Reasons Why You Should Visit El Jadida

Located along Morocco’s Atlantic Coast, between the nation’s largest city of Casablanca and the popular coastal town of Essaouira, El Jadida is somewhat of an off-the-beaten-track destination for international tourists. Filled with Moroccan tourists over the summer holidays, El Jadida has plenty to see and do. Here’s why you should visit.

Laid-back beach life

Unlike more popular beach resorts, like Agadir and Tangier, El Jadida offers a more relaxed seaside experience. While the town’s main beach can become busy, visitors only need to take a short trip along the coast to reach beautiful beaches that are almost deserted. It’s easy to find a stretch of sand to appeal to almost any mood. El Jadida is a great choice for people who love swimming, sunbathing, and enjoying ocean vistas.

Outdoor activities

Historical sites

A former Portuguese colony, El Jadida has a number of interesting old buildings from the colonial era. A stroll through the old Portuguese City makes visitors feel as though they have been transported to Europe. Former churches and synagogues sit close to mosques, the UNESCO-listed Fortress of Mazagan is one of the country’s best-preserved coastal fortresses, and the Portuguese Cisterns provide something unusual on any Moroccan adventure.

Underrated destination

El Jadida is one of Morocco’s underrated destinations. Visitors can see a different side of the country, far away from the large tourist crowds of places like Marrakech and Fez. It’s a terrific place to enjoy a vacation like a local. Another plus point is that prices are often lower than in more-touristy parts of the country.

Delicious seafood

El Jadida has a good selection of places to eat and drink. Tagine and couscous are, unsurprisingly, widely available. The town is also known for its delectable seafood and fish. Take a walk around the harbour and watch small boats bobbing on the waves and fishermen returning with the day’s catch. The fish market is a top place to peruse the diverse selection of seafood, and there are plentiful restaurants with fresh seafood on the menu. Tuck into oysters, crab, lobster, sea urchin, eel, shrimp, and various types of fish.

Diverse accommodations

El Jadida has a wide range of accommodation options to suit almost all budgets and expectations. Modern apartments are ideal for larger groups and families who love to have self-catering facilities. Traditional buildings complete with striking Moroccan designs and patterns let visitors experience fine Moroccan traditions around the clock. Small family-run guesthouses offer an immersive stay full of warm hospitality, and there are boutique and luxury hotels and resorts, ideal for visitors who like to be pampered while on holiday.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.