The verdict
Tetouan works best for travelers who scout the horizon and retain access to both the coast and inland roads. It is less suitable for anyone planning to step outside an unverified medina lodging moments before totality.
The eastern horizon
The Sun reaches about 38.3 degrees altitude at maximum, on an azimuth of 95 degrees. Nearby slopes and dense urban fabric can shorten the useful view during the partial phase even when the Sun is high enough at totality. Visit candidate ground near 08:47 on a clear morning, and check the complete eastern arc rather than judging it from a map alone. The flatter ground toward Martil can improve the sightline, while the coast introduces its own cloud tradeoff.
Weather and alternatives
The Tetouan coast is one of the places where Mediterranean low cloud may collect against the Rif. Dry-season climate does not eliminate morning stratus. Compare live satellite imagery, coastal observations and inland reports during the final forecast window. A flexible plan toward Chefchaouen or farther inland can be more valuable than choosing a site for two extra seconds.
Getting there
Tetouan Sania Ramel Airport is close to the city, and roads connect Tetouan with Tangier, M'diq, Martil and Chefchaouen. The old city is rewarding for a stay but not naturally optimized for vehicle movement or broad sightlines. If mobility is central to the plan, stay where you can reach your vehicle without crossing a congested core.
Build a fallback
Prepare one coastal option, one elevated open site with a verified east view, and one inland route. Decide on weather evidence before roads fill. M'diq offers an open sea horizon but greater exposure to marine cloud, while Chefchaouen offers altitude with more complicated terrain. The right choice will depend on the cloud layer, not a fixed ranking made a year early.
35.5711° N, -5.3724° E. Research contact times are approximate, with around 10 seconds uncertainty reported in the original calculation.
Source and uncertainty notes