Things to Do in Atlantic Coast

With its regal cliff-top perch overlooking the ocean and a soaring 210-meter high minaret (the world’s highest) that shines a beam toward Mecca during the evening hours, everything about the Hassan II Mosque is grandiose. The magnificent mosque is among the largest in the world, with space for up to 100,000 worshippers.

A flawless crescent of deep, fine sand, which rolls on for miles to the south of town, Agadir Beach (Plage d’Agadir forms the heart of this seaside resort. A wealth of cafés and restaurants offer food and drink, with loungers for sun worshippers, while water sports run from Jet Ski to boat trips and deep-sea fishing adventures.

Built in 1541 and restored a couple of centuries later, the Agadir Kasbah Ruins (Agadir Oufella stand on a hill a little way out of town. Designed as a fortress, the kasbah once housed hundreds, although all that remains of the structure after the 1960 earthquake is the outer wall. Most travelers visit for the sweeping ocean views.

In the north of the city between the port and the seafront Hassan II Mosque, the Old Medina of Casablanca contains the last vestiges of pre-20th century Casablanca. Though the modern city sprawls in every direction, the historic quarter remains a maze of alleyways and a vast souk, tucked in by the remnants of ancient walls.

Lined with bars, restaurants, and surf shops, Essaouira Beach (Plage d'Essaouira) is a Moroccan hot spot for surfers, windsurfers, and kitesurfers, thanks to its steady, year-round winds. The town has a charming hippie atmosphere, and travelers who are not indulging in water sports enjoy horse, camel, or quad rides along the broad sandy beach.

With a prime location on Morocco’s windswept Atlantic coast, just north of Agadir, Taghazout beach has made a name for itself as one of the country’s top surfing destinations. Running for just under four miles (six kilometers), the sandy beach south of Taghazout town is lined with hotels, restaurants, bars and surf shops, with ample opportunities to rent boards, learn to surf or join a beachside yoga class. Numerous surfing outfitters dot the sand, teaching visitors a thing or two about hanging ten.

The best time to catch a wave is between October and April, but surfing and windsurfing are possible all year-round. There are surf spots for all levels, including gentle waves for beginners and some more challenging breaks for seasoned surfers; Hash Point, Panorama, Anchor Point and Killer Point are among the most popular. When you’re ready to spend some time on land, head into the fishing village for a bite at a makeshift cafe on a warm summer night.

A Rabat landmark, the 144-foot (44-meter Hassan Tower (Tour Hassan stands tall above the river in the heart of downtown, surrounded by serried ranks of broken columns. After an earthquake in 1755, this is all that remains of an ambitious attempt by 12th-century sultan Yacoub al-Mansour to build the world’s largest mosque.

Flanked by Casablanca’s most striking architecture, Mohammed V Square forms the central hub of the city’s buzzy new town. Laid out in the early 20th century and named in honor of the former Sultan, the plaza centers around a monumental fountain, dramatically lit up in the evening hours.

Also written Souq al Had, Souk el Had is Agadir’s main market, a cavernous warehouse of around 6,000 stalls selling everything from spices, fruit, and vegetables through to clothes, perfume, carpets, pottery, shisha pipes, and electronics. Tailors around the market can alter garments or make them to your specifications.

Near the Hassan Tower (Tour Hassan, the Moroccan king’s grandfather rests alongside two of his sons in the Mausoleum of Mohammed V. The building seems simple from the outside, with its restrained mosaic tiles and horseshoe arches. Inside, as you look down on the white onyx tombs from the gallery, it’s a riot of gold leaf and tilework.