El Jadida

El Jadida is a coastal town 100km south of Casablanca in Morocco.

The town is very much the holiday destination for Morocco's more wealthy city dwellers. With long beaches and a more relaxed atmosphere, it makes a welcome relief to the hustle-and-bustle of the larger cities inland. The town's other economy is its fishing industry.

The town is famous for the remains of Portuguese buildings and the Cisternbut these are fairly limited attractions. Even the most dedicated historian may find their interest waning after an hour.

Get in

by Bus

There are many (3-5?) buses a day from Agadir to El Jadida. From the north, there are also buses (howmany??? 2?) a day all the way from Rabat, through Casablanca.

Many buses arrive at night. You are likely to find your hostel or campsite closed at 3:30am. If you have sleeping bags or a tent ground sheet, sleeping on the beach is possible. You may wake up damp from the salt spray though.

by Train

ONCF [3] trains depart nine times a day from Casablanca Voyageurs train station. In February 2018 the first departure was at 6:40 am, followed by departures at 8:40 am, 9:40 am, 10:40 am, 12:40 pm, 2:40 pm, 4:40 pm, 5:40 pm, and 7:40 pm. The cost for a round-trip ticket is 8 dirhams in second class, which is fine for nearly all travelers. The trip is around 1 hour, 30 minutes. Trains for El Jadida also depart from Casablanca Port, but they go through Casablanca Voyageurs and cost a bit more. Taxis from the train station in El Jadida to Cité Portugaise cost a flat rate of 10 dirhams but expect to share a taxi with people going in the same direction (but not necessarily to the same destination).

Get around

El Jadida is quite spread out along the sea front. It probably takes an hour to walk from one end of the centre to the other.

See

• Cité Portugaise - the Portuguese town from 16th century was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2004. A great spot for a stroll, as well as a go-to point for photographers. Do not miss La Citerne, which is on the left on the same street as the main entrance to the fort.
• Beach

Do

• Relax in one of the restaurants or cafes in the town. Especially if this is towards the end of your trip, as it is for many. You'll find this town far more chilled than Marrakech or Fez.
• Experience true Moroccan city life without the hassle, noise and glaring social inequity of Casablanca. Expect not to be bothered by anyone.

Eat

A few more 'western-style' restaurants along sea front, north of town centre.

Drink

Mint tea is available at the massive cafe in the centre of town, down the main road from near the entrance to the Medina.

Sleep

Accommodation cost can seem out of comparison compared to other Moroccan cities mainly because of the town being a popular domestic tourist destination especially during the summer months..

• Campsite, The campsite is at the North East end of town, located about 5 minutes walk from the large roundabout near the sea.

• Mazagan Beach Resort, ☎ +212 5 2338 8000 ([email protected], fax: +212 5 2338 8003), [1]. Mazagan Beach Resort is a 5 star hotel, set in 250 hectares of undeveloped land, at the center of the oasis, next to a 7 km long beach, with 500 rooms and suites.  edit
• Riad Harmonie, 5 Derb Moulay Ismail - 24010 El Jadida, ☎ +212 678 356 694 ([email protected]), [2]. Riad Harmonie is a guesthouse run by a lovely French couple who live on the spot with their two kids. The riad was opened in 2011 so everything is new and fresh. This place has a cozy and very friendly atmosphere and the owners speak very good English. Located within 10 minutes of a slow walk to Cité Portugaise.  edit

Get out

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CTM have regular daily services to Casablanca taking about 90 minutes.