Atlantic Coast
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
© Lonely Planet Publications 98 Atlantic Coast ﺷﺎﻃﻰء ﺍﻷﻃﻠﻨﻄﻲ ATLANTIC COAST ATLANTIC It was once literally the end of the earth: those living around the ancient Mediterranean believed there was no land beyond Morocco’s Atlantic Coast. Now it’s one of Morocco’s most prosperous regions, home to the nation’s capital, to its major city and some of its fin- est sights. Miles of glorious sands peppered with small fishing villages, historic ports and fortified towns weave along Morocco’s blustery coast. Throughout history, control of this coast was imperative for both invading forces and local tribes hoping to expand their empires. The Phoenicians, Romans, Portuguese, Spanish and French all fought to control the region and left a legacy in the beautiful walled towns, wide boulevards and relaxed attitude of this part of Morocco. The coast has its beauty and its eyesores. A large chunk of Morocco’s population lives in this area and the modern cities are far more cosmopolitan than those of the interior – their art-deco and neo-Moorish architecture, stylish cafés and liberal attitudes a far cry from tradi- tional Morocco, but increasingly valued by locals and visitors. Beyond these two cities lie Assilah and other fortified towns, and around these are several reserves that showcase the coast’s rich birdlife. But the developers are arriving with their plans for mega-resorts, golf courses and huge marinas, hoping in the process to transform a region that, for many, already has more than enough attractions. HIGHLIGHTS Dress to the nines and join the in-crowd at the hip Blvd de la Corniche in Casablanca ( p114 ) Merdja Zerga National Park Revel in the whitewashed colonial 1920s architecture in the spotless streets of Rabat Rabat ( p120 ) Casablanca Wander the ramparts, gorge on fresh fish Azemmour El-Jadida or just sit back and soak up the atmos- phere in laid-back Essaouira ( p153 ) Oualidia Drive along the coastal road from El- Jadida ( p144 ) to Essaouira ( p153 ), where the fields go down to the wild shores of the Atlantic Gorge on oysters or a fresh seafood Essaouira platter and catch a wave at the idyllic, crescent-shaped bay of Oualidia ( p149 ) Enjoy the quiet pace and authenticity of the old medina in Azemmour ( p148 ), between the sea and the Oum ar-Rabia river See a cloud of pink flamingos fluttering like huge butterflies in the sunset while boating on the waters of the Merdja Zerga National Park ( p133 ) TELEPHONE CODE: 03 POPULATION: 4.7 MILLION AREA: 227,420 SQ KM lonelyplanet.com ATLANTIC COAST •• History 99 Atlantic Coast COAST ATLANTIC 0 100 km ATLANTIC COAST 0 60 miles Cádiz S P A I N To Tetouan (57km); Ceuta (94km) Tangier Tangier-Boukhalef Airport Had Gharbia Assilah Dchar Ghanem Souq Tnine de M'Soura Sidi el-Yamani Jebel Bouhachem Larache Lixus (1681m) Oued Loukkos Moulay Ksar el- Bousselham Kebir Merdja Merdja Bargha A T L A N T I C Zerga Ouezzane Souk el-Arba O C E A N A1 du Rharb Lac de Sidi Bourhaba Oued Mehdiya Plage Sebou Plage des Nations Sidi- Jardins Exotiques Kenitra Kacem Rabat-Salé Airport Salé RABAT Forest of Volubilis Temara Plage Mamora To Fez (60km) Mohammedia Aïn el- N6 Aouda Meknès Sidi- A2 Yahya Khemisset Casablanca P22 Ben Merchouch To Azrou Mohammed V Slimane Sidi (25km) International Bettache Rommani Azemmour Airport Oued Oued-Zem Sidi Bouzid El-Jadida Ez-Zhiliga Moulay Abdallah Mellah Aïn-Leuh Settat N1 S-Smaïl Boulâouane Khouribga Khenifra N9 Oued-Zem Oualidia Mechra Boujad Khemis S-Bennour Cap Beddouza Benâbbou Skhour Kasba-Tadla Lalla Fatna Rehamna El Borouj N7 Sidi Bouchta Fkih-Ban-Salah El-Ksiba Safi Youssoufia Benguérir Beni-Mellal Bouguedra Souira Kedima R204 Bin-el-Ouidane Oued Sidi-Bou-Othmane Azilal Ten sift Douar Essaouira al-Arab Demnate Diabat R207 Chichaoua N8 Île de Marrakesh H I G H A T L A S Mogador Essaouria Mogador Airport Ménara Sidi Kaouki Airport Cap Sim Oued Ksob HISTORY and Chellah – along the coast. Some of these The French called it Le Maroc Utile (use- settlements went on to become the western- ful Morocco), and throughout the country’s most outposts of the Roman Empire. history, this stretch of the Atlantic Coast The Portuguese established several trad- has remained crucial to its prosperity. ing posts from Assilah to Agadir in the late From the 10th to 6th century BC, seafaring 15th and early 16th centuries. A period Phoenicians found it useful to run trading of great prosperity followed, as the spoils posts – including Liks (Lixus), Essaouira from the trans-African caravan routes were .