Agadir does not look like the rest of Morocco, and there is a reason. After a devastating earthquake in 1960, the city was rebuilt from scratch, with wide avenues, gardens and a long seafront promenade. What it lacks in old medinas, it makes up for with a vast sandy bay, reliable sunshine and an easy-going atmosphere that families and winter-sun seekers love. There are also far more things to do in Agadir than lying on the beach.
Here is our guide to the city and its surroundings.
The best things to do in Agadir
1. The beach and the promenade
Agadir's beach curves for kilometres around a wide bay, with fine sand and plenty of space even in high season. The promenade behind it is lined with cafés, restaurants and gardens, and it is at its liveliest in the late afternoon, when families come out for a stroll. The water is cool but the bay is usually calmer than the wild beaches further north; always swim where the flags allow it.
2. Agadir Oufella
On the hill above the port stand the walls of the old kasbah, largely destroyed by the 1960 earthquake and now restored with a small museum. The view over the bay, the port and the city is superb, especially at sunset. A cable car now links the city to the hilltop, and the Arabic inscription "God, Homeland, King" on the hillside is lit up at night.
3. Souk El Had
One of the biggest markets in the region, with a huge variety of stalls selling fruit, vegetables, spices, argan products, leather, clothes and household goods. It is far less touristy than the souks of Marrakech — a great place to shop for spices and argan oil at local prices. Check the opening days before you go.
4. The marina
A modern marina lined with yachts, cafés and restaurants, pleasant for an evening walk and a meal by the water.
5. The fishing port
Agadir has one of Morocco's biggest fishing ports. Near its entrance, simple restaurants grill the day's catch — sardines, sole, prawns — for a lunch that tastes of the sea.
6. The Amazigh Heritage Museum
A small museum dedicated to the Amazigh (Berber) culture of the Souss region, with jewellery, textiles and everyday objects — a good way to understand the region beyond the beach.
7. With children
Beyond the beach, families enjoy the gardens along the promenade, camel and horse rides on the sand and a crocodile park outside the city.
A perfect day in Agadir
Start with a morning walk or a swim while the beach is quiet, then head to Souk El Had to wander the spice and argan stalls before the midday heat. Have lunch at the fishing port, where the grills serve the morning's catch. After a siesta or a few hours by the pool, take the cable car up to Agadir Oufella for the view over the bay as the light turns golden. End the evening with a stroll along the promenade and dinner at the marina.
Day trips from Agadir
- Taghazout and Tamraght — the surf villages 20 minutes north, with cafés overlooking the waves. See our Taghazout guide.
- Paradise Valley — a palm-filled gorge with natural rock pools in the hills, about an hour away. Best in spring; avoid it after heavy rain.
- Souss-Massa National Park — coastal dunes, a river mouth and birdlife south of the city, including one of the last wild populations of the northern bald ibis.
- Taroudant — a walled market town inland, often called "little Marrakech", with a relaxed souk.
- Imsouane — the long wave and fishing port further north; read our Imsouane guide.
When to visit Agadir
Agadir is famously sunny and mild all year. Winter is popular with Europeans escaping the cold, with warm days and cool evenings. Spring and autumn are perfect for combining the beach with day trips. Summer is warm rather than scorching thanks to the ocean, but July and August are busy with Moroccan holidaymakers.
Where to stay
The seafront hotels and resorts along the bay are the classic choice, with pools and direct beach access. The areas around the marina offer apartments and restaurants, while surfers often prefer Taghazout or Tamraght. Families appreciate the all-inclusive resorts at the southern end of the bay.
How to get to Agadir
- From Marrakech: about 2 h 45 by the motorway; our Marrakech to Agadir guide compares the options and our Marrakech to Agadir transfer costs €120 per vehicle for up to four people at the time of writing.
- From Essaouira: the coast road takes about two and a half to three hours; see our Essaouira to Agadir guide.
- By air: Agadir Al Massira airport has direct flights from many European cities; our Agadir airport guide explains how to get into town.
Whether you come for a week of winter sun or as the last stop of a longer trip, these things to do in Agadir will fill your days — and the sunsets over the bay will do the rest.
