I recently took a trip to Morocco for the wedding of one of my good friends. As soon as her and her now-husband tied the knot in Meknes, she made it her mission to make me visit her grandfather’s town, Asilah. Being a city gal, I was afraid I would not enjoy the simple pleasures of a small town, but Asilah turned out to be the highlight of my trip. After visiting nearly four towns in seven days, I have concluded that Asilah was a sight for sore eyes! Prior to getting the chance to experience the town, I had never heard of it–which I consider now a full-blown shame–and I hope this article will urge you to put Asilah in your future travel plans.
Asilah is an old city situated on the Atlantic coast of Morocco. The city is nearly four hours away from spanish cities like Malaga and Grenada. You will find out that many locals speak Spanish or Portuguese as well as Arabic because of their close geographical bond with Portugal and Spain. With Asilah being right next to the coast, you’re guaranteed to enjoy an ocean view from every high point of the city. The town is a visual reminder of Greece’s architecture and the Hamptons’ living experience. You can have both of those depending on where you decide to stay: there’s an upscale golf club and apartments less than two driving minutes away from the main town area. The club offers tennis courts, indoor and outdoor pools, a water park and a spacious golf course. If you want to stay in the heart of the town, you can Airbnb one of the little houses available. You’ll be just steps away from the various tea shops, art locations and street sellers.
Asilah having its own port also equals fresh fish! Like mentioned earlier, I did a quick tour of the country and tried fish in all these areas, and except for Casablanca’s fresh salmon, I did not find a better location for seafood. Everything is locally imported and cooked with care. My recommendation for anyone wanting to experience good prices without compromising taste is to try a lovely restaurant called Casa Garcia. Not only have I never received such good service (one of the servers felt bad that I had a cold, rushed outside, and used his own car to drive to the pharmacy to bring me back medicine,) I never had this much good food and good wine in one sitting. According to asilahinfo.com, Casa Garcia is the most popular restaurant in town! Therefore, it is an unavoidable stop to make while visiting the town.
All in all, Asilah offers you the warmth of a small town and the exoticism of a new culture. You can get lost in the city without actually getting lost. There is something to taste, something to admire and something to experience on every corner. Hours away from the big Moroccan cities, Asilah truly is the hidden little gem of the country.