Lonely Planet Morocco
Page 38
Internet Alahram ( GOOGLE MAP ; Rue Al Banafsaje; per hr Dh5; h10am-1am) Internet access, scanning and printing.
Police Station ( GOOGLE MAP ; Ave Mohammed V)
Post Office ( GOOGLE MAP ; Ave Khalid Ibn Al Ouaud/Tangier-Rabat Rd; h8am-4.15pm Mon-Fri, to 11.45am Sat)
8Getting There & Away
Bus
The bus station (Gare Routiere; GOOGLE MAP ) is opposite the Shell petrol station on the Tangier–Rabat road, but few intercity buses stop here. The only useful and regular services are on local company Alsa to Tangier (Dh7) and on Supratour to Tetouan (DH35, 2¼ hours)
Taxi
Grands taxis ( GOOGLE MAP ) to Tangier (Dh20) and Larache (Dh20) depart when full from a stand near the Shell petrol station on the Tangier–Rabat road. A taxi to Tangier’s airport (only 26km from Asilah) costs Dh250.
Train
The train station is 3km north of Asilah, (Dh10 in a petit taxi ( GOOGLE MAP )). Destinations include the following:
AFez 1st/2nd class Dh136/92, four hours, four daily
AMarrakesh 1st/2nd class Dh196/301, 9½ hours. One overnight train goes direct to Marrakesh, but this train originates in Tangier, so buy your ticket in advance.
ARabat 1st/2nd class Dh130/88, three hours, eight daily
ATangier 1st/2nd class Dh27/16, 50 minutes, 12 daily
El Jadida الجديدة
Pop 193,935
In July and August, this town transforms into a heaving holiday resort popular with Moroccan families. The only compelling reason for travellers to head here is to visit the Unesco-listed 16th-century Cité Portugaise, and this is something that can easily be done in an hour or two en route between Casablanca and towns further down the coast.
Just north of the town, on a gorgeous stretch of beach, is the recently opened tourist resort of Mazagan, which includes a golf course, casino, spa and large resort hotel.
History
The cité (fortress) was built by the Portuguese in 1506 to protect their ships heading down the West African coast. They baptised it Mazagan, and it soon developed into the country’s most important trading post. Sultan Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah seized Mazagan from the Portuguese following a siege in 1769, but the Portuguese blew up most of the fort before leaving. Most of the new settlers preferred to live in the new town and the citadel remained a ruin until the early 19th century when Sultan Abd er-Rahman resettled some of the Jews of Azemmour in old Mazagan and renamed the town El Jadida, ‘the New One’ in Arabic.
The large and influential Jewish community soon grew rich on trade with the interior. Unlike most other Moroccan cities, in El Jadida there was no mellah; the Jews mixed with the general populace and an attitude of easy tolerance was established. During the French protectorate the town became an administrative centre and a beach resort, but its port gradually lost out to Safi and Casablanca.
El Jadida
1Sights
1Bastion de L'AngeB1
2Bastion de St SébastianB1
3Church of the AssumptionA1
4Cité PortugaiseA1
5Communal BakeryB1
6Grand MosqueA1
7Porte de la MerB1
8Portuguese CisternA1
9RampartsB1
10SynagogueB1
4Sleeping
11Hôtel BordeauxA2
12Riad Le MazagaoA2
5Eating
13Café do MarB1
14Restaurant du PortB2
15Restaurant TchikitoA2
16Restaurante La PortugaiseA2
Transport
17Local Bus 2 to Sidi BouzidA2
1Sights
The beaches within and to the immediate north and south of town are packed in July and August, despite being quite filthy. Sidi Bouzid, 5km southwest of town, is a bit cleaner and as such is popular with both sunbathers and surfers. To get here, take local bus 2 (Dh5) from Pl Mohammed Ben Abdallah.
Cité PortugaiseHISTORIC SITE
(Portuguese City; MAP GOOGLE MAP )F
Inscribed on Unesco's World Heritage list in 2004, the Cité Portugaise was one of the early settlements built by the Portuguese in West Africa. Dating from the early 16th century and originally called Mazagan, it is a fine example of Renaissance military design. Hefty, ochre-coloured ramparts in a loose star shape protect a compact maze of streets, the architecturally notable Church of the Assumption ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ) – now converted into a hotel – and an atmospheric cistern.
The main entrance of the cité is just off Pl Mohammed ben Abdallah and leads into Rue Mohammed Ahchemi Bahbai. Immediately on the left is the former church and almost next door is the Grand Mosque (Grande Mosquée; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Cité Portugaise), with its unique pentagonal-shaped minaret.
Further down Rue Mohammed Ahchemi Bahbai is the Porte de la Mer ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; h10am-5pm), the original sea gate where ships unloaded their cargo and from where the Portuguese finally departed. To the left of the gate, through the archway, is a communal bakery ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Cité Portugaise) where local women still bring their bread to be baked.
To the right of the sea gate, a ramp leads up to the ramparts ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Cité Portugaise; h9am-5pm) and, in the southeast corner, the Bastion de L’Ange ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ), an excellent vantage point with views out to sea and over the new town and port. Walk along the ramparts to the left to reach the Bastion de St Sebastian ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ), in the northeast corner, from where you can look down on the ruined synagogue ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Cité Portugaise).
Portuguese CisternNOTABLE BUILDING
(Citerne Portugaise; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Rue Mohammed Ahchemi Bahbai; adult/child under 12yr Dh10/3; h9am-1pm & 3-6pm)
On the main street of the cité, amid the souvenir shops, is this atmospheric vaulted cistern lit by a single shaft of light. Built in the early 16th century, it is famous as the eerie location for the dramatic riot scene in Orson Welles’ 1951 film Othello.
zFestivals & Events
Festival International JawharaCULTURAL
(%0523 35 52 21; www.festivaljawhara.ma; hAug)
Staged in the towns of El Jadida, Azemmour and Bir Jdid, this cultural festival includes sport, theatre and visual arts, but it concentrates on music, staging performances by big-name Moroccan and African artists.
4Sleeping
Hôtel BordeauxHOTEL€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0523 37 39 21; 47 Rue Moulay Ahmed Tahiri; s/d Dh180/230, without bathroom Dh100/160,; a)
The best of the cheapies, this basic hotel in a traditional (but characterless) house in the medina offers clean and well-maintained rooms with cramped bathrooms and wheezing air-conditioning units. No credit cards and no English spoken.
Riad Le MazagaoGUESTHOUSE€€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0523 35 01 37; www.lemazagao.com; 6 Derb el-Hajjar; s/d with shared bathroom Dh330/440, d/f with private bathroom Dh440/765, all incl breakfast; a)
This welcoming and highly atmospheric 19th-century guesthouse located above an arched entrance to the medina offers four large rooms decorated in a warm Moroccan style, with lots of textiles and original tiling. Two rooms have en suites and air-con; two share a bathroom and have no cooling. Breakfast is served on the lovely roof terrace and dinner can be arranged (Dh160).
oDar Al ManarB&B€€€
(%0523 35 16 45; www.dar-al-manar.com; r incl breakfast Dh800-1000; ai)
Five stylish and spacious rooms, decorated in a contemporary Moroccan style, await at this tranquil retreat near the Sidi M'sbah lighthouse 7km from El Jadida. Guests enjoy relaxing in the lovely garden or downstairs lounge, and can dine on the terrace (set meals Dh200 to Dh250). The English- and French-speaking owner is both charming and helpful.
La Villa & SpaHOTEL€€€
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0523 34 44 23; www.lavilladavid.com; 4 Ave Moulay Abdelhafid; r incl breakfast Dh860-1160, ste Dh1380; aWs)
A French-owned hotel just north of the cité, La Villa has sleek modern rooms with good beds, excellent bathrooms and satellite TV. There is
a rooftop bar and dining area (dinner Dh300), the top terrace has a hot tub (Dh80 per hour) and massages are available in a dedicated downstairs room (Dh350 per hour). Manager Oussama is a gem.
5Eating & Drinking
El Jadida lacks decent restaurants and cafes. For a relatively cheap eat, pull up a seat at one of the popular fried-fish restaurants on Ave de Suez, opposite the port. These all serve fried fish, salad and bread for around DH70
There are a number of sleazy bars around town, and these are resolutely off-limits to women. In summer, some of the licensed fish restaurants opposite the town beach and Sidi Bouzid morph into clubs after their dinner service and welcome a mixed crowd.
Café do MarCAFE€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Rue Mohammed Ahchemi Bahbai, Cité Portugaise; galettes Dh30-70, crêpes Dh20-35; h11am-7pm)
Opposite the sea gate, this stylish cafe has indoor and roof-terrace seating with views over the ramparts, and is an excellent spot for a tea, coffee or light snack such as a galette (savoury pancake) or crêpe. There are also fresh juices, smoothies and ice cream on offer.
Restaurante La PortugaiseMOROCCAN€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Rue Mohammed Ahchemi Bahbai; mains Dh48; hnoon-3pm & 7-11pm)
Just inside the walls of the old city, this tourist-focused place with red-checked tablecloths offers a simple menu of Moroccan staples. No alcohol.
Restaurant TchikitoSEAFOOD€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 4 Rue Mohammed Smiha; mixed fish platters Dh50; h11am-4pm Mon-Sat)
This hole-in-the-wall, just off Pl Hansali, is popular for its delicious and cheap fried fish served with a fiery chilli sauce.
Le Requin BlueSEAFOOD€€
(%0523 34 80 67; www.requinbleu.com; mains Dh85-135; hnoon-3pm & 7-11pm)
Overlooking the beach in Sidi Bouzid (5km southwest of El Jadida), Le Requin Blue serves excellent fish. In summer, it morphs into a nightclub after the dinner service.
Restaurant du PortSEAFOOD€€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0523 34 25 79; Port du Jadida; mains Dh90-130; hnoon-3pm daily, 7-10pm Mon-Sat)
Head into the port and up the stairs to find this restaurant, which very naturally focuses on fish and seafood. It's one of the few restaurants in town serving alcohol, and the small bar in the main dining space attracts some rather raddled types. Not great for solo women diners.
8Information
There are numerous banks with ATMs located in the streets around Pl Mohammed V.
Main Post Office ( GOOGLE MAP ; Pl Mohammed V; h8.30am-4.30pm Mon-Fri)
Police Station ( GOOGLE MAP ; Ave Mohammed VI)
8Getting There & Away
ABus The bus station ( GOOGLE MAP ; Ave Mohammed V) is a 10-minute walk from the medina and cité.
ATaxi Grands taxis for Azemmour (Dh10, 15 minutes) and Casablanca (Dh35, one hour) leave from Ave Mohammed V, next to the bus station.
ATrain El Jadida train station is located 4km south of town. There are eight services a day to and from Casablanca's Casa Voyagers station (1st/2nd class Dh53/37, 80 minutes). A petit taxi to the centre will cost Dh15 to Dh20.
Local bus 2 ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ) for Sidi Bouzid (Dh4) leaves from Pl Mohammed Ben Abdallah, near the cité.
Bus Services From El Jadida
To Company Fare (Dh) Time (hr) Frequency
Casablanca CTM 45 2hr 4 daily
Essaouira CTM 110 4½ 1 daily
Marrakesh STCR 55 4 hourly
Rabat STCR 50 4 12 daily
Safi CTM 60 2½ 6 daily
Azemmour أزمور
Pop 40,865
Azemmour has inspired many Moroccan artists over the decades, some of whom have chosen to live here. Although it is close to the cosmopolitan art market of Casablanca, in Azemmour life is still traditional and the surroundings provide plenty of artistic inspiration courtesy of a crumbling 16th-century medina squeezed between the Oud Er-Rbia (Mother of Spring River) and the ocean, with fields spread between.
The Portuguese built the town in 1513 as one of a string of trading posts along the coast. The town’s most famous inhabitant was Estevanico the Black. Captured and made a slave, he later became one of the first four explorers to cross the entire mainland of North America from Florida to the Pacific.
1Sights
Azemmour MedinaAREA
An ochre-walled warren of narrow winding streets, whitewashed houses and hole-in-the-wall shops, Azemmour's medina has yet to undergo the restoration that has enlivened (or should that be afflicted?) other Moroccan medinas. Built next to the banks of the Er-Rbia in the 16th century, it retains traces of its Portuguese heritage – especially ornate doorways. Residents have long been associated with arts and handicrafts – you'll see artisans weaving colourful textiles on old-fashioned looms and stroll past massive murals adorning crumbling walls.
A wander around the media offers an authentic glimpse of life in modern working-class Morocco. Enter through the large gate with its unusual semicircle-shaped arch; the ramparts can be accessed from here. Walk along the walls to see Dar el Baroud (the Powder House), a Portuguese gunpowder store of which only the tower remains. To the north of the medina is the mellah with a still-standing synagogue painted in blue and white. Further on, you’ll get wonderful views over the river.
4Sleeping & Eating
There are terrace cafes on the bank of the Oud Er-Rbia beneath the medina.
Dar NadiaB&B€
(%0661 31 62 42; 3 Rue Souika El Malah, Medina; r incl breakfast Dh370; W)
A traditional, lovingly restored dar (small house) in the centre of the medina, Nadia's house has a peaceful central courtyard and attractively decorated rooms with private bathrooms.
oL’Oum ErrebiaBOUTIQUE HOTEL€€€
(%0523 34 70 71; www.azemmour-hotel.com; 25 Impasse Chtouka, Medina; s/d/f incl breakfast Dh600/800/1600, s/d with river view Dh900/1200; Ws)
A showcase of local art, antiques and artisanship, this French-owned B&B overlooking the river blends traditional Moroccan style with chic contemporary design. Each of the nine rooms feature lavishly tiled sunken showers and traditional tadelakt (plaster) floors and walls; two have river views. Relaxation areas include a lounge with an open fireplace, a rooftop terrace and a small swimming pool.
Communal meals (Dh250) are served at the big dining-room table. The in-house hammam offers gommage for Dh200 and massage for Dh250 per hour.
8Information
There are a couple of banks with ATMs on Ave Allal Ben Abdallah, the main street.
8Getting There & Away
The town is located between the Casablanca–El Jadida highway (N1) and the coastal road.
Trains now stop nine times daily at Azemmour Halte, 2km from the town centre. These link the town to El Jadida (1st/2nd class Dh27/16,17 minutes) and Casablanca (1st/2nd class Dh46/33, 80 minutes).
The town is also linked to El Jadida by grand taxi (Dh10) and bus (Dh4).
Oualidia الوالدية
The delightful resort town of Oualidia (Walidiya) spreads around a gorgeous crescent-shaped lagoon fringed with golden sands and protected from the wild surf by a rocky breakwater. With a good selection of accommodation and great fish restaurants (the town is particularly famous for its oysters), it's a popular weekend and summer retreat for Marrakshis and Casablancais, and a perfect destination for those needing a break after spending time fending off faux guides in the Marrakesh medina.
Out of season it is quiet, with little more to do than relax, surf and gorge on shellfish. In spring and autumn, birdwatchers arrive to observe migrating pink flamingos, avocets, stilts, godwits, storks, waders, terns, egrets and warblers on the lagoon and surrounding coastal wetlands.
Most hotels and restaurants are off the highway on the approach to town or down near the beach, 1km from the roundabout on Ave Hassan II in the upper town. You’ll find a bank, a post office and grocery stores on Ave Hassan II.
1Sights & Activities
The town is named after the Saadian Sultan el-Oualid, who built
the kasbah now atmospherically crumbling on the bluff overlooking the lagoon in 1634. The lagoon also attracted Morocco’s royalty, and the grand villa on the water’s edge was Mohammed V’s summer palace. It is rarely if ever used these days.
The safe, calm waters of the lagoon are perfect for swimming, sailing and fishing, while the wide, sandy beach on either side of the breakwater is good for windsurfing and surfing.
On Saturdays, there's a traditional market when people from surrounding villages come to town to sell their wares.
Dream Surf OualidiaWATER SPORTS
(%0661 81 78 17; www.dreamsurfoualidia.com; Oualidia Plage; hApr–mid-Nov)
Hire a surfboard (Dh200), bodyboard (Dh150), kiteboard (Dh700) or paddleboard (Dh300) for two hours. Also available are kayaks, quads and scooters.
4Sleeping
There are plenty of accommodation options near the beach, and a few in the upper town. Properties with water frontage are understandably popular and should be booked well in advance, especially in high summer.
Hotel Restaurant ThalassaHOTEL€
(r Dh150-200)
Near the roundabout on the main street in the upper town, this no-frills place is cheap but doesn't have much else in its favour. Rooms are relatively clean; those at the front are noisy.
Dar BeldiB&B€€
(%0523 36 62 88; www.darbeldi.free.fr; Douar Moulay Abdessalam; s/d incl breakfast Dh650/750; aW)
The main-street entrance of this hidden B&B, surrounded by car mechanic workshops, is neither easy to find nor encouraging. Persistence pays off, though, because behind the high walls is a lush garden surrounded by five clean and thoughtfully decorated guest rooms. French owners Pierre-Yves and Guy are ebullient and helpful hosts, happy to arrange transport and activities.