The city is located about 60 km southeast of the city of Tangier and near the Strait of Gibraltar, in a valley (the Tetouan cluse) dug by the Wadi Mhannech in the mountains of the limestone chain of the Rif at north and south. Near Tetouan, there are several coastal tourist towns like M'diq and Martil, and holiday villages like Marina Smir and Cabo Negro.