A day trip to Asilah | Travel guide to Asilah

Is it your first time in Morocco? Did you decide which city you'll start with ? Don’t worry; Titrit diaries has picked it up especially for you. If there is a long list of wonderful Moroccan cities, here is the best option to start with...

As a first time visitor, Assilah is a great city to start with. It’s small and calm, so it fits you perfectly if you just took a break from your job or studies.

It’s located near to Tangier the largest northern region of the kingdom. Some people call it “the hidden seaside of Morocco”, because of its sense of exotic mystery, interesting history and beautiful sights. It gives you an overview about Morocco’s culture, food, language, cuisines and architecture.

Though popular cities like Marrakech, Fez and Tangier are bigger and more interesting, Assilah is less stressful and safer. In this article, I’ll give you all the necessary information about how to get to the city and the interesting places to visit. So go fall in love!

HISTORY:

This unrated city is considered as a melting pot of different cultures due to dynasties by which it was colonized. If you visit the ramparts you can notice the Portuguese and Spanish marks, the design of windows is Arabian. That explains also why people there are able to talk many languages other than Arabic. Even though there is an operating port, tourism stills the main activity of the town. The market day is Thursday.

HOW TO GET TO THE CITY:

If you have started with tangier, it takes only 45 minutes to get there by car. You can also take the bus or the train. Otherwise, the train is available for people coming from Casablanca or Marrakech. The trains in Morocco are hot when the temperature in high. So make sure to take them in the morning or evening.

CLIMATE:

Assilah is like the majority of Moroccan cities, hot in summer and pretty cold in autumn and winter. So it’s better to check the weather before travelling to take it in consideration when you’re doing your bag pack.

Personally, I suggest visiting Assilah in September, October, or between March and May. In these periods, the temperature is pleasant and not too hot. But don’t worry even in the summer; the breeze of the ocean decreases the heat. So a bottle of water, a sunscreen and light clothes are essentials to have.

WHAT TO DO IN ASSILAH?

Artwork

The first thing that catches my attention when I visited Assilah was the street art spread everywhere. The murals on the walls, doorways and every place in the medina were fascinating. It is packed full of art galleries, exhibitions and studios. Each august, artists are invited to take part of the annual festival arts or what we call “The Cultural Moussem”. Locals and some artists repaint the walls so they can create new murals, participate on the workshops or sell their art.

Isn’t it amazing? Every year you’ll find different designs and paintings so you’ll not be bored visiting Asilah many times. Besides paintings, it holds music, poetry and other arts’ festivals.

The old medina

One of the unmissable places in Assilah is the medina beach. It’s not the cleanest but the closest to the town and the port. If you wanna see the ramparts that protect the town from the roughness of the Atlantic ocean, you’ll find them on the edges of the medina where they have stand for centuries. The old Medina is also interesting, the way it was preserved reflects the historical past of the town.

Souk

Alike Moroccan cities, Asilah has a traditional souk held every Thursday. Yet, as I’ve mentioned before it’s known by its safety, so you don’t need to look over your shoulder every second to protect your purse from pickpockets. Moreover, the sellers are less aggressive compared to big cities where you feel overwhelmed by countless offers. And you can feel comfortable while bargaining. Furthermore, the majority of residents speak English or Spanish, what makes the communication easier and smoother so you don’t need a local translator.

I hope this guide was useful and insighful and don't forget to take your mask and sanitizer 😇😇😇