Although founded by the Carthaginians, Mehdiya's only historic monument,
the kasbah, dates from the
16th century. By then, the town had become a corsair stronghold from
where pirates attacked passing ships. The kasbah, built by the Spanish
to protect their interests along the coast, is fronted by an impressive
gateway added by Moulay Ismail. Inside the kasbah are the ruins
of a 17th-century mosque, the souks, the governor's palace and the
northwest bastion with ships cannons and views over the Sebou River.
During the summer, Mehdiya Plage is a busy beach resort, as is the Plage
des Nations, 9km away. Near this is the wonderful little Musée Dar
Beghazi, which houses a private collection of Moroccan crafts and
Islamic art gathered by the Fassi artist and antiques dealer Abdallah
Beghazi.
Near by are the delightful Jardins Exotiques de Sidi Bouknadel, planted
in the 1950s by the French horticulturist Marcel Francois. The gardens
are divided into three main sections: a splendid Andalucian garden, an
area of Moroccan indigenous plants and a park with Asian plants.
including huge bamboos.
Ý 183 D4
* 40km north of Rabat
v Buses from Rabat and Salé
Musée Dar Beghazi
* Near Plage des Nations
( (03) 7822178
º Daily 8-5
v Bus 28 from Salé
I Expensive
Jardins Exotiques de Sidi Bouknadel
* 9km from Plage des Nations, on the west side of the Rabat road
º Daily 9-6
I Inexpensive
5. Mohammedia
Mohammedia is Morocco's second port and the centre of its oil industry,
and is also a popular summer resort with a long sandy beach. The oil
industry is fairly recent, but the town was already a significant port
and
trading post in the 16th century, when the Portuguese built the kasbah.
The old fortified town has been restored. and the alleys of its quiet
residential quarter make for a pleasant stroll.
Ý 182 C3
* 28km north of Casablanca
t Train and bus from Rabat and Casablanca
The beach of el-jadida is quiet out of season, but is very busy in the
summer
6. Azemmour
This picturesque little white village is built on a cliff over the
estuary of the poetically named river Umm er Rbia (Mother of Spring).
The Portuguese occupied the ancient river port of Azama for only 30
years (from 1510), but their colonial architecture has lasted much
longer. A walk on the well-preserved ramparts around the 16th-century
Portuguese kasbah, including the arsenal of Dar al-Baroud, is a great
way to start exploring the town. The Moroccan medina is delightful, its
souks and alleys filled with bougainvillea. The best views are from the
bridge on the northeastern side of the medina. About 2km away is the
popular resort of Haouzia, but the beach stretches all the way to el-Jadida.
Ý 182 C3
* 17km north of el-Jadida
v Daily buses from el-Jadida andCasablanca
The vast Portuguese cistern in el-Jadida is an amazing sight,
particularly when it's lit by the strong midday sun
7. EI-Jadida
El-Jadida is a summer resort popular with young Moroccans for its great
sports facilities and mild climate. As it is mainly an industrial town,
you may prefer to walk around the old Portuguese quarter, following in
Orson Welles's footsteps, than hang out on the beach. The well-preserved
Portuguese garrison, known as Mazagan, was built in 1502 and has four
surviving bastions; Bastion de l'Ange offers fine views over the old
town. The Muslims turned the area into the mellah in 1815, hence the
large Jewish cemetery just outside the walls. On the main axis of the
citadel is the Portuguese Cistern, a vast, spectacular, underground
cellar. It so impressed Welles that he filmed part of Othello here in
1952. The light streams in through a small skylight in the vault,
supported by 25 massive columns. The beach of Sidi Bouzid is 7km to the
south.
Ý 182 B3
* 89km south of Casablanca
( Tourist office, avenue el Jaich el-Malaki: (02) 3344788
v Daily buses from Casablanca,
Essaouira and Agadir
Portuguese Cistern
* rue Mohammed el-Hachmi Bahbah
º Daily 9-1, 3-6
I Inexpensive
8. Oualidia
Famous for its excellent Japanese oysters, Oualidia sits above a fine
lagoon beach protected from the Atlantic surf by a barrier of little
islands, which makes it the calmest beach along this stretch of coast.
Little more than a village, it was named after the Saadian sultan el-Oualid,
who built a kasbah to
defend himself from the Portuguese in el Jadida.
Overlooking the vast beach is Mohammed V's picturesque, but now
abandoned, royal villa.
Unspoilt Oualidia is a great place to relax for a few days and try some
fresh fish and shellfish. You can also visit the oyster banks at Parc
Ostreole 007, north of town.
For the Kids
Bigger kids will appreciate the surf along most of the Atlantic coast,
but smaller ones may prefer the calmer waters of Agadir,
Tarhazoute and the lagoon in Oualidia.
Check out Sindbad, the small amusement park on the Corniche
in Casablanca.
The park at Vallee des Oiseaux in Agadir
has a little zoo and play-ground.
Ý 182 B2
* 80km south of el-jadida
v Bus from Casablanca, Essaouira and Safi
9. Safi
This industrial town is not an obvious stop, but its charming old medina
and pottery industry flourish beside the phosphate factories. The
Portuguese also built a fortress here in the 16th century - Dar el-Bahar, overlooking the port. Near by is the Kechla, another Portuguese fortress, which served as a
prison until 1990 and is now a small Ceramics Museum. The souks in the medina culminate with the Souk des Poteries, a showcase
for work made on the nearby Colline des Potiers. The colourful plates
that you'll see on sale across the country, and most of the green tiles
used for the roofs of Morocco's mosques and palaces, are produced in
these potters' quarters.
Ý 182 B2
* 66km south of 0ualidia
( Tourist office, rue Iman Malek: (04) 4622496
v Buses from Casablanca, Essaouira and Marrakech
t Train from Benguerir on the Casablanca-Marrakech line
Dar el-Bahar
* place de I'Indépendance
º Daily 8:30-noon, 2:30-6 Inexpensive
Ceramics Museum
* off avenue Moulay Youssef
º Wed-Mon 8:30-noon, 2-6
I Inexpensive
The vast stretch of beach in Agadir during a quiet moment
10. Imouzzer des Ida Outanane
Reached via the lush Vallee du Paradise this popular spot for a weekend
picnic offers a great escape from the beaches. The small village of
white houses overlooking a beautiful palm grove lies at the foot of the
High Atlas, at 1,250m. This is the administrative centre of the Ida Outanane, a Berber tribe that occupies the whole area from the lower
mountain slopes to the Atlantic Ocean. The Thursday souk is a popular
affair, noted for its medicinal (but illegal) mountain honey made from
marjoram and marijuana. Only 2km away are the pleasant Imouzzer Falls,
with some great rock formations and a deep-green natural water pool into
which locals dive from dangerous heights.
Ý 184 A3
* 60km north of Agadir
v Daily bus from Agadir
5 Best Seafood Restaurants on Morocco's Atlantic Coast
Chez Sam, at the harbour in Essaouira
Restaurant du Port, fishing-boat shaped eaterie, Casablanca
L'Hippocampe, hotel with excellent restaurant, Oualidia
Le Goéland French-style fish
A I'Araignée Gourmande, for a seafood feast
11. Agadir
The holiday resort of Agadir has two main attractions: a splendid beach
and a superb climate, with over 300 sunny days a year. As a modern city
- the old one was destroyed by an earthquake in 1960 - it has little
obvious charm, but it offers a wide choice of hotels catering mainly to
northern European package tourists. It is worth visiting the largest
fishing port in the country, the new medina and souks and the
reconstructed Portuguese Fortress, which has been turned into a
graveyard for those who died in the earthquake. The Musée Municipal has
a great collection of Berber jewellery, and children will like the small
zoo, Vallee des Oiseaux. For a less crowded beach take a bus to Taghazout, 19km further north.
Ý 184 A3
* 225km southwest of Marrakech
( Tourist office: Immeuble A, place Prince Héritier Sidi Mohammed: (04)
8846379 v Buses from Marrakech, Essaouira, Casablanca, Taroudannt, 0uarzazate,
Tiznit
t Trains from Marrakech
ñ Flights from Casablanca and Marrakech
Musée Municipal
* Pedestrian street behind theatre on avenue Mohammed V
( (04) 8224909
º Daily 8-5:30 Moderate
Vallee des Oiseaux
* Corner of boulevards du 20 Aout and Hassan II
º Wed-Sun 9:30-12:30, 2:30-6:30, Tue 2:30-6:30
I Inexpensive
