Explore Morocco - The South - Agadir for Beaches
Kasbah, Excellent Beaches, Folk Art Museum,Good Nightlife
Jan 28, 2009
On February 29, 1960 a terrible earthquake destroyed the old city of Agadir. Fifteen thousand people were killed and fifty thousand were left homeless. From the ashes a phoenix arose in the shape of a beautiful white town with wide boulevards, fine shops and hotels, lush parks and gardens. It looks more like the French Riviera than the North African coast.
Agidir: Sightseeing
Although Agadir has little to offer in the way of historical attractions (the earthquake took care of those) it does have lots to offer that are worth leaving the beach for.
- The Kasbah, built in 1540, is just about all that is left of the old town. It is on a hill overlooking Agadir and all that remains are its ancient walls and an entrance arch. Take a taxi to the top - it’s 8km from the town centre and gives a great view of Agadir and the coast.
- Folk Art Museum. (Passage Ait-souss.) Sign on outside wall says ‘Musée Municipal’. Therre's a small admission charge The collection, which was donated by a Dutch anthropologist, is fairly small but the Berber jewellery and southern Moroccan arts and crafts are superb.
- The Souk. In a massive walled enclosure on Rue Chai-al Hamna Mohammedben Ben Brahim. (Yes, some of the street names are extraordinarily long). There are a few tourist stalls but this is a real market for Moroccans. Piles of spices, vegetables and fruits, clothing, pots and pans – a wonderful collection of the necessities of daily life. Well worth a visit, but allow plenty of time. Moroccon rugs are very attractive.
- The Valley of the Birds. If you have children with you they might enjoy this little zoo situated on a narrow strip of parkland. There’s a children’s playground, lush vegetation, and aviaries full of birds from around the world.
Nightlife
Most big hotels have discos and/or live entertainment and there are restaurants offering live jazz and piano bars (even a ‘happy hour’). Some of the beachfront bars are pretty lively. Bars outside the main hotels, tend to be ‘men only’ and for this reason most tourists do their drinking in the hotels or, if they go ‘downtown’ they choose restaurants that offer some entertainment.
Tip
When drinking outside of the big hotels it’s safer to do without ice cubes. If you must have cold drinks, stick to beer
Shopping
Since there is no medina (old town) in Agadir, the souks are usually on the main boulevards, in modern shops, but the rule of the souks is still the same - if you want to buy something you will have to haggle, prices are rarely shown. The perceived wisdom is that you should end up paying about a third of the original asking price. Spices, kaftans, leather slippers and traditional pottery make nice gifts and if you want something special, leather jackets are a great buy.
Accommodation in Morocco
There is a variety of accommodation ranging from Moroccon riads (traditional houses) to luxury hotels.
Tip
If you can’t bring yourself to haggle, visit the Ensemble Artisanal, the government craft centre, where prices are fixed. Ave. du 29 Fevrier. Morrocon rugs are a very attractive.
Agadir is southern Morocco’s major tourist resort.
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