Portray of the Destination
The city of Melilla is a window from which you can see two continents. An enclave in North Africa
for more than 500 years, bathed by the Mediterranean sea, where the visitor willing to know
unexpected flavours may find a holiday full of exoticism, cultural variety and outdoor activities.
From the charm of its ancient Citadel walls to the explosion of colour of its Modernist
architecture of over 900 Modernist and Art Deco buildings, Melilla offers the visitor a
never-ending variety while walking through the city streets.
The proximity of the sea and the influence of four cultures are reflected on the city's
exquisite gastronomy, and on the variety of its artistic traditions and cultures. Few people are
aware of the multiple attractions that invite one to discover the city of Melilla. From the
absolute treasures displaying the splendour of a city with a history as a meeting point of two
continents, to the beaches of fine sand between the city and the Mediterranean sea. Four different
communities (Christians, Muslims, Jews and Indians) live together while maintaining their own
particular cultural identities, providing Melilla with a wealth of surprising contrasts, which
enrich the sights and streets of the city.
Geography
Melilla (Mrič in Berber) is an Spanish autonomous city located in northern Africa, in the Eastern
part of the Rif mountain range. It is situated on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in front of
the coasts of the Iberian Peninsula, of Almeria, Grenada and Malaga. It has a very important port
and beach, in the Tres Forcas Cape, close to the Gurugú Mount and the Oro river mouth. The village
is 1 metre above the sea. The surface area is approximately 5 square miles (12 square km). The
original city centre was a fortress built on a hill of some 30 m high from where the territory was
dominated in which now the modern city is located.
Climate
The climate is typically Mediterranean, mild and humid, with east and west winds and occasionally
winds from Sahara. Average temperatures in Melilla reach 13ºC in winter and 24ºC in summer.
When to go
Due to the tourism importance in Melilla, it offers leisure activities in both its cultural and
natural environments, a great number festivities that give brightness to the city. As its weather
is one of the mildest in the Mediterranean, this city is a destination to enjoy throughout the
year.
History
The origin of the city of Melilla comes from the Phoenician colonization of the Western
Mediterranean. Since the 6th century BC it had been in Punic hands, and later passed to be part of
the Roman Empire. In the year 429, after passing through Hispania, the Vandals ventured to the
North of Africa, devastating the Mauritanian provinces, on their way to Carthage. With the Muslim
expansion, the area where Melilla is situated was conquered at the end of the 7th century.
In 859, with the Viking incursions into the Mediterranean, Melilla was looted and burned
down. In 927, Abd-ar Rahman III incorporated it into the Cordovan emirate, which would later become
the Cordovan Caliphate. The link with al-Andalus had a short duration, and Melilla became a sore
point between the sultans of Fes and Tlemcen, to the point of being destroyed and almost
depopulated.
The 15th century witnessed the beginning of Portugal’s expansion in the Kingdom of Fes, and
the Catholic Monarchs who joined the expansion. In 1497, the conquest of the city by Castilian
troops took place. In 1509, the Agreement of Sintra re-established the borders of the North African
influence between Portugal and Castile, establishing that Portugal would dominate the Atlantic
Coast from Ceuta, leaving the Mediterranean for Castile. From then on, the city became continuously
subjected to hostilities by the “rifeños” (local sub-Saharan tribes).
In 1860, the Treaty of Wad-Ras with the sultan of Morocco was signed. Through this treaty,
the borders between the Moroccan territory and the Spanish city were established. The Moroccan War,
which continued intermittently in the area during the beginning of the 20th century, was
particularly critical to Melilla. The military uprising, which encouraged the Spanish Civil War
started on 17 July 1936 in Melilla. For that reason, the pro-Franco propaganda referred to this
city as "La Adelantada" (“The Forerunner”). Since the end of the Spanish and French protectorates
over Morocco, in 1956, this country claims the city as part of its territory. On the other hand,
the Spanish Government has never maintained any type of negotiation on the matter.
Traditions
With such a melange of cultures, there are different celebrations in Melilla at nearly all times of
the year. Following the solar calendar, Christian religious festivities include not only Easter,
Christmas and the Epiphany, but also the festivity of Our Lady of La Victoria and St Francis of
Assisi (patron saints of the city).
The main Islamic festivities follow the lunar calendar: Ramadan, Id El-Fitr (marking the end
of Ramadam), Aid El Kebir (the Feast of the Sacrifice), Mulut (commemoration birth of the Prophet),
Achra (“El Diezmo”), and the Muslim New Year (Muharram).
The Jewish community also follows the lunar calendar, and their main festivities are Purim
(the Carnival), Pesaj (Easter), Shavuot (Pentecost), Ros-hashaná ( New Year) and Yom Kippur (the
Absolution festivity).
The Hindu community, the most recent settlers in Melilla, celebrate Diwali which is the Hindu
New Year festivity.
Gastronomy
The culinary manifestation of Melilla's cultural wealth is an extravagant melange of tastes and
aromas offering an enormous variety of choices to the gourmet. As a Mediterranean city, Melilla
maintains and promotes the typically Spanish tradition of 'tapas' and tidbits accompanied with a
fine wine or thirst-quenching beer.
Every bar has its own 'tapas' speciality, and there are three areas that are particularly
known for them: the centre, the area around the Promenade and the Real district. The city 'tapas
circuit' is a must. The Mediterranean cuisine is drawn principally from the sea: fish specialities
include whitebait, fresh anchovies, squid, sardines, and anchovies in brine; a wealth of shellfish
includes lobster, crayfish, prawns and the exquisite king prawns, as well as mussels and clams
fried up in delicious tasty mixtures.
The cultural melting-pot of Melilla is also evident in the Arab preparation of many
ingredients and in the skilled use of herbs and spices. Another must is the typical 'pincho
Melillense', accompanied by a mint tea that can only be found in this city, or a dish of delicious
couscous, full of Mediterranean flavour.
Basic Dictionary
YES: si. NO: no. HELLO: hola. GOOD BYE: adios. GOOD MORNING: buenos días. GOOD AFTERNOON: buenas
tardes. GOOD NIGHT: buenas noches. PLEASE: por favor. SORRY: lo siento. THANK YOU: gracias. DOCTOR:
médico. PHARMACY: farmacia. NUMBERS: 1: un. 2: dos. 3: tres. 4: cuatro. 5: cinco. 6: seis. 7:
siete. 8: ocho. 9: nueve. 10: diez. 11: once. 12: doce. 13: trece. 14: catorce. 15: quince. 16:
dieciséis. 17: diecisiete. 18: dieciocho. 19: diecinueve. 20: veinte. 21: veintiuno. 22: veintidós.
30: treinta. 40: cuarenta. 50: cincuenta. 60: sesenta. 70: setenta. 80: ochenta. 90: noventa. 100:
cien. 1000: mil. DAYS OF THE WEEK: MONDAY: lunes. TUESDAY: martes. WEDNESDAY: miércoles. THURSDAY:
jueves. FRIDAY: viernes. SATURDAY: sábado. SUNDAY: domingo. COMMON WORDS: BIG/SMALL:
grande/pequeño. HOT/COLD: caliente/frío. OPEN/CLOSED: abierto/cerrado. GOOD/BAD: bueno/malo.
NEW/OLD: nuevo/viejo. PUSH/PULL: empujar/tirar. ENTRANCE/EXIT: entrada/salida. LADIES/GENTLEMEN:
señoras/señores. FAR/NEAR: lejos/cerca. LEFT/RIGHT: izquierda/derecha. TAXI: taxi. BUS: autobús.
MEALS: BREAKFAST: desayuno. LUNCH: comida. DINNER: cena. MENU: menú. WINES: vinos. DESSERT: postre.
THE BILL: la cuenta. COMMON SENTENCES: DO YOU SPEAK ENGLISH?: ¿Habla inglés?. I DON'T UNDERSTAND:
no entiendo. WHERE IS IT?: ¿donde está? HOW MUCH IS IT: ¿Cuánto es? WHAT TIME IS IT: ¿Qué hora es?
COULD YOU HELP ME: ¿Puede ayudarme?
Currency
The oficial currency is the Euro. It is divided into 100 cents. There are 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 euro banknotes. There are also 1 and 2 euro coins, together with 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cent coins.
Currency Exchange
1 EUR (Euro) = 1.20 U$D (United States Dollar), 1 EUR (Euro) = 0.66 GBP (Sterling Pounds)
Prices
In comparison with other European Union countries, and perhaps due to its high tourist vocation,
Spain is one of the cheapest countries. Obviously, prices vary depending on the season being higher
during the summer and lower in the winter.
Useful Info
Official nameMelilla
CountrySpain
Time ZoneGMT +1
Official LanguageSpanish
Surface area12 km²
Population65,488 inhabitants
Political RegimeConstitutional Monarchy
Public holidaysJanuary 1: New Year's Day; May 1: Labor Day; June 13: St Antonio; September 8: Our Lady of La
Victoria's Day; September 17: Spanish Re-Foundation of Melilla; October 12: National Day; November
1st: All Saints' Day; December 6th: Day of the Spanish Constitution; December 8th: Day of the
Immaculate Conception; December 25th: Christmas day
ReligionMelilla is mainly catholic, and this is reflected even on the city calendar. But plurality and
freedom of worship is also permitted. Due to its multiculturalism, Melilla has been declared World
Heritage Site. In this city, the cordial coexistence between Christian, Hebrew and especially
Arabic cultures is best perceived than in any other Spanish city.
Religion65% Catholics, 30% Muslims, 4%Jews and 2% Hindus
Arrival / DepartureIt has an airport and a seaport within its territorial borders, connecting with Malaga, Almeria and
other Spanish cities. Its bus station, situated next to Morocco, assures the connection between
Melilla and Morocco.
SafetyAs in all Spain security is a priority for the forces of law and order. In this area the
institutions count on several services whose main aim is to make the coexistence easier and to help
at times of emergency. Nevertheless, tourists must consider every recommendation and general
advices. For that reason we suggest travelling with the necessary money in each outing, in the same
way, precautions should be taken in crowded places as to avoid every kind of theft.
VisaThe European Union tourists do not need visa to enter Spain. Neither those citizens of the United
States, Argentina, Mexico, Brazil and the rest of the Latin American countries, though a return
ticket must be bought. Travelers from Australia, Anguilla, Bermuda, Canada, Cyprus, South Korea,
Hong Kong, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Israel, Japan, Macao, Malaysia, Montserrat, New
Zealand, Saint Helena, Singapore and Turk & Caicos do not either need visa provided that they
do not stay more than 90 days in Spain.
ClothingThere are no rules for clothing, it’s depends on the season. The Spanish people love to wear
comfortable and informal clothes. In the case of Melilla, it is advisable to wear comfortable and
thin clothes in summer and not very warm clothes in winter.
Electricity220 volts, 50 mhz. Sockets takes two round plugs.
Radio and TelevisionThe main radio Stations in Melilla are: Cadena 40 principales, Radios 1 y 3 (Radio Nacional de
España), Radio Clásica , Cadena Dial, Cadena Cope, Onda Cero.
With regard to TV, the national TV channels are: (Tele5, Antena3, Cuatro, TV1 and TV2).
TelephoneThe Spanish phone code is 34 and Melilla code is 952. To make a phone call to another country you
must first dial 00 and then the international code of the country you would like to call to and
finally dial the subscriber phone number. For phone calls within Spain a special code is not
required.
The most important phone operators are Amena – www.amena.com-, Movistar/Telefónica Móviles
-www.movistar.tsm.es- and Vodafone-www.vodafone.es-. Telephone booths are very common along the
streets and they work with coins or phone cards. There are also the called locutorios, they are
establishments with many phone booths, where coins or cards are not needed, just pay in cash the
phone call after the conversation. In many of this kind of places it is also possible to send and
receive faxes and there are computers with internet connection as well.
Police952 698 100 / 092
Ambulance902 222 292
Fire Brigade952 674 100 / 080
Tourist health care services952 698 001 / 112
Newspapers and MagazinesMelilla Newspapers are: ''El Telegrama'' (www.eltelegrama.com), ''Melilla Hoy''(www.melillahoy.es)
and ''El Faro'' (www.elfarodemelilla.com). Besides receiving National Newspapers: "El País", "El
Mundo", "La Razón" and "ABC".
Magazines are also available: “Época”, “Semana”, “Interviú”, “Primera Línea” and “Tiempo de
Hoy”.
Postal ServiceThe Spanish postal service is efficient. Letters within Europe usually take 3 to 5 days. A special
delivery costs a minimum of 2.5 euros. The post office of Melilla is Pablo Vallesca, 20; Telephone
Number: +34 952690643. Schedules: from 8:30 to 20:30 on weekdays, Saturdays from 9:30 to 14:00.
Sundays and public holidays closed.
Customer care of Correos: +34 902 197 197. For more information visit www.correos.es.
Health Care ServicesMelilla health care centres, as in all Spain, offer a permanent care to all the population of the
area. They count on services that ensure a direct and comfortable attention for the patient. The
main Clinics and Hospitals are:
HOSPITAL MILITAR CAPITÁN MÉDICO PAGÉS, General Polavieja, s/n. Telephone number: +34
952674743.
HOSPITAL COMARCAL, Ctra. Remonta, 2. Telephone number: +34 952698001.
AirportThe Airport is essential to connect Melilla with mainland Spain. The airport guarantees daily
communication with the Iberian Peninsula. The air connection is currently provided by the Iberia
subsidiary, Air Nostrum. The company offers around twelve flights a day to Malaga, as well as two
flights per day to Almeria, Barcelona and Madrid, and one to Grenada. For further details: Iberia
Airlines (www.iberia.com) ; or Meliyet (www.meliyet.com).
Melilla airport is situated in: Carretera de Yasinen. Telephone number: +34 952698614.
Public TransportDue to its small size and especially to its monumental layout, Melilla is an ideal city to be
explored on foot. There is a bus service for those who wish. (Urban Buses COA, Telephone Number:
+34 952 672 616). Taxis are also available at the following locations:
Taxi, Gral. Marina (Telephone Number: +34 952 683 621)
Taxi, C/ Sidi Ad-del-Kader (Telephone Number: +34 952 683 628)
Taxi, Barrio del Real (Telephone Number: +34 952 673 624).
RailwayThere is no railway station in Melilla.
BusThe city of Melilla has an efficient service of buses that allows the communications with northern
African cities.
The bus station is situated in Calle Cabo Cañón Antonio Mesa, 4. Telephone Number: +34
952672616.
CarMelilla is well connected to the northern Moroccan cities by its road network. Important Moroccan
cities like Fes, Meknès, Tangier, Tétouan are located between 335 and 480 km away.
Car RentalsCar rental require a minimum age of 23 and a driver’s license of at least one year. Some agencies
require a minimum age of 25 for specials vehicles, minivans and luxury cars. All companies demand
full payment in advance and a deposit. The main credit cards are accepted: VISA, Master-Card,
American Express, etc. The main car rental agencies are:
Melicar Alquiler de Coches S.L.: Cargadero del Mineral, s/n. Telephone Number: 34 952670880.
Rent a Car Melilla S.L.: Calle Pablo Vallescá, 16. Telephone Number: 34 952686122.
It is recommended to hire a car (preferably 4-wheel drive), or to take your own car as fuel
prices in Melilla are lower than in mainland Spain.
ShipThe ferry company Trasmediterránea offers six sailings a week to the Ports of Malaga and Almeria,
thus providing a number of links between Melilla and mainland Spanish ports, including the fast
ferry (running from June to September) with cabins, and a 'Canguro' vessel, which offer both cabins
and reclining seats for up to 1,000 passengers. The boat can also carry 250 cars and 500 metres
length of cargo.
Capitanía marítima de Melilla: Calle Ribera, s/n. Telephone Number: +34 952680716.
Destination Tourism Office in Spain Spanish embassy in the destination Taking pictures See climatewww.worldweather.org
Currency converterwww.xe.com/ucc
A dinner20 to 30 euros
A coffee1 euro
The Bus1 euro
The taxiInitial fare: 1.10 euros (standard). 1.44 euros (night fare) and 1.65 euros (public holidays)
