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"Bagged some brilliant flights to Agadir, Morocco, for the kids' February school hols thanks to your emails! Do we stick to a resort in Agadir, or go further along the coast? Only there for 4 nights, so many pros and cons, so would love advice/tips!"
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Ooh, this is a tricky one, reader! (And well done on nabbing those cheap flights.)
So Agadir itself does have a ton to recommend it for a short break, so we completely get your hesitation - we’d half be tempted to stick around for the full four nights.
Beside the beach, the souk and the old palace ruins, there are also some great day trip options: hop in a car and you’ll be able to take in the Medina Agadir (an impressive reconstruction of the city’s old medina after it was destroyed in the 1960 earthquake), the 80,000 acre Souss-Massa National Park, and the hidden canyons of Paradise Valley.
However, there are also some absolutely brilliant villages, towns and cities to stay and experience within reasonable distance of Agadir (so you won't have to worry about circling around for the return flight) - so in our professional opinion, see if you can fit in a second destination as well!
In particular, we'd strongly consider booking a side-adventure to one of the following incredible stop-offs:
#1: Tagazhout or Imsouane. If you or your kids have any interest in water-sports, you probably owe it to yourselves to check out one of Morocco’s two premier surf villages (also well equipped when it comes to yoga classes, vegan restaurants, etc) which are both handily located within a short drive to the north of Agadir and feature year-round waves.
Tagazhout is still arguably the more famous destination - with ‘Killer Point’ seeing large crowds of surfers throughout the year - so we’d be tempted to drive a bit further north to the extremely beautiful village of Imsouane and spend a night there in relative seclusion.
Tigmi Blue is a delightful, family-owned and reasonably-priced bed and breakfast close to Imsouane’s beach, which we’d thoroughly recommend - owners Bruno and Severine can also help with surf lesson bookings, mountain biking, and run traditional Moroccan cooking workshops.
#2: Tafraoute. Take a three-hour drive inland from Agadir (often on dirt roads for a bit of extra adventure) and you’ll find yourself in a different Morocco entirely - the red granite of the Anti-Atlas Mountains, and the Berber heartland of the country.
Nestling amongst those granite peaks is Tafraoute - an absolutely stunning traditional town of sand-and-pink-coloured buildings, still relatively undiscovered by tourists, and famed for its friendly residents, Wednesday markets, and almond production.
Again, we’d suggest booking in at a guest house rather than a hotel - Maison Tigmi Ozro is a good bet - and spending a day or two wandering through the streets, exploring the mountains, or visiting nearby Berber villages.
While you’re there, you may also want to check out the ‘Painted Rocks’, a bright blue-and-pink art installation out in the desert created by Belgian artist Jean Verame in 1987 (opinions are generally divided as to whether the Painted Rocks are a fun and inventive novelty or a blight on the natural landscape).
Tafraoute is particularly convenient for your dates, though, because of February’s Almond Blossom Festival, when the town’s almond trees (clue’s in the name) come stunningly into blossom.
During the festival, townsfolk and visitors alike head out to Tafraoute’s ancient Roman ruins at Valle Dei Temp for a celebration of music, dance, folklore, and food - at night, the ruins are lit up for theatrical performances.
Don’t hang everything on seeing the festival, though - the dates are dependent on the blossom itself, so tend to vary. Most Moroccan websites claim that it takes place during the second week of February, but travellers have reported on previous years that it’s sometimes been as late as the beginning of March.
#3: Essaouira. Keep driving north from Agadir along the Atlantic coast and you’ll come to the stunning port of Essaouira - once beloved by hippies and musical artists during the 60s, and this city is still charmingly dedicated to the memory of Jimi Hendrix, who visited for 11 days in 1969 (you can also head back in June for the astonishing Gnaoua World Music Festival, often described as ‘Africa’s Woodstock’.)
Essaouira is another haven for surfing and kite-surfing, but it also offers picturesque views of the port and its famous blue boats from the old fortress, much-praised horse and camel-riding experiences with EquiEvasion, and just outside the city, Morocco’s southernmost vineyard is available for tastings and tours.
We’d make this one a priority. Book yourselves in for a family-run Moroccan cooking class with Khadija’s Kuzina, and then head back for a night’s stay at the extremely groovy and hippie-friendly Chill Art Hostel.
Have fun on your trip and hope you enjoy yourselves!
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