El Jadida

El Jadida, about 100 kilometers southwest of Casablanca, is a charming coastal town with a remarkable Portuguese past. The old town (Cité Portugaise) is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the best-preserved colonial buildings in Morocco — a piece of Lisbon on the Atlantic.

★★ Cité Portugaise (UNESCO)

The massive-walled Portuguese fortress (1502-1769) is a labyrinthine complex of bastions, churches, cisterns, and narrow alleys. The highlight is the Cisterna Portuguesa — an underground vaulted hall whose ceiling is reflected in the standing water. Orson Welles used the location as a backdrop for his Othello film (1952). The walk along the fortress walls offers views over the harbor and the city.

Entrance to the cistern: 20 MAD.

Beach

El Jadida's city beach is wide and sandy, but very crowded in summer (a popular bathing spot for the people of Casablanca). The beach of Sidi Bouzid (5 km south), nestled in a pretty rocky bay, is quieter.

Azemmour

The neighboring town of Azemmour (15 km north) is a best-kept secret: A tiny medina on the Oum er-Rbia river with Portuguese fortress walls, street art on the walls, and practically no tourists. Worth half a day.