The Maritime Park, pictured left, is situated close to the sea and covers 70,000 square metres. It is a combination of swimming pools, lakes and gardens. Here you can spend a day relaxing and having fun as well as sampling one of the restaurants or bars. Around this area you will find the Seaman's Village that houses restaurants of all kinds including Chinese, Italian, Spanish and international. Close by you will find the sports marina where there are moorings and diving schools. The Guardia Civil and Red Cross also have offices here.

The Franco Monument
Highlighted on the tourist map that is handed out to you from the tourist office in downtown Ceuta and worthy of a visit. A controversial monument that nobody has tried to demolish, yet it has not been attended to. Built of the best materials yet slowly the stones are falling off. The only serious attention to the monument comes from young people with spray paint. There are several other monuments within the city worthy of a visit. All are within easy walking distance.

Ermitage of San Antonio
Rebuilt in 1960 and that is as much as the guide books can tell you about its history except that it was once a convent and that it never housed the real Saint of Antonio. You will be rewarded with great views from here towards Europe, and Gibraltar. The view over Ceuta town is a good illustration to why there is a large fortress south of the Ermitage.

Foso de San Felipe
Pictured below, where the Moroccan mountains come to a final end and before Ceuta's Monte Hacho starts are the old remains of the old city walls. Now its in two parts, having a small canal going right through it, which creates a strong current. The construction is believed to be from the Almohad period, but most of it was reconstructed in the 17th century.

Dominating the skyline is the castle. If you take a trip to the top (taxi is best), you can take in the panoramic views of the city and the rugged coastline. There is a lighthouse at the top and several military outposts. It is best to take a taxi to the top then walk down the other side towards the city and port. It will take you about 30 minutes. Look over the straits to see Gibraltar on the horizon. See below.

Our visit to Ceuta
We visited in December 2002. We took the fast boat from Algeciras which took 35 minutes. It was quite a rough crossing which is quite normal. On arrival in Ceuta we stayed at the Melia hotel which was great quality and well located in the centre of the city. We found the monuments to be sparse but interesting. The most enjoyable part of the city is the castle at the top of the hill. Its an enjoyable walk back down. You do however, pass through quite a rough part of the city so we wouldn't advise it after dark. Ceuta didn't appear to have much of an Arab influence, until you approach the frontier. Ceuta has a vibrant nightlife, especially for the youngsters. There are a number of quality restaurants and a good selection of shops. Ceuta lives up to its name 'The Gate to Africa'; altogether an enjoyable visit. From here we went on an organised weekend trip to Morocco.