What to see in Agadir in a weekend
Agadir is a popular tourist destination in Morocco that has become particularly trendy in recent years. With approximately 450,000 inhabitants, this modern city boasts natural wonders right on its doorstep. Its city centre is also a great place for a weekend break, particularly for lovers of sea, sun and sand. One of Agadir’s great attractions is its magnificent urban beach, almost 12 kilometres long. This, together with the city’s pleasant climate, adds further to Agadir’s appeal as a sought-after destination. During the high season, Agadir’s hotels (with over 20,000 guest spaces) are fully booked.
Although its ancient medina was destroyed by the 1960 earthquake, Agadir offers a rich architectural heritage, and its ethnographic museum is an essential visit. To help you discover its charms, we have prepared a selection of options for things to do in this colourful, buzzing city.
If you’ve decided to spend a weekend getting to know Agadir, you will have time to get plenty from your stay in this southern Moroccan city. A whole host of surprises and special experiences awaits you.
Itinerary day 1
10:00 - 14:00
Paradise Valley
It is worth visiting (and spending some time at) this beautiful nature park with rocks, palm trees and rivers, all only about 20 kilometres from Agadir. It has some lovely natural swimming pools with clear waters, formed by several waterfalls. Definitely a natural treasure worth seeing if you can spare a morning or an afternoon during your visit to Agadir.
14:30 – 16:30
Lunch at Pure Passion
If you’re a foodie, Pure Passion is a great choice. Try this restaurant, where they serve superb oysters au gratin with smoked salmon, scallops and prawns with saffron, and grilled sole. Those who prefer a meat dish can choose between Tournedos Rossini, rack of lamb, or roast duck magret with orange, honey and ginger. A most pleasant ambience, and a varied menu.
17:00 – 20:00
A walk along the beach at sunset
A walk along Agadir’s magnificent beach feeling the Atlantic breeze caressing your face — a pleasure not to be missed. You can either walk barefoot along the sand or stroll along the splendid promenade that runs from one end of the bay to the other. There is a pleasant atmosphere, and lots of places to stop and rest. The sunsets here are amazing.
20:30 – 23:00
Farewell dinner at Les Blancs
This elegant restaurant (which you will find near the beach at the entrance to the marina) may well be the perfect way to round off your weekend sightseeing break in Agadir. It offers a wide selection of meat and seafood dishes. Would you like to know what its specialities are? Paella and Spanish tapas. During the summer season, you can eat out on the terrace - and in the afternoon, they serve pizzas in the snack-bar area.
Itinerary day 2
10:00 – 12:00
Shopping in the El Had Souk
There is no better start to the day than shopping for treats in the El Had Souk, one of Morocco’s biggest and most popular markets. The Souk is in one of the busiest areas of the city, and here you can find just about anything you might need: craft items, textiles, rugs, shoes, tools, spices, food and so on. A most charming, colourful place. Don’t forget to practise your haggling skills.
14:00 – 16:00
Lunch at the Ennahda Rotisserie
This is a large, informal Moroccan restaurant where you can enjoy a mouth-watering tagine, an excellent chicken cooked in traditional Moroccan style, or a classic lamb mechoui. With its high quality and modest prices, this place is always full, and is sure to please any traveller seeking to eat lunch in a clean, pleasant establishment, with good service and excellent food. Highly recommended.
16:30 – 18:30
Agadir’s Medina
Also known as the Polizzi Medina, Agadir’s New Medina is one of the essential sights on any visit to the city. When the old Medina was razed to the ground in 1960, the architect and artist Coco Polizzi was inspired to design a new one, and his project began to take shape from 1992. Today the building covers 12,000 m2, a space where numerous craftsmen proudly display their creations.
20:00 – 22:00
Dinner at Rafiq restaurant
Nothing can beat dinner in a restaurant specialising in traditional Moroccan cuisine to celebrate the end of your first exciting day in Agadir, especially in such an iconic spot as the Rafiq restaurant. The restaurant is in Avenue Hassan II, and serves quality food at reasonable prices. You can be confident that whatever you order will be good: cous cous, tagine, omelettes, skewered meats, meat with wild mushrooms, etc. And as an aperitif, there are always green and black olives. Highly recommended.
Itinerary day 3
10:00 - 11:30
A Visit to the Memoire d’Agadir Museum
Start your visit to Agadir with a calm, relaxed tour of the Memoire d’Agadir Museum, which is dedicated to the old city of Agadir and the effects of the 1960 earthquake. It stands in the heart of the city, in Avenue Président Kennedy in the Talborjt district. This Museum will provide you with an insight into the history of this popular tourist city. This is a very useful way to begin a sightseeing tour of Agadir, because it will give you an idea of the city’s culture and traditions.
11:30 – 12:30
A walk through Olhao Garden
The Memoire d’Agadir Museum stands at one end of the Olhao Garden, one of Agadir’s most beautiful green areas. So it’s worth taking advantage of the gardens’ proximity to the Museum to wander through them and to explore their architectural elements. With their great variety of plants and trees, the gardens are somewhat reminiscent of the Alhambra gardens. There is a restaurant and children’s play areas which the younger members of the family will enjoy.
12:45 – 13:30
The Mohamed V Mosque
It is worth taking a look at the Mohamed V Mosque, in Avenue Président Kennedy, as it is Agadir’s largest and most modern mosque. Its outstanding feature is its impressive, white façade and its sand-coloured embellishments. Moreover, it is the access point for Agadir’s emblematic Nouveau Talborjt neighbourhood.
14:00 - 16:00
Lunch at the Le Mauresque Restaurant
This restaurant, with its quality and imaginative cooking, is the perfect place to try typical Moroccan cuisine, with excellent service in an attractive setting. It has an extensive and varied menu, but you really should try the tagine, the couscous and the scallops. You may be able to enjoy your lunch on the little terrace.
16:30 – 17:30
Relaxing in the Ibn Zidoum Gardens
To relax after your first day of sightseeing in Agadir, nothing could be better than a pleasant stroll through one of the city’s greatest gardens. This is a genuine oasis of peace and coolness, with exotic plants and trees that are hundreds of years old, a place where the city’s residents and families come to enjoy the extensive green spaces and play with their children. The gardens occupy a whole block, between 18 November street and Agadir street.
17:00 – 18:00
The Kasbah
In fact, you can only see the ruins of Agadir’s old Kasbah, as it was completely destroyed by the 1960 earthquake. For centuries it had played an important role, as it connected the Sahara Desert with Europe, and Africa with Asia. Now there is a project to restore Agadir’s old Oufella Kasbah.
20:30 - 22:00
Dinner at Le Jardin d’Eau restaurant
Located in Boulevard du 20 Aout, this lovely restaurant is a fine place to reward yourself at the end of your first day’s sightseeing in Agadir. It is a highly prestigious restaurant specialising in French and Moroccan cuisine, and offering an informal yet pleasant and elegant, ambience — and live music almost every evening. The food is prepared to a very high standard, and the service is excellent. An apt reward to round off the day.
12:30 – 13:30
A Visit to the Amazigh Culture Museum
This museum offers visitors an opportunity to explore the culture of the Berbers, their traditions and way of life, with striking displays of artefacts. In the Treasure Room, you can see one of the Museum’s iconic pieces: the Massa Necklace. As well as the rooms displaying the museum’s own exhibits, there are frequent visiting exhibitions of contemporary art.