Plaza de España

Melilla

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Plaza de España is the beating heart of Melilla, with arteries leading to the modernist new town and fortress. It's also where you can catch a bus to the border. At the centre is a central fountain and an art-deco military monument to campaigns in Morocco. Around the roundabout, you'll find Casino Militar, Palacio de Asamblea and Banco de España.

In the distance towards the sea you can spot Melilla’s most striking contemporary building, the new courthouse, which looks like a flying saucer landed on the roof (closed to visitors).

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Melilla La Vieja

    Melilla La Vieja

    0.3 MILES

    Perched over the Mediterranean, Melilla la Vieja is a prime example of the fortress strongholds that the Spaniards built along the Moroccan littoral…

  • Palacio de Asamblea

    Palacio de Asamblea

    0.06 MILES

    Nieto’s art-deco Palacio de Asamblea, whose floor plan depicts a ducal crown, is an operating town hall, although the staff at the entrance are willing to…

  • Casino Militar

    Casino Militar

    0.06 MILES

    The magnificent two-storey building lining Plaza de España holds free temporary art exhibitions in rooms extending from its Enrique Nieto–designed hall…

  • Cuevas del Conventico

    Cuevas del Conventico

    0.29 MILES

    These extensive and well-restored caves were used for storage as well as a refuge during sieges, and pop out at a small beach below the cliffs. The…

  • Playa de la Ensanada de los Galápagos

    Playa de la Ensanada de los Galápagos

    0.24 MILES

    Nestled below cliffs and the towering fortress walls is the secluded beach of Playa de la Ensanada de los Galápagos, open from June to September (with…

  • Plaza de Toros

    Plaza de Toros

    0.3 MILES

    Africa's only active bullfighting ring is operational just once a year for Melilla's Virgen de la Victoria festival. Otherwise, the 8,000-person stadium…

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Nearby Melilla attractions

1. Casino Militar

0.06 MILES

The magnificent two-storey building lining Plaza de España holds free temporary art exhibitions in rooms extending from its Enrique Nieto–designed hall…

2. Palacio de Asamblea

0.06 MILES

Nieto’s art-deco Palacio de Asamblea, whose floor plan depicts a ducal crown, is an operating town hall, although the staff at the entrance are willing to…

3. Statue Grande Libre

0.1 MILES

Melilla's role in modern Spanish history isn't forgotten. The Statue Grande Libre marks 7 July 1936, when Franco began the campaign against the government…

4. Parque Hernández

0.17 MILES

The spacious palm-lined park right at the heart of the city is perfect for lounging on a bench with a book or zigzagging through the maze of blue and…

6. Playa de la Ensanada de los Galápagos

0.24 MILES

Nestled below cliffs and the towering fortress walls is the secluded beach of Playa de la Ensanada de los Galápagos, open from June to September (with…

7. Aljibes de las Peñuelas

0.24 MILES

Two of the four tiny doors across the courtyard lead into the cavelike, other-worldly cisterns, which once stored as much as 1000 cubic metres of water…

8. Puerta de la Marina

0.24 MILES

The main entrance to the Melilla la Vieja fortress is Puerta de la Marina, a gate which once had a drawbridge system with chains and a moat.