Melilla is one of two Spanish enclaves on the coast of Morocco, a small autonomous city that has been in Spanish hands since 1497. It sits on the eastern edge of the Rif mountains, facing the Mediterranean.
The old fortress, Melilla la Vieja, is the main draw — a walled citadel perched on a rocky peninsula with views across the sea toward Málaga. Inside its walls you will find the Museo Municipal and a handful of small churches. The modern town beyond the walls has an unexpected concentration of Modernista architecture, much of it designed by Enrique Nieto, a disciple of Gaudí.
Melilla is also a convenient entry point into Morocco: the border crossing at Beni Enzar is walkable from the city centre, and ferries run to Málaga and Almería.