Melilla is a Spanish autonomous city on the northeastern coast of Africa, bordered by Morocco and the Mediterranean Sea. This compact enclave blends Spanish modernist architecture, Moorish heritage, Berber culture, and Jewish tradition into one of Spain's most distinctive and overlooked destinations.
Top day trips
Handpicked excursions within easy reach.
Nador, Morocco
Nador is the workaday provincial capital just across the Beni Enzar border, a Moroccan city of low-rise apartment blocks, souks and government offices rather than a curated tourist stop. Its main draw is Mar Chica, the large saltwater lagoon separated from the Mediterranean by a narrow sandbar, which lies along the road east of the city centre. A day here suits someone who wants a first, unstaged taste of Morocco — a working souk, a fish market, a lagoon view — rather than monuments.
Highlights: Marchica Lagoon promenade: scenic 25 km coastal lake walkway within Nador city limits · Beni Enzar souk: busy cross-border market with spices, textiles, and Rif-region handicrafts · Nador medina: compact old-town quarter centred on Place du Marché · Grilled fish and harira: local restaurant staples at modest prices near the port area · Spanish-Moroccan cultural blend: architecture and commerce reflecting Nador's proximity to Melilla
Al Hoceima and Rif Coastline
Al Hoceima sits on a dramatic stretch of Mediterranean coast where the Rif mountains drop straight into the sea, and it is the most scenically rewarding of the day trips on this list precisely because of that coastline rather than any single monument. The town itself was built by the Spanish in the 1920s and keeps a low-rise colonial-era centre around its main square, but the real reason to come is the drive along the cliffs and the view out to the Peñón de Alhucemas, the small Spanish-held rocky islet just offshore. Given the distance from Melilla, this only works as a day trip if you commit to most of the daylight hours to it.
Highlights: Plage Quemado: sheltered town beach with views to the Spanish island fortress of Peñón de Alhucemas · Al Hoceima National Park: sea cliffs, hidden coves, and Mediterranean bird habitat along the Rif coast · Cala Iris: remote rocky cove beach southwest of Al Hoceima, reachable by local taxi · Rif mountain scenery: dramatic gorges and terraced hillside villages visible on the bus route from Nador · Corniche seafood restaurants: fresh catch served at local Moroccan prices along the Al Hoceima waterfront
Cabo de Agua / Ras El Ma, Morocco
Ras El Ma is a small coastal settlement near the mouth of the Moulouya river, where the river's wetlands meet a long stretch of largely undeveloped Mediterranean beach. It has none of the infrastructure of a resort town - this is a trip for open beach, low dunes and birdlife around the estuary rather than restaurants or sights. It suits a traveller who wants sea air and quiet within easy reach of Melilla rather than a full day's itinerary.
Highlights: Double-shoreline beach: open Mediterranean surf on one side and calm Marchica Lagoon on the other · Ras El Ma lighthouse: historic cape lighthouse at the northern tip of the Nador lagoon sand spit · Undeveloped Moroccan coastline: raw sandy beach without large hotel infrastructure or commercial beach clubs · Lagoon swimming: shallow, warm, and sheltered lagoon water ideal for families and calm-water swimmers · Beachside fish cafés: simple open-air restaurants serving grilled catch and tagines at low Moroccan prices
Oujda, Morocco
Oujda is a large, largely non-touristy Moroccan city near the (closed) Algerian border, with a working old medina rather than the curated, souvenir-shop medinas of Fes or Chefchaouen. It's a university and administrative city first and a sightseeing destination second, so it suits a traveller curious about ordinary urban Morocco rather than someone chasing photogenic streets. The most distinctive stop nearby is the Sidi Yahya oasis just outside town, a shaded palm grove around a shrine that draws local pilgrims.
Highlights: Oujda Old Medina: intact city walls, historic gateways, and working souk with minimal tourist infrastructure · Place du 16 Août: main city square surrounded by traditional cafés, pastry shops, and local commerce · Sidi Yahia Oasis: palm-shaded spring on the western edge of Oujda, a tranquil local retreat · Algerian-Moroccan border cuisine: karantika, zlabia pastries, and distinctive Oriental Region couscous · ONCF rail journey: four-hour scenic train ride across the eastern Moroccan plains from Nador via Taourirt
Chefchaouen (Blue City)
Chefchaouen is the hill town in the Rif mountains known for its blue-washed medina walls and doorways, a look that dates to the Jewish and Andalusian refugees who settled here from the 1930s onward. The old town is compact and walkable, built around a central square and a hilltop kasbah, and its steep, photogenic lanes are genuinely worth the trip - but at 310km and 5-6 hours each way from the border, it is at the very edge of what a day trip can sensibly cover.
Highlights: Blue medina: narrow alleyways and staircase streets painted in shades of indigo and sky blue · Plaza Uta el-Hammam: main town square with café terraces, the Grande Mosquée, and adjacent Kasbah ruins · Ras El Maa waterfall: small natural cascade at the medina's eastern edge, framed by lush Rif vegetation · Rif handicraft market: kaftans, woven blankets, leather goods, and pottery sold in medina stalls throughout the old town · Mountain elevation: town at 600 m offers cool temperatures and panoramic views across Rif hillside terracing
Trips by distance
How far you can go in a day.
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Getting there
Transport options for day trips.
Multi-day tours from Melilla
If you have longer than a day, these are organised multi-day trips that start here.
Browse multi-day tours from MelillaWe may earn a commission from bookings made through this link.
Day trip tips
Make the most of your excursions.
Start early — most popular day-trip destinations get crowded by mid-morning.
Check return transport times before you leave — missing the last train or bus can be costly.
Carry water, snacks, and layers — weather and food options can be limited at smaller destinations.