8 Best Sights in The Southern Atlantic Coast, Morocco

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).

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.

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.

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.

In the northeastern corner of the city, this daily bazaar sells souvenirs, household goods, and the produce of the fertile Souss plains. It's one of the biggest in Morocco, and you'll need to bargain hard. The souk is a great place to witness and participate in real Moroccan life. 

It's not so much a valley as a pleasure garden connecting Avenue Hassan II to the beach. The garden has not only birds but also monkeys, fountains, and lovely green surroundings. Very popular with Moroccan families and young couples as well as tourists, it makes for a pleasant stroll between downtown and the beachfront.