Asilah is a whitewashed Atlantic town on Morocco's north coast, famous for its mural-covered medina, Portuguese ramparts and breezy beaches. Here are twelve experiences that capture its artistic, seafaring spirit.
The best of Asilah
Wander the whitewashed medina and murals
Medina. Asilah's compact medina is a maze of lime-washed lanes painted in blue and white. Many walls carry vivid murals, repainted each summer by visiting artists, making the whole quarter an open-air gallery.
Walk the ramparts and Portuguese walls
Medina. The medina is wrapped in stout stone ramparts built by the Portuguese in the 15th century after they took the town in 1471. You can follow the walls for sweeping views over the rooftops and the Atlantic.
Photograph Bab al-Bahr, the sea gate
Medina. Bab al-Bahr, the 'Gate of the Sea', is the medina's seaward entrance, opening from the old town directly toward the Atlantic. It frames classic views of the waves breaking against the fortified walls.
Relax on Paradise Beach
Coast. A few kilometres south of town, Paradise Beach is a long sweep of golden sand backed by low cliffs and reached down a sandy track. Its wide, clean shore makes it the favourite stretch around Asilah.
Soak up the harbour and fishing port
Coast. Asilah's working harbour shelters small fishing boats that supply the town's restaurants. Wander the quayside in the late afternoon to watch the fleet come in and see the day's catch unloaded.
See the Asilah arts festival murals
Art. Since 1978 the annual Asilah Arts Festival (Moussem Culturel International) has drawn artists who paint fresh murals across the medina walls each summer, cementing the town's reputation as Morocco's mural capital.
Climb El Hamra tower
Culture. El Hamra is one of the square watchtowers set into Asilah's Portuguese-era fortifications. Rising above the ramparts, it offers a vantage point over the medina lanes and the surrounding coastline.
Visit the Krikia bastion over the Atlantic
Coast. The Krikia bastion is a clifftop platform built into the southwest corner of the walls. It overlooks the Atlantic and a small clifftop cemetery, and is a popular spot to catch the sunset over the ocean.
Feast on fresh seafood
Food. With its busy fishing port, Asilah serves some of the freshest seafood on the north coast. Restaurants near the ramparts and harbour grill the daily catch, from sardines and sea bream to calamari and prawns.
Explore Raissouni Palace (Hassan II Centre)
Culture. Built in the early 1900s for the local chieftain Ahmed al-Raissouni, this seafront palace now serves as the Hassan II International Centre for Meetings, a cultural venue at the heart of the arts festival.
Day trip to Tangier
Day trip. Tangier lies about 45 km north and is easily reached by train or road. Morocco's gateway to the Strait of Gibraltar offers a buzzing kasbah, the Grand Socco and a cosmopolitan history shaped by Europe and Africa.
Drive to Cap Spartel
Day trip. Cap Spartel, near Tangier, marks the northwest tip of Africa where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean. Its 19th-century lighthouse and the nearby Caves of Hercules make a scenic day out from Asilah.