Morocco has a long coastline, on the Atlantic Ocean as well as on the Mediterranean Sea, therefore we find lots of beachtowns and beachresorts here. Agadir is probably the most famous of all, but is hardly distinguishable from Torremolinos or Antalya. Africa Miracles recommends Essaouira, a characteric and charming town two and a half hours from both Agadir and Marrakech.
Essaouira might have more wind on some days than Agadir, the charm of the town and the picturesque port more than make up for it. Beach, souks, pretty squares with cafés and the port are all within a 10 minute walk from eachother. Essaouira is also an artist-town. You will find lots of galleries here and one weekend in June it’s home to the Gnaoua Festival, Morocco’s largest music-festival. If you’re looking for some activities there are possibilities to go horse-riding, quat-riding and kite-surfing.
The city of Agadir has changed drastically in recent years. It was almost completely destroyed in the earthquake of 1961 and therefore it doesn’t have an old, historical town. Here we find lots of luxury-hotels, golfclubs, restaurants and bars. It is not an unpleasant city though. The centre of town is clean, the airport is modern and the beach is large. If you’re looking for a place that has a beach as well as a lively and characteristic old town, we recommend Essaouira.
Casablanca has probably nothing in common with the image that comes to mind when one thinks of the famous movie. It is by far Morocco’s largest and most modern city. It attracts people from all over Morocco as it is the economic and financial capital of the country. It’s therefore hard to estimate how many people live here exactly. Esimates are around 5 million, making it the fourth largest city in Africa. Up until the moment that the French decided to turn the town into a major port, Casablanca was relatively small and unimportant. Some experts warned the French that they would not succeed, but less than a century later the city is a bustling metropolis.
For visitors who come to see the historical sights of Morocco the city doesn’t have as much to offer as the Imperial Cities. The highlight without doubt is the Hassan II mosque, the only mosque in Morocco that non-muslims can visit. It was completed in 1993 and is definitely worth a visit. After the mosques in Mekka and Medina it’s the largest mosque in the world. 
