Asilah Things to Do

Like usual in Morocco, the main and most impressive msque in Asilah is called the Ground Mosque. I am not a Muslim, so I was not allowed to enter the Grand Mosque. I paid attention to its white tower. It's a minaret - a tower from which a man (or loudspeakers nowadays) calls Muslims to pray.

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I had been one afternooon to the big weekly souk a few years back - the sort that many travel from miles around to bring stuff to sell or locals who go to have the weekly big buy up - their excellent outdoor supermarket!

This time I dont know what made the difference - whether it was being earlier in the day - but it seemed so much more colourful and alive, vibrant and excitingly photogenic! - but here with your camera you still have to be quick as the ladies really dont like to have their photos taken even if you are not aiming at faces!

Particularly of interest is seeing the large number of ladies in 'Rif mountain' style - straw hats with colourful woollen string and pompoms on them and red and white striped skirts or aprons, and generally underskirts showing out the bottom and with towels or shawls wrapped around their shoulders.

When travelling to and from Asilah you will often see these ladies making their journeys on donkeys. They are in even more abundance along the roadways between Tangier and Tetouan and Chefchouen and in the Chefchouen town and markets itself - ie generally the areas closer the Rif mountains!

The Asilah weekly souk is on the far edge of town of the side away from Tangier - near the shanty town - about 10 or 15 minutes walk from the medina - catch a small taxi to get there for about 10 dirham and then you can easily find your own way back!

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This very thick walled tower, definitely heavily fortified, was part of the defense systems during the time the portugeuse had power for about 200 years between 1471 and when Moroccan control was gained in 1691.

In all the times Ive visited Asilah Ive only ever noticed this open once when in Asilah during the International Art Festival - and there was an exhibition of art to see around the walls in the rooms of the 2 or 3 floors - some views from the rather small windows but sadly no entrance permitted to the roof for views from the top!

When I drove a car the first I saw long and impressive city walls with many large city gates which surrounded the medina - old Arab town. They were built in 15th century by Portuguse and looked the most impressive in Morocco. Surprisingly, they were very well preserved, probably renovated recently.

My second surprise was that, in contrast to Tangier and Tetouan I visited before, there were almost no people walking around. The city looked almost empty in the morning.

I saw a few huge, impressive city gates. Some have the typical arab keyhole shape, some not. The city walls are very thick which is the best seen just when you pass through the gate. No wonder, they had to protect Asilah efficiently in the past.
I asked about tours on city walls, but, a pity, there were none.

El Kamra tower was located in Place Abdellah and this tall tower was good orientation point for me. It was square tower (like Moroccan minarets) with 4 turrets on its top corners built by Pourtugeuses. Hmm... I would like to go to the top of a tower but it was closed to the public.

I passed through the huge gate in the external city walls and entered the medina full of quite pretty, simple white houses which had to remind me Greece. I was walking around maybe two hours. And finally I passed through the gate in internal city walls to enter the Ville Nouveau (New City in French).

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Every year in August there is an International Arts Festival, lasting for about a month.

Through the year you can see the art of the visiting artists for the festival painted on the walls around the lovely medina with its white washed walls, narrow streets and high riad homes with interesting doors and windows.

Usually colourful and make great photographs for blowing up and framing for an interesting souvenir back home!

Enjoy looking for the next one as you wander around the streets!