Tetouan Medina and Souk el-Hots

The medina of Tetouan, in northern Morocco, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site shaped by Andalusian refugees who settled there after the Reconquista. Visitors enter through Bab el-Okla and find a dense network of whitewashed lanes, craft workshops and markets. Souk el-Hots, the old fish and produce market, is one of the best-known spots for street photography, with stalls, hanging goods and busy lanes. Photographers can frame lane perspectives, craftsmen at work in leather, carpentry and brass workshops, and details of doors, tiles and arches. Morning is the best time, when craftsmen are working and the light enters the lanes at a low angle, producing shafts of light and shadow. By midday the medina becomes hot and crowded, and flat overhead light reduces atmosphere; overcast days are forgiving. Spring and autumn provide comfortable temperatures, summer is hot, and winter can be wet. Crowds are lighter than in Chefchaouen or Fes, but the main lanes fill with shoppers and tour groups by late morning. Tripods are impractical in narrow lanes and busy souks, though a small tripod can be used in quieter courtyards; a handheld 35mm prime or a 24-70mm zoom is more practical. Entry to the medina is free, and no separate photography fee is charged in public lanes. Drone flights need national authorisation and are inadvisable in the old town. Many craftsmen allow photos if asked politely, and a small purchase is appreciated. Cafes around the main squares offer restrooms and water.