Agadir
Agadir was rebuilt after a 1960 earthquake, which means wide boulevards and a long sandy beach instead of an old medina. It works well as a low-key coastal stop or a base for surfing at nearby Taghazout, rather than a sightseeing destination in its own right.
Planning a visit to Agadir
A rebuilt city
Much of old Agadir was destroyed by the 1960 earthquake, and the city was rebuilt on a modern plan: broad avenues, a long seafront promenade and a wide sandy bay. The ruins of the old kasbah, Agadir Oufella, stand on the hill above the port and give the best view over the bay.
What to do
Most days here are simple: the beach, the promenade, and a seafood lunch near the port. Souk El Had is a large everyday market worth an hour, and Souss-Massa National Park, to the south, is known for its birdlife. It is a place to rest between more demanding stops rather than to tick off sights.
The surf coast
Taghazout and the villages around it, a short drive north, are Morocco's best-known surf stretch, with small guesthouses and surf schools on the cliffs above the breaks. Sidi Kaouki, further north towards Essaouira, is quieter and windier.
Where it fits
Agadir sits further south than the routes we usually run, and Essaouira is the more common Atlantic stop. We don't list a dedicated Agadir itinerary, but it combines easily with Essaouira and Marrakech, about three hours apart by road, or can be the beach end of a longer trip.