39 Best Sights in The Southern Atlantic Coast, Morocco

Agadir's municipal museum celebrates the Amazigh heritage of the region with collections of photography, jewelry, artifacts, and local handicrafts, as well as temporary exhibits. It's worth a visit to learn about the symbolism seen in Amazigh carpets and jewelry; there's also information about the Igouder (plural of agadir, a communal granary) of the local villages. If you're lucky, an English-speaking intern may be on hand to guide you around.

Chilean artist Claudio Bravo came to Morocco in 1972 and built this palatial home-turned-museum with stunning gardens and stables 10 km (6 miles) outside Taroudant. Following his death in 2011, the estate became a museum showcasing his art and collections, including works by friends like Picasso. The palace is divided into several pavilions connected by inner courtyards and covered walkways, while inside the guest rooms, salons, and Bravo’s private rooms and studios are paintings, sculptures, and artifacts, including Roman and North African ceramics. Wander through the gardens full of exotic plants to the large water basin, and rest in the shade of a pavilion with a cup of tea and views of the Atlas Mountains. A full guided tour takes two to three hours, but it’s possible to do an unguided visit of the gardens. The hefty entry fee includes transportation by horse carriage from the entrance to the main building. You must reserve in advance to visit. You can also reserve for lunch or dinner (expect to pay 400 DH–500 DH per person).

Built in 1769 in the reign of Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah by an Englishman who had converted to Islam, Essaouira's port is still going strong in the southwest corner of town, and it's the one must-see sight for any traveler coming here. Trawlers and other boats bob along the quay, and middlemen and independent sailors sell the daily catch of sardines, calamari, and skate from small dockside tables. You'll be selling yourself short if you don't have a meal of the freshest fish imaginable at one of the shoreside grill restaurants. As Moroccan ports go, it's also one of the most beautiful, not to mention accessible and tourist-friendly.

The beach here swings around a crescent from southeast to northwest; you're more likely to find a quiet spot if you wander south, although be careful to avoid the private beaches of the resorts. The most crowded areas, frequented year-round by families and locals, are to the north. Along the flanking thoroughfare, known as the Corniche (promenade), are cafés, bars, and restaurants. At the very northern end is the swanky marina development where private yachts are moored. The promenade comes alive at dusk, when families and youngsters take their evening walks, but as night falls, it can become a little sketchy. Nonetheless, from the shelter of a café terrace, it's still a good spot to stop and watch the world go by. The northern tip is also the place to rent a Jet Ski, catamaran, or surf equipment. Amenities: food and drink; water sports. Best for: sunset.

The Ammeln Valley is becoming a magnet not only for climbers but also for nature lovers and hikers. A walk in the valley might start at the village of Oumesnat, where the Maison Traditionelle is well worth a visit.  Wear sturdy shoes for the short walk from the car park. At this museum in a traditional Amazigh house, the caretakers will happily explain the old ways of the Anti-Atlas, introducing you to domestic implements, the tea ceremony, and the local women's embroidered black wrap, the tamelheft. Express your appreciation for the tour by tipping generously. From Oumesnat you can follow paths to the neighboring villages. Taghdicte makes a good base for ambitious Anti-Atlas climbers. 

A new historical, cultural, and spiritual landmark in Essaouira, this museum in the Mellah dedicated to Jewish heritage and culture celebrates the Moroccan Jewish culture that once dominated Essaouira, as well as the continuing mutual respect between Muslim and Jewish communities in Morocco. Within the space are the Simon Attias synagogue, the museum Bayt Dakira, and the Haim and Célia Zafrani International Research Center for the study of the history of relations between Judaism and Islam. The exhibits are based around rare objects and photographs illustrating the history of Jewish life and culture in the area. 

During most of the year, a few stray Western surfers seek out waves around the bend from the lighthouse at Cap Rhir. There are no facilities, so it's ideal for those seeking a quiet sunset. You may come across a bald ibis in the area north of the lighthouse, which is said to be one of their nesting sites. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; sunset.

The city walls of Taroudant date from the 16th century and are unique in their completeness and for the fact that the new city has not yet encroached upon them, making the 7½ km (4½ miles) of walls easily visible and approachable. There are five main entry points into the city (from the northwest, going clockwise): Bab el Kasbah, Bab Zorgan, Bab Targhount, Bab Ouled Bounouna, and Bab el Khemis. The one place to climb upstairs onto the ramparts for a view across the town is at Bab el Kasbah.  The best way to see the ramparts is at sunset in a calèche (horse and trap) as the setting sun casts a golden glow over the walls.

Diagonally across from Bab Sedra, across Avenue Moulay Rachid and with the hospital on your right, is the Dar Baroud, once a French ammunition-storage facility. This high-walled building is closed to the public—and is locally rumored to be haunted—but stand back on the sidewalk opposite and you can admire its delicate carved stone walls from the exterior.

Home to the active Essaouira-Mogador Association, Dar Souiri is the hub of cultural life in Essaouira, with a notice board outside the door with information on upcoming festivals, concerts, film screenings, and other cultural events. Inside, the building is an excellent example of 18th-century Mogador (a former name of the city) architecture and houses an art gallery and a library. Free Wi-Fi is available.

Essaouira's beach is fine for an early-morning jog or a late-afternoon game of soccer, but serious sunbathers typically head south to quiet Diabat. Walking along the beach, cross over the mouth of the river and continue past the Borj el Baroud, a former Portuguese fortification. To your left, a few miles south of town nestled in eucalyptus fields, you'll see the ruins of the so-called Sultan's Palace. This building is said to have inspired Jimi Hendrix to write "Castles in the Sand," although he actually released the track a couple of years before his visit to this village, which has been trading on his name ever since. On a windy day the only escape is behind the Borj at low tide. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; sunset.

Essaouira's main beach is a sweep of sand along the bay that has provided shelter to seafarers from Atlantic storms since antiquity. Although temperatures are moderate all year and the sun is nearly always shining, the wind is consistently strong, making sunbathing or swimming less attractive than farther south in Agadir. Nonetheless, sunbed rentals are relatively inexpensive or even free if you eat at one of the cafés at the southern end of the beach.

The wind comes from the north and creates three main areas. The most northerly part, tucked up into the armpit of the port, has wind that comes in gusts. Just south of this the wind strengthens, with fewer gusts. Farther south are the steady, strong trade winds the town is known for, and that make it a mecca for wind and kitesurfers. The range of areas makes the bay perfect for every level of water-sports enthusiast.

The surrounding islets, the Iles de Mogador, are home to nine bird species, including the endangered Eleanora's falcon. They are closed to visitors during breeding season (April to October), but otherwise you can get a boat trip from the port, with boats leaving morning and afternoon depending on weather conditions. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards (summer only); toilets; parking (fee); water sports. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking; windsurfing.

Based out of Essaouira and Ouarzazate, Fikra Travel offers personalized tours of Morocco, specializing in the south and desert regions. It will tailor tours to suit your traveling needs and often deals with small groups and families traveling by 4x4, but can also offer routes by bus, camel, or even donkey.

The prehistoric gazelle rock carving just 2 km (1 mile) south of Tafraoute is an easy walk or bike ride from town, and although the sparse etching has been retouched, it still gives you an idea about how long these desolate mountains have sustained human cultures. To get here, follow signs to "Tazka" from behind Hôtel Les Amandiers; go through the village to the palm and argan fields beyond. You may have offers to guide you from local children: if you accept, then be sure to thank them with a small gift, such as a pen or toy, but avoid giving money. Although everyone calls it a gazelle, locals in the know will tell you that the celebrated rock carving is in fact of a mouflon (wild sheep). Those energetic enough can visit more cave paintings at Ukas, south of the town of Souk Had Issi, 50 km (31 miles) southeast of Tafraoute.

The minaret of the Grande Mosquée is the oldest example in Morocco of a Saharan–style minaret, an architectural feature more commonly seen in Niger and Mali. Perches poke out from all sides, making it look like someone forgot to take out the scaffolding after it was completed. These perches are said to assist the dead in their ascent to paradise. Non-Muslims cannot enter the mosque. 

If you're looking for a more isolated and less developed excursion away from the beach, the waterfalls in the Ida Outanane Mountains, near Immouzer des Ida Outananeup, make an ideal day trip from Agadir, with many opportunities for walking and hiking. Check with locals—the waterfalls are often dry when the region is experiencing drought. On your way you'll pass through the palm gorge of Paradise Valley, where the rocky riverbank welcomes picnicking Moroccan families and foreigners alike. The Amazigh souk in Immouzer is on Thursday and is a great place to buy local honey. To get here by car from Aourir (12 km [7 miles] north of Agadir), take the paved road 50 km (31 miles) up into the mountains. 

In the northeast side of the city, you'll find the kasbah, or the former king's quarter. It was built by Alouite leader Moulay Ismail in the 17th century—some of the pasha's palace remains intact and has been converted into a hotel (Palais Salam, which you can visit for a drink or meal). On Avenue Moulay Rachid, with the main gate (Bab el Kasbah) behind you, you'll see a smaller gate (Bab Sedra) on the right, which is the old entrance into the kasbah quarter. Inside the walls is a typical medina residential area with little left of any original structures apart from the gates. The area in front of the hotel is now a public park and a great place for watching the evening promenade.

High up on the hill to the northwest that looks over Agadir are the few ruins of the old kasbah, the main site of Agadir until an earthquake razed the city in 1960. The devastating earthquake created the opportunity for the development of modern Agadir, which stands today to the south. Although there is little to see here of the former city, the panoramas are breathtaking, especially at sunset. The only way to get here is to take a bus with ALSA, the public transportation company, from the parking lot at the foot of the mountain. The bus leaves every 20 minutes from 8 am to 9:30 pm (8:30 pm on Saturdays) and costs 4 DH each way. 

Emblazoned on the side of the hill below the kasbah are three Arabic words that keep guard over Agadir at all times. Their meaning? God, country, and the king. By day they're a patchwork of huge white stones against the green grass. At night they're lighted up powerfully against the dark. The huge hill is really a burial mound, covering the old medina and the impromptu graves of those who died in the earthquake.

This combination ethnological museum and bazaar is the dream of Moroccan-born Italian decorator-architect Coco Polizzi, who wanted to replace the medina Agadir lost to the 1960 earthquake with a new one on his own land. Located in Ben Sergao, a few miles south of Agadir, on the Inezgane road, the remarkable 13-acre project was completed in 2007 by hundreds of Moroccan craftspeople who used centuries-old techniques. Each stone was laid by hand, and the buildings are made of earth, rock from the Souss, slate from the High Atlas, and local woods such as thuya and eucalyptus. Decorations follow both Amazigh and Saharan motifs. You can find a few mosaic craftspeople, painters, jewelers, metalworkers, and carpenters in workshop nooks throughout the medina. The medina also houses a restaurant, shops, and even an amphitheater. Grands taxis to the medina from Agadir cost around 100 DH round-trip.

Near the Grand Mosquée, the Lalla Zninia Spring (also known as the Source Bleue) is touted as Tiznit's main sight. In the evenings, the pool is lit up, while locals take in the night air in the adjacent square. The spring honors the saint after whom Tiznit is named. Of the several legends relating to this woman, one has it that she was a shepherd girl who brought her flocks to this spot and smelled the then-undiscovered spring below; her sheep dug (if you can imagine sheep digging) until they found the water, and the town was born. Another story talks of a repentant prostitute who later became a saint. In any case, to catch a glimpse of her tomb on afternoons when devotees visit, follow the prison wall and turn left on the first narrow neighborhood street; the tomb is behind a green-painted door on your left.

The main square, the Méchouar, is the heart of town and was once a military parade ground, though nowadays it has become a car park with a clutch of cheap hotels and cafés around it. Down a side street off the main square (heading in the direction of the ramparts), in a smaller square lined with orange trees, locals buy from the mint, date, and dried-thyme vendors whose carts park between the rows of clothing and housewares. Off the Méchouar are the town's main souks.

The medina isn't so much a sight as the essence of Essaouira, where you are likely to stay, eat, shop, and wander. It was designed by French architect Théodore Cornut in the late 18th century, on the instructions of Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah, who wanted to create a new town and port to rival Agadir and demonstrate Morocco's outward focus. Cornut built the kasbah, and the sultan invited prominent Jewish traders to settle here. Mogador (as it was then known) soon thrived.

The medina is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and restoration efforts are underway for some key buildings from Mogador's heyday, namely Simon Attias synagogue (already restored) and the Danish consulate. The former Portuguese consulate and church are earmarked for restoration. All feature the colonnaded ground floor and rooms off internal walkways on the higher levels that are typical of the era. From the kasbah, heading northwest, pass through the Mellah Kdim (old Mellah) before reaching the Mellah proper. It was in this latter area that less affluent Jews settled. Following the end of the French protectorate and the creation of the state of Israel, most of Mogador's Jews left and the area became home to poorer urban families and squatters. Today the area is under redevelopment. Two original synagogues can be visited: Synagogue Slat Lkahal and Haïm Pinto Synagogue. The area is best avoided after dark.  As you approach the Mellah, look for the Star of David carved in stone above doorways.

The distinctive outlines of the medina skala (a fortified bastion) and its citadel, known as the North Bastion, frame the waves dramatically at sunset. The bastion once held emergency supplies of fresh water, and the large circle of stones in the center marks what was known as a call-point, or alarm system, to warn of approaching invaders. Guards would warn of danger by stomping on the resonant circle.  If you stand in the middle of the circle and stomp your foot or yell, you'll hear the echo ring far.

A slightly bizarre tourist attraction, the Painted Rocks outside Tafraoute (follow signs) is most dramatically experienced in late afternoon, when the hillsides stacked with massive round boulders turn a rich mustard hue before sunset. Belgian artist Jean Veran painted a cluster of these natural curiosities in varying shades of blue in 1984, and they have been retouched ever since. Checking out amateur copies is as much fun as looking at the originals. On quieter days, it's also a great place to spot local geckos, lizards, and squirrels. The route to the rocks is now paved, making access easier than ever.

The palm groves of the Aït Mansour Gorge southeast of Tafraoute deserve a day's excursion, although you could just take the road as a scenic (and longer) route to Tiznit. About 2 km (1 mile) south out of town, you'll see the so-called Napoleon's Hat of massive boulders on your right. Occasionally, you'll see climbers here. Continue past the pretty village of Aguerd Oudad. When the road forks, go left; the right branch goes to the Painted Rocks. A winding, paved road takes you higher into the Anti-Atlas Mountains. The views are spectacular as the road rises and then descends, crossing a riverbed, which—even when dry—betrays the presence of underground water by the cactus and oleander growing there. Twenty kilometers (12 miles) out of Tafraoute, turn right toward Aït Mansour.

After another 14 km (9 miles) of descent, you reach the palm groves. Water, shade, and greenery are abundant, and you may find a shop serving sweet mint tea or soda. The goatherds of the peaks are replaced here by shrouded women, either transporting palm-frond baskets of dates or walking to Timguilcht to visit its saint's shrine. Continue on the piste to Souk Had Issi, whose market is held on Sunday. From there, the piste loops back to Tafraoute, or you can take a lower road to connect to Tiznit over the dramatic Col de Kerdous.

This plaza sits between the two main souks (the so-called Arab and Amazigh markets) and serves as the center of life in Taroudant. Although not as lively as Marrakesh's Place Djemâa el Fna, you still may be able to see performers on the square in the late afternoon. Be sure to join the locals in taking a mint tea on a café terrace and watching the scene unfold.

Essaouira has two principal skala, fortified bastions with fabulous cannons: the medina skala and the port skala. Each was a strategic maritime defense point. Unlike the straight-edged Moorish constructions in other Moroccan cities, the ramparts in Essaouira are triangular, so the insider looking out has a broader field of vision than the enemy peering in. Orson Welles filmed scenes of his 1951 film Othello from the tower of the port skala, picking up a magnificent panorama of town, port, and bay all in one that can still be seen today.  The entrance fee is worth it to get the picture-postcard view of the medina through a round opening in the wall.

The tranquil beach village of Sidi Kaouki is often touted as an alternative to Essaouira's beach and is a destination of choice for younger backpackers, surfers, and windsurfers, which should give you an idea of the typical wind velocity and wave size. It doesn't have the amenities of its larger neighbor, but the "town" consists of a number of guesthouses, a couple of shops, and some small restaurants all serving the same standard tourist menus. It's easy to rent mountain bikes, quad bikes, or ponies for a jaunt along the beach toward Ouassane (the village to the north) or Sidi M'barek (with a waterfall and wide sandy beach) to the south.   It's possible to walk along the beach and over a cliff from Essaouira to Sidi Kaouki—about 21 km (13 miles) one-way. Walking in the opposite direction (against the wind) is not recommended. Amenities: food and drink; parking (fee in summer); toilets; water sports. Best for: surfing; sunset; walking.

The stunning former French colonial town hall holds this smartly arranged collection of items from everyday and ritual life in and around the Essaouira area. Exhibits include items related to the China tea trade, as part of its tea museum. The permanent collection includes musical instruments of both Gnaoua and Sufi sects; displays of regional carpet styles and wood-carving techniques and motifs; and examples of Muslim, Jewish, and rural Ishelhin Amazigh rites and dress.