[Dec. 2025] On our second day in Morocco, we left Rabat and headed north along the Atlantic coast to Assilah.
When we entered the motorway, we passed through the toll booth using a system similar to the Telepass in Italy or the ECT card in Japan.
The view from the motorway was uninteresting, but the occasional glimpse of town houses that looked half-built caught our eye.
We asked our driver, Youssuf, and he told us that in Morocco, houses are built little by little, with the next part built when money is saved.
The many eucalyptus trees we saw along the way were used for woodworking and paper, and apparently help prevent desertification.
We also passed through an area known for its banana production.
It took longer than expected to arrive in Assilah.
We stopped at a humble restaurant called “Buon Giorno” (which made us smile) to use the toilet.
Even if we only go to use the toilet, we end up drinking some mint tea, which leads to another need soon after, creating a vicious cycle.
Now, from there, our stroll through Assilah’s medina (old town) begins.
This white coastal town was apparently built by the Portuguese in the 15th century.
I knew about the history of Muslims from around Morocco invading and conquering countries like Spain, but I didn’t realise the reverse happened.
There were some tourists, but not too many, and the town had a quiet, peaceful atmosphere.
There are murals here and there, which explains why it’s also known as a city of artists.
This is apparently due to the Assilah Art Festival, which began in 1978.
Once a year in the summer, artists from Morocco and abroad gather to paint on the medina’s white walls.
The entire town becomes a “venue,” and it also serves as a showcase for young artists.
That sounds like fun, doesn’t it.
The view of the sea from the edge of the medina was also lovely.
It would be nice to stay the night in town and relax.
We were meeting Youssuf at 1am so we hurried through the second half of the walk, but it was a city we would have liked to have taken more time to get lost in.
Youssuf himself said this was one of his favourite towns and that the people were friendly.
