Backpacking the Spanish Autonomous City of Ceuta (in Africa)
Posted: June 15 2024 | Tagged: Spain
Yes, you read that right. An autonomous city belonging to Spain in Africa. And having been in Ceuta before, this time I had to backpack it
Ceuta is one of 2 Spanish autonomous cities located on the continent of Africa. The other one is Melilla and I am pretty sure you won't have heard of them.
Let me explain.
You've heard of French Guiana right?
French Guiana is next to Suriname. It's France but it's a long way from the Champs Elysee. It's in South America. You can drink café au laits, read Le Monde and shrug your shoulders whilst smoking your Gauloise cigarettes.
Well, Ceuta and Melilla are sort of the same. They are Spanish territories but not in Spain. They are not even in Europe. They are across the Strait of Gibraltar in Africa and their nearest neighbours are Morocco.
So here is a map to show you:
Let me explain.
You've heard of French Guiana right?
French Guiana is next to Suriname. It's France but it's a long way from the Champs Elysee. It's in South America. You can drink café au laits, read Le Monde and shrug your shoulders whilst smoking your Gauloise cigarettes.
Well, Ceuta and Melilla are sort of the same. They are Spanish territories but not in Spain. They are not even in Europe. They are across the Strait of Gibraltar in Africa and their nearest neighbours are Morocco.
So here is a map to show you:
Ceuta according to Google Maps:
Melilla according to Google Maps:
But whereas French Guiana is an overseas department of France, it is not autonomous. Ceuta and Melilla are cities. Autonomous cities.
The definition of which is: having the right or power to self-govern.
The definition of which is: having the right or power to self-govern.
And in my research for this blog post, I also read about the Plazas de soberanía. It just gets whackier and whackier. And then you realise:
"The More You Know The More You Realize You Don't Know" - Aristotle
Ceuta is one of 32 special territories of members of the European Economic Area.
And of course, Morocco would like them back and Spain won't let them go. This is my argument when dealing with Gibraltar. Yes, Spain wants Gibraltar as much as Morocco wants Ceuta and Melilla.
So, my Spanish friends, you can not have your cake and eat it.
And I have been in both of them before. Ceuta in 2008 and Melilla in 2012 but both times, I was just passing through. I did nothing except transit. No notable experiences other than passing through.
I guess in Ceuta, I took a bus as the port is a long way from the border but I can't remember. In Melilla, I just walked to the border and from the first Moroccan town of Beni Ansar I took a bus to Nador and then on to Oujda.
So fast forward a few years, oh where does time go, having had a little excursion in Morocco, Tangiers and Chefchaouen, I decided that I would take the ferry from Ceuta to Algeciras on the Spanish mainland. I could have taken the ferry from Tangier Ville to Tarifa too, but wanted out of pure curiosity, to backpack Ceuta first. That little piece of Spain in Africa.
So I took the bus from Chefchaouen to Fnideq.
I guess in Ceuta, I took a bus as the port is a long way from the border but I can't remember. In Melilla, I just walked to the border and from the first Moroccan town of Beni Ansar I took a bus to Nador and then on to Oujda.
So fast forward a few years, oh where does time go, having had a little excursion in Morocco, Tangiers and Chefchaouen, I decided that I would take the ferry from Ceuta to Algeciras on the Spanish mainland. I could have taken the ferry from Tangier Ville to Tarifa too, but wanted out of pure curiosity, to backpack Ceuta first. That little piece of Spain in Africa.
So I took the bus from Chefchaouen to Fnideq.
Backpacking a place means more than just passing through. I needed to do something significant like spend the night, drink a beer, drink a coffee, or go to a museum.
In the end, I spent 2 nights at the Pension La Bohemian, drank 2 coffees and visited 2.5 museums but I abstained from drinking a beer. The no-beer challenge is doing well. 11 days so far. Miss CDMX sure won't recognise me!
Though I can't say it's easy. It's hot as fuck and I am literally gagging.
Well, I say hot. It's showing just 23 deg C for the afternoons but man this place is like a furnace. The glare is intense. The African UV Index is on Extremo.
For me, in the sun, it feels more like 38.
In the end, I spent 2 nights at the Pension La Bohemian, drank 2 coffees and visited 2.5 museums but I abstained from drinking a beer. The no-beer challenge is doing well. 11 days so far. Miss CDMX sure won't recognise me!
Though I can't say it's easy. It's hot as fuck and I am literally gagging.
Well, I say hot. It's showing just 23 deg C for the afternoons but man this place is like a furnace. The glare is intense. The African UV Index is on Extremo.
For me, in the sun, it feels more like 38.
From arriving in the country at 4 pm Spanish time and leaving on the 1 pm ferry, that's 45 hours.
So I had part of the afternoon and evening, 1 full day and a few hours in the morning but the afternoon was lost as I was hiding from the sun and of course, at 10 pm I was as tired as hell.
So I had part of the afternoon and evening, 1 full day and a few hours in the morning but the afternoon was lost as I was hiding from the sun and of course, at 10 pm I was as tired as hell.
Here are my top sights in the Spanish Autonomous City of Ceuta:
1. Murallas Reales:
Undoubtedly the top sight in Ceuta are the Royal Walls.
The Romans built the original walls, and the Portuguese rebuilt them between 1541 and 1549.
The Romans built the original walls, and the Portuguese rebuilt them between 1541 and 1549.
Wikipedia does a much better job of detailing the Muralles Reales, than I ever could.
There is the Museo de Ceuta within the Royal Walls, though it seems to be more of an Art Gallery than a museum about Ceuta:
2. Fortaleza del Hacho:
Fortaleza del Hacho is a military barracks that sits atop Monte Hacho, directly across from the Rock of Gibraltar.
The Fortaleza del Hacho is an imposing site but of course, it is not a tourist attraction. It is not open to the public, despite Google Maps listing it as being open 24/7. It is not even open 1/7. It is home to the Tercio "Duque de Alba" No. 2 of the Spanish Legion. I sent a request to edit the details.
You can walk around it on a small track. And admire the views and they sure are stunning:
The Fortaleza del Hacho is an imposing site but of course, it is not a tourist attraction. It is not open to the public, despite Google Maps listing it as being open 24/7. It is not even open 1/7. It is home to the Tercio "Duque de Alba" No. 2 of the Spanish Legion. I sent a request to edit the details.
You can walk around it on a small track. And admire the views and they sure are stunning:
3. Museo del Revellín:
This is a small art and archaeology museum in an old military barracks.
Entrance is free. Opening hours are Tuesday to Saturday, 10 to 2, then 5 to 8. Sundays are from 11 to 2. Mondays are closed.
Entrance is free. Opening hours are Tuesday to Saturday, 10 to 2, then 5 to 8. Sundays are from 11 to 2. Mondays are closed.
Check out the official webpage from Ceuta for more details on the Museo del Revellin.
4. Military Museum of the Legion:
The Spanish Legion was formed in Ceuta in 1920 and modelled on the French Foreign Legion.
The Tercio "Duque de Alba" No. 2 of the Legion is one of 4 infantry units of the Spanish Legion and is based out of the Fortaleza del Hacho. That's why I saw so many fit-looking guys running around in Ceuta.
The opening hours are Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 1.30 pm. Sundays are closed.
Bitterly disappointed that no one came to open up the day I was there. (It turned out that it was a local holiday in Ceuta. Bad luck on my part, I had based my departure on having time to do the museum before checking out and hot-footing it over to the port for the ferry back to Spain proper.
The Tercio "Duque de Alba" No. 2 of the Legion is one of 4 infantry units of the Spanish Legion and is based out of the Fortaleza del Hacho. That's why I saw so many fit-looking guys running around in Ceuta.
The opening hours are Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 1.30 pm. Sundays are closed.
Bitterly disappointed that no one came to open up the day I was there. (It turned out that it was a local holiday in Ceuta. Bad luck on my part, I had based my departure on having time to do the museum before checking out and hot-footing it over to the port for the ferry back to Spain proper.
There is a Monumento a la Legión across the street with their motto: ¡Legionarios a luchar! ¡Legionarios a morir!:
Monuments of Ceuta:
Estatua de Hercules:
This is one of two bronze Hercules statues, by Ceuta artist Ginés Serrán Pagán, which are 7 meters high and weigh 4 tons each. They are currently the largest bronze sculptures of classical mythology in the world.
The two columns of Hercules: Abyla and Calpe, depicting Hercules separating the continents of Africa and Europe with his hands. Abyla and Calpe are the mythological names of Ceuta and Gibraltar respectively.
This is one of two bronze Hercules statues, by Ceuta artist Ginés Serrán Pagán, which are 7 meters high and weigh 4 tons each. They are currently the largest bronze sculptures of classical mythology in the world.
The two columns of Hercules: Abyla and Calpe, depicting Hercules separating the continents of Africa and Europe with his hands. Abyla and Calpe are the mythological names of Ceuta and Gibraltar respectively.
Escultura de Enrique el Navegante:
Known as Henry the Navigator, Enrique el Navegante was a Portuguese infantryman and the first Duke of Viseo. He was the son of John I of Portugal and Philippa of Lancaster (granddaughter of Edward III of England). In 1414, he convinced his father to try and take the Moorish port of Ceuta which he did in 1415.
Known as Henry the Navigator, Enrique el Navegante was a Portuguese infantryman and the first Duke of Viseo. He was the son of John I of Portugal and Philippa of Lancaster (granddaughter of Edward III of England). In 1414, he convinced his father to try and take the Moorish port of Ceuta which he did in 1415.
Monumento de Ceuta a su Patrona, la Virgen de África:
Estatua de Al Idrisi:
Al-Idrisi, was a Muslim geographer and cartographer born in Ceuta, in 1100.
Homenaje al Regimiento de Artillería 30:
Glorieta Teniente Reinoso:
There are 50 provinces in Spain, here are all the flags, plus the 2 flags from the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla:
There are 50 provinces in Spain, here are all the flags, plus the 2 flags from the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla:
Solidaridad:
Bronze sculpture Solidarity, by Elena Laverón who was born in Ceuta in 1938
Bronze sculpture Solidarity, by Elena Laverón who was born in Ceuta in 1938
