©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Atlantic Coast شاطئ اﻻطلنطي Includes ¨ Why Go? Casablanca This windswept coast is home to Morocco’s cultured capital, (Dar el-Baïda). 155 Rabat, and its economic hub, Casablanca. The refined Mau- Rabat . 172 resque architecture and liberal attitudes on display in both Salé . .184 cities are a far cry from the medieval medinas and conserv- Larache . 189 ative lifestyles of inland cities such as Fez and Marrakesh. There’s more to see than these big cities, though. Vast Asilah . .193 swathes of golden sand, small fishing villages, historic ports El Jadida . 197 built by the Portuguese and fortified towns with vibrant Oualidia . 201 medinas are scattered along the ocean’s edge. Outside the Safi . 203 towns, farmland rolls gently down to the sea and wetland Essaouira . 206 reserves showcase rich migratory birdlife in autumn and spring. The region is bookended by Asilah and Essaouira, famed for their medinas and surrounding beaches. There’s art to view, delicious seafood to eat and an extraordinarily rich Best Places to history, from the Phoenicians to the protectorates, that is Eat begging to be explored. Don’t miss it. ¨ La Table by Madada (p214) ¨ Beachside Shellfish (p205) When to Go ¨ Pâtisserie Bennis Habous (p164) Casablanca °C/°F ¨ Restaurant Brasserie La Te mp Rainfall inches/mm 40/104 8/200 Bavaroise (p164) 30/86 6/150 Best Places to 20/68 4/100 Sleep 10/50 2/50 ¨ Villa Bea (p189) 0/32 0 J FDM A M J J A S O N ¨ Jack’s Apartments & Suites (p211) Mar–May Observe Jun Join Sep Hit the huge flocks of world-music devo- beaches after the ¨ La Sultana (p202) migrating birds on tees at Essaouira’s Moroccan tourists ¨ Riad Meftaha (p178) lagoons along the world-famous leave, while the ¨ L’Alcazar (p178) coast. Gnaoua festival. weather’s still good. 154 0 100 km 0 60 miles S P A I N Tangier Tangier-Boukhalef Airport Had Gharbia Asilah Dchar Souq Tnine de Ghanem Sidi el-Yamani Larache Lixus Moulay Ksar el- Bousselham Kebir Merdja Merja Zerga Bargha A T L A N T I C National Park A1 Souk el-Arba O C E A N Lac de Sidi du Rhurb ATL Boughaba A Sidi- NTIC NTIC Kenitra Kacem Plage des Nations Salé Rabat-Salé Airport C Rabat O Temara Plage Aïn el- A Aouda N6 Meknès ST ST ST Mohammedia Sidi- A2 Yahya Casablanca P22 Khemisset Ben Merchouch C Slimane Azrou oas Mohammed V Sidi Rommani International (25km) Azemmour O Bettache El Jadida Airport ued Oued-Zem T HI T Sidi Bouzid Ez-Zhiliga Mella Moulay Abdallah A7 ghl h Aïn-Leuh Settat N1 I Boulâouane Khouribga GH S-Smaïl Oued-Zem Oualidia N9 Khenifra T S-Bennour Boujad S Cap Beddouza Khemis Mechra Skhour Benâbbou El Borouj Kasba-Tadla Lalla Fatna Rehamna Fkih-Ban- El-Ksiba Safi Youssoufia Salah Benguérir Beni-Mellal Bouguedra Souira N7 Kedima R204 A7 Bin-el-Ouidane Sidi-Bou-Othmane Oued Tensift Azilal Essaouira Essaouira T L A S Diabat Mogador Demnate R207 Chichaoua N8 Airport Marrakesh Île de Ménara H I G H A Mogador Sidi Kaouki (15km) Airport Atlantic Coast Highlights 1 Essaouira (p206) 3 Oualidia (p201) Feasting 5 Merja Zerga National Wandering through the on freshly shucked oysters Park (p188) Spotting rare oceanside medina and next to a tranquil lagoon. migrating birds from a boat on watching traditional wooden 4 Casablanca (p155) the marshy wetlands. boats being constructed in the Admiring this cosmopolitan bustling port. city’s treasure trove of 2 Rabat (p172) Exploring Mauresque, art nouveau and the historic walled medina and art deco architecture. evocative kasbah..