Discovering Cultural Morocco

Agadir is a lively, beach resort destination situated along Morocco’s southern Atlantic coast, in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. Present-day Agadir was rebuilt next to the ruins of the 16th century town destroyed by an earthquake in 1960. All that remains of the ancient, hilltop Kasbah are its original fortified walls. The ruins offer views over the memorial park, created where the medina used to stand.

The resort’s beachfront promenade and wide, modern boulevards are home to vibrant cafés and restaurants. And arching south of the gleaming marina, the sandy beach has the bluest, cleanest waters.

In contrast, a visit to the old port delivers the sights, sounds and smells of the authentic old town markets selling fish, fruit, vegetables and spices, while the Musée Municipal presents fascinating insights into the history of Agadir, and Morocco’s original inhabitants, the Berbers.

Casablanca is a large, cosmopolitan city, but the former French colonial post still offers those who visit the medina and Old City a taste of the past. The biggest city in Morocco – with chic bars and a wide choice of stylish restaurants – Casablanca often has a southern European feel. The Old Medina is small, but the crowded streets and tiny, overcrowded shops are an explorer’s paradise. The attractive art-deco Ville Nouvelle is a legacy from the city’s French past, and the enchanting Rialto Cinema is also worth discovering. 

Casablanca’s Jewish Museum, the only one of its kind in the Islamic world, offers excellent exhibits of Morocco’s ancient synagogues, cemeteries and other Jewish landmarks. However, it’s the breath-taking Hassan II Mosque that dominates the city. Built on a rocky outcrop, it can accommodate over 25,000 worshippers inside – and another 80,000 in the courtyard. The 210m minaret is the tallest in the world: from the top a laser beam points the way to Mecca at night. Guided tours can be made of the vast and impressive interior.

Tangier sits on the Strait of Gibraltar and is often regarded as Europe’s gateway to Africa. Its status as an ‘International Zone’ from the 1920s until 1956 attracted an eclectic group of millionaires, writers, artists and even spies. Modern Tangier is far from its wild heyday with rapid development to modernise the city, while retaining its historic charm. The city’s labyrinthine Medina sits inside the walls of a 15th-century Portuguese fortress and can be accessed via the Grand Socco – a lively palm tree-lined market square that makes way for numerous cafés, shops and restaurants that line the narrow, winding alleyways. Inside the Medina is Little Socco, a slice of authentic Tangier with pretty buildings surrounding a small market square.

Café Hafa is an icon of Tangier, dating back to 1921, having hosted a roster of stars including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Paul Bowles. This open air café is as known for its celebrity clientele as it is its unmissable sea views, with multiple terraces cascading down the hillside.

Stretched across its seven trademark hills overlooking the River Tagus estuary, Portugal’s hilly, coastal capital city of Lisbon, is a cinematic collection of cobbled alleyways, pastel-coloured buildings, ancient ruins and white-domed cathedrals. The city was decimated by an earthquake in 1755, and modern Lisbon has been shaped by that eventful day. The Pombaline architecture that now defines the city represents some of the first seismically-protected buildings in Europe.

The city’s bridges include the Ponte 25 de Abril – similar to the Golden Gate in San Francisco – and the Ponte Vasco da Gama, which includes over 11km of viaducts. Lisbon’s many fascinating museums, include the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, the National Museum of Contemporary Art, the National Coach Museum and the Carmo Archaeological Museum. 

Lisbon is also a shopper’s paradise, with the Centro Commercial Colombo – the biggest shopping mall on the Iberian peninsula – and the elegant Avenidas Novas, full of upmarket shops. Alternatively, there bargains to be had in the local flea market, Campo de Santa Clara. Don't miss the chance to sample iconic egg tarts at Pasteis de Belém too.

A short journey from Leixões takes you into the heart of Oporto, with its fortress-like Cathedral and the Baroque Church of Clérigos. Head to the historic Ribeira District, where the narrow, cobbled lanes wind their way down to the Douro River. Don’t forget to visit one of the many wine cellars for a taste of the tipple named after the city, Port. On the ground floor of the Museu Romantico is the Port Wine Institute, where port is served with great ceremony. 

Oporto sits deep in the gorge of the River Douro and on the riverside – dominated by the two-level Luis I bridge – it’s possible to look up at the narrow old town streets climbing out of the valley. Pastel-fronted houses with red-tiled roofs line the streets, mixed with neo-classical buildings and wonderful baroque churches. Dominating the centre of the city is the fortress-like Cathedral, which is worth visiting for the views alone.