Melilla

Melilla is a Spanish autonomous city on the North African coast, opposite the peninsula. It shares a border with Morocco and is, along with Ceuta, one of Spain's two territories on the continent. What makes it unique is its modernist heritage: over 900 Art Nouveau and Art Deco buildings, many of them by the architect Enrique Nieto —a disciple of Gaudí—, which turn the Ensanche and centre into an open-air museum. Melilla is the second city in Spain for number of modernist buildings, only behind Barcelona.

The Golden Triangle —López Moreno, Ejército Español and Avenida Juan Carlos I streets— concentrates palaces and decorated façades. Casa de los Cristales, the Assembly Palace and the La Reconquista building are some examples. The Citadel (Melilla la Vieja) houses museums, walls and sea views. Melilla's urban beaches —La Ensenada, Los Cárabos— and the port complete the offer. The gastronomy mixes Spanish cuisine with Maghrebi influences: fish, couscous, pinchos morunos and tea.

Melilla has a special tax regime with VAT-free products, which attracts shoppers. The city has an airport with flights to the peninsula; you can also reach it by ferry from Malaga and Almeria. The climate is Mediterranean; hot summers and mild winters. The fusion of cultures —Spanish, Berber, Hindu, Jewish— is evident in the neighbourhoods and daily life.

A one- or two-day stay is enough to see the modernist quarter, the Citadel and a beach. Melilla is a destination for those seeking architecture, history and a different experience on Spanish soil. Spring and autumn are the best seasons; very hot summer.