Have you ever considered Melilla as a holiday destination? Sometimes, the most unexpected destinations often include the added pleasure of the unknown. We would like to present you the modern Melilla, a thriving modern city which offers many tourist delights for the visitor.
There is a city that gathers all the mystery of Africa and the history of Spain: a great small city of renown which opens its doors to invite you to the discovery and pleasure. The city of Melilla is a window from which two different continents see each other. An enclave in North Africa for over 500 years, Melilla’s shorelines are lapped by the waves of the Mediterranean Sea, where visitors who like the taste of the unexpected may find a holiday full of exoticism, cultural variety and outdoor activities.
From the charm of its ancient Citadel walls to the colourful of the Modernist architecture with over 900 Modernist and Art Deco buildings, Melilla offers the visitor an endless variety while walking along its roads. The proximity to the sea and the influence of the four cultures are reflected in the city’s delicious gastronomy and in the variety of its artistic customs and expressions.
Few people are aware of the several attractions that invite the visitor to discover the city of Melilla, which range from local treasures displaying the city’s splendour as a historical link between two continents, to the city’s fine sand beaches on the Mediterranean Sea.
One of Melilla’s greatest appeals are the people themselves, who constantly welcome visitors to discover the city. Four different ethnic and religious communities (Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Hindu) coexist peacefully while maintaining their own particular cultural identities, making of Melilla a city with a mix of surprising contrasts and colours and enriching its landscape as well as its streets.
This cultural blending is also evident in Melilla’s cuisine, which tempts the palate with a wide range of dishes and exquisite specialities which are the result of the city’s cultural diversity and Mediterranean character.
In addition to dining out, Melilla is also a wonderful place to go shopping, not only due to the city’s cultural diversity but also because prices are significantly lower than in mainland Spain, since Melilla enjoys fiscal advantages which allow many products to be sold at tax-free prices. Melilla’s shopping area is full of shops owned by Muslims, Jews and Hindus traders. In those shops, visitors can buy Berber jewellery as well as gold and silver products, leather hand-crafted items, tapestry and carpets and local pottery, as well as designer clothing, accessories and footwear. We can also find areas that evoke the colourful atmosphere of the African open-air markets with all the advantages of a Western city.
During the day, Melilla is a happy, cultural, lively and colourful city. Its semi-arid Mediterranean climate guarantees average annual temperatures of around 18ºC for the whole year. Any time of the year is a good moment to have a break in Melilla, enjoy longer holidays, or take advantage of its privileged position as a linking point between Europe and Africa. Melilla is an ideal starting point to venture for a journey into Africa, while being, at he same time, in an exceptionally attractive Spanish location.
When night falls, Melilla offers fun for everyone, and the visitor can enjoy an evening at the most modern clubs and discos or relax in traditional bars, where conversation mingles among different rhythms.
If you are looking for a new and exotic destination do not hesitate to come and discover Melilla. You will enjoy the experience more than you would ever imagine

2015 Melilla ETU Triathlon Junior European Cup