Safi – Asilah has long been Morocco’s art town by the sea. The small white city sits on the Atlantic about 40 kilometers south of Tangier, close enough for a day trip but worth a weekend, and it is at its best from June to September.
Here is what to do, and where to eat and sleep after.
Walk the painted medina
The old town is the main event, a tangle of whitewashed lanes trimmed in blue. Step through Bab Homar, the historic gate, and wander with no plan.
Every summer, artists from Morocco and abroad repaint the medina walls for the town’s festival, so the murals you photograph on one trip may be painted over by the next.
Explore the galleries
The art does not stop at the walls. Aplanos, open in the heart of the medina since 1995, shows Moroccan creators alongside European artists.
On the other hand, Hakim gallery keeps a rotating display of contemporary work. Small studios and printmaking workshops fill the lanes in between.
Watch the sunset from the ramparts
Asilah is still wrapped in the stone walls the Portuguese built in the 15th century.
Walk them out to the Krikia, the seafront bastion where the town gathers as the sun drops into the Atlantic. Don’t forget to come early for a good spot.
Step inside the Raissouni Palace
On the medina’s sea edge stands the Raissouni Palace, built in 1909 by Ahmed Raissouni, a local strongman who rose from outlaw to pasha.
It now serves as a cultural center, and its Hispano-Moorish rooms and Atlantic-facing hall fill with exhibitions during the summer festival.
Spend a morning on the beaches
Asilah is ringed by fine-sand beaches. Paradise Beach, also called Rmilat, is the famous one, a few kilometers south, reached by horse-drawn carriage and lined with shacks grilling sardines.
For something quieter, try Lalla Fatna, or just walk the corniche between the medina and the sea, where you can hire a horse along the way.
Check out the Moussem
The town’s biggest draw is the “Moussem Culturel International d’Asilah”, a summer arts festival and one of the most important in Morocco and the Maghreb.
It runs in July or August and kicks off with a repaint of the medina, then weeks of poetry and music.
Where to eat
The food in Asilah mixes Moroccan and Spanish cooking, a legacy of its years under Spain.
Down by the port, Casa García has been serving seafood for more than 35 years, much of it landed on the owner’s own boats.
For something more traditional, Al Alba is the safe bet for Moroccan classics, and Le 32 turns to French and international plates when you want a change.
Where to stay
The medina is full of small riads, many opening straight onto the Atlantic. Riad Oasis d’Asilah is the top-rated pick, with a pool, a sea-view terrace, and a breakfast guests rave about.
Dar el Maq is the contemporary choice in the heart of the medina, and Dar Jean trades on its rooftop and ocean view. Book ahead for summer and the festival.
