Asilah Travel Guide: Murals, Beaches and Where to Stay

Asilah is the most relaxed town on Morocco’s Atlantic coast. Inside Portuguese ramparts, its medina is a tidy maze of whitewashed houses with blue and green doors, and every summer artists paint its walls with murals. Wide sandy beaches stretch north and south of town, the sunsets over the ocean are spectacular, and Tangier is less than an hour away. It is the perfect place to slow down for a day or two.

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Best things to do in Asilah

1. Wander the medina. Asilah’s old town is small, clean and quiet, with whitewashed lanes, painted doors and flowers on the walls. You can walk it from end to end in under half an hour, but it rewards slow, aimless strolling.
2. Look for the murals. Since 1978, the Asilah International Cultural Festival (often called the Moussem) has invited artists to paint the walls of the medina each summer. Some murals stay for a season, others for years, so every visit is a little different.
3. Walk the ramparts. The town walls date from the Portuguese occupation in the 15th and 16th centuries. Follow them to the Borj al-Kamra tower and to the Krikia, the rocky point at the edge of the medina where locals gather at sunset.
4. Visit the Raissouni Palace. Built in the early 20th century above the sea walls, the palace (now the Palace of Culture) hosts exhibitions and festival events.
5. Spend a day on the beach. The town beach is right next to the medina, and quieter, wilder beaches lie a short taxi or horse-cart ride south of town, including the much-loved Paradise Beach.
6. Eat fresh seafood. Asilah is a fishing town. Try grilled sardines, calamari and the catch of the day at the restaurants around the medina gates.
7. See the Mzoura stone circle. About 25 kilometres inland, the Cromlech of Mzoura is a mysterious prehistoric ring of standing stones, best visited with a local driver or guide.

Where to stay in Asilah

Stay inside the medina for character and sunset walks on the walls, along the seafront for beach access and ocean views, or in the countryside for peace and space.

Riad Aicha Asilah

Dar Manara

Hotel Al Alba

Riad Casa Bahia

Puerto Marina Asilah

Dar Dahbia

Darmimouna

Hotel Al Khaima

Maison d’hôtes Berbari

Getting there and around

Asilah is about 45 kilometres south of Tangier. Trains from Tangier take around 45 minutes, and the town is also on the rail line to Rabat and Casablanca. Tangier Ibn Battouta Airport is the closest airport, about 35 minutes away by road; book a fixed-price transfer with Kiwitaxi and compare flights on Aviasales. The medina and beach are walkable; petits taxis and horse carts cover the beaches outside town. To explore the coast to Larache and the Roman ruins of Lixus, compare rental cars on DiscoverCars, or book a day trip from Tangier on GetYourGuide.

Do it like a Moroccan: local tips

• Come for the festival. The cultural festival usually takes place in summer, with concerts, exhibitions and live mural painting. Book early.
• Watch the sunset from the Krikia. Join the locals on the rocks at the edge of the medina as the sun drops into the Atlantic.
• Pack a light jacket. Even in summer, the Atlantic breeze makes evenings on the ramparts cool.
• Stay connected. A Morocco eSIM from Airalo keeps your maps working on the coast.

When to go

Asilah is pleasant most of the year thanks to the ocean breeze. Summer is beach season and festival time, when the town is busiest, especially with Moroccan families. Spring and autumn are calmer and still warm, while winter can be rainy and windy.

Continue your trip with our Tangier travel guide, the Chefchaouen travel guide or the Rabat travel guide, or plan your route with the free Moroccanly trip planner.

Cover photo: Mohammed on Unsplash