hispano-Moorish architecture and craft, and its gleaming white, labyrinthine medina is an official Unesco World Heritage Site. 

RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in Morocco, according to Time Out. 

For art buffs, there’s the Tetouan Museum of Modern Art, which is based inside an old Spanish-style train station, and for history fiends there’s the Archaeology Museum displaying artefacts from the ancient Roman city of Lixus. 

Then, a short drive from the city centre, there’s also the seaside resort of Tamouda Bay. It’s lined with luxury hotels and is a popular spot for locals into surfing and other water sports. And, if you go into the mountains, you’ll find the blindingly blue town of Chefchaouen. In short, Tetouan has something to suit every kind of traveller. 

Royal Air Maroc will operate its flights between London Gatwick to Tetouan on  Thursdays and Sundays. Return prices start from £192. Elsewhere in Morocco, the capital city of Rabat has been named Unesco’s World Book Capital for 2026. Read more about what that entails here. 

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ICYMI: One of the world’s oldest cities is getting its first ever direct flights from the UK.

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