Agadir, Morocco's beachfront destination.

I just recently spent a week working in Agadir, a Moroccan city on the Atlantic coast.

Agadir is a major city at the tip of the Atlas Mountain range approximately 500 km south of Casablanca, Agadir has around 350,000 inhabitants and is a melting pot of Moroccan and Berber culture, in a western driven tourism destination.

The year-round attractive weather fuels this destination with it’s warm and sunny winters and hot sun burnt summers. The tourist shorefront is a necklace of hotels, restaurants, nightspots and tourist shops dotted along a fantastic beach and beach boardwalk. The beach in Agadir extends for 10 km. The Agadir boardwalk bounds with locals and tourists both during the day and for long evening and nightly promenades.

The boardwalk promenade is a stand-alone tourist destination, and the local authorities know it, a mega police presence keeps if free from touts, beggars and other predators allowing the peaceful good will to sink in, there’s no need to be afraid of the dark here.

Agadir

Agadir has been around for quiet some time first mapped in the 1300’s it changed hands over the centuries between local groups and European expansionism. Agadir was first named around 1500 and was a Portuguese transit port until they were driven out later that century. Under Moroccan rule the “Kasbah” was built atop the dominating hill, Agadir became an international trading destination with the Dutch, French and English.

Agadir was destroyed by earthquake in 1731 and the harbour was closed in preference to the northern alternative Essaouira.

Agadir shrunk to a sleepy fishing village and lay dormant until the harbour reopened towards the end of the 1800’s, then of course European countries flexed their muscles here until after the first world war.

The Kasbah

The Kasbah was completed in 1572 atop the cliffs overlooking what is now modern Agadir,

As a tourist destination you can take a cable car to the top, if you are more than one person it’s probably cheaper to take a taxi, but be aware that there is a local price and a tourist price for the cable car ride, this can be interperated either way, “it makes the monument more accessible for the locals, or lets charge the tourists more and scam them”

The museum closes at 19,30 so we didn’t get to have a look at the memorabilia as we arrived late. Late commers can take the rampart walk and take in the stunning coastal views of Agadir and the fishing ports.

One observation I Had was that there were no rubbish bins around the walkways so you can freely throw your plastic water bottles from the cliffs, there they can join tousands and tousands of other water bottles and decades of litter and neglect. I assumed the National heritage site is only on the inside of the ramparts.

By 1960 the city had rebounded and grown Agadir  featured a fishing fleet that became the sardine processing capital.

29 feb 1960 Agadir was again struck by an earthquake, the death toll was estimated at 15000, a third if the population the quake destroyed the Kasbah overlooking the city.

90% of the national heritage listed Kasbah was destroyed in the earthquake the southern wall and a museum have been since beennrebuilt but the rubble filled interior is unbuildable ground and a grave site.

Again, Agadir bounced back as an important tourist destination and fishing port.

Argan

The Moroccan healthy nut that emerged on tho the world cosmetic stage a few years ago. Native to Morocco and southern Algeria, an important multi purpose tree binding together desert regions and green areas, producing shade, animal feed, firewood and argan nuts, traditionally the nuts are used for oil extraction, the oil then used as a topping on traditional dishes or as a nut paste mixed with roasted almonds, not unlike peanut butter.

The fruit husk around the nut is of a bitter dried date/plum   taste, if the one I ate had beed passed throug a goat as they some times are so it was a bit earthy and gritty as well.

Traditionally goats climb the trees and eat the nuts, digesting the fruity encasement and passing the nuts, the nuts are then collected from the goat shit and  processed.

Tarjine

Kenzi Europa Hotel featured a Moroccan corner of fantastic Tajiens every night, Traditionally made and served with pride by the local chefs.

Souk El Had

We also visited the city souk, Souk El Had the largest in the area with ca. 6000 shops. It’s the perfect place to look for local handicrafts, trinkets, clothes, spices and more or just wander around for hours and drink in the atmosphere and local culture. Here the storekeepers don’t attack prospective customers and hassle for sales as in many similar markets. The market is cool and an escape from the maddening heat outside. Go on a weekday as there aren’t so many people there, Souk El Had is closed on Mondays.

Kitchen Training

So what am I doing in Agadir? Visiting the Kenzi Europa hotel.Centrally located on the beach  boardwak.

We've been doing some kitchen training with the young team here, lifting their strengths and tying their efforts into a modern style suited for their guest mix. its always great to work with a energetic team willing to listen and learn and eger to put these lessons directly to use, all the best- go team.

The Sun goes down on the Kasbah and Agadir for this time.