7 Best Sights in El Jadida, Rabat and Casablanca

El Jadida's main attraction is the atmospheric Cité Portugaise, which was built for military purposes in the early 1500s, overtaken by the Moroccans in 1769, and registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004. Impressive (and still imposing) stone walls make it difficult to miss. The Portuguese city was originally a rectangular island with a bastion on each corner, connected to the mainland by a single causeway. Take the entrance on the right where you'll see that the Portuguese street names have been retained.

Walking down Rua da Carreira, you'll see on the left the old Portuguese Church of the Assumption. Erected in 1628, it's a fine example of late-Gothic Manueline-style architecture.

At the end of Rua da Carreira (Rue Mohammed Al Achemi), you can walk up ramps to the walls of the fortress. Looking down from the heights, you'll see a gate that leads directly onto the sea and, to the right, El Jadida's fishing harbor.

Beyond the Portuguese Cistern on Rua da Carreira is a fine old mosque, and its original construction makes it one of the focal points of the city. The beautiful white minaret is unique in that it has five sides, all with rounded edges.

El Jadida was once home to a very large Jewish population—traces of which are still visible in the city's Mellah, the Jewish quarter of the old medina. If you walk around the walls to the other side of the fortress, you get clear views over the Jewish cemetery.

The photogenic Portuguese cistern is where water was stored when El Jadida was still the fortress of Mazagan (some say it originally stored arms). A small amount of water remains, illuminated by a single shaft of light, reflecting the cistern's gorgeous Gothic arches, a stunning effect. According to local legend, this massive spot wasn't rediscovered until 1916, when a Moroccan Jew stumbled on it in the process of enlarging his shop—whereupon water started gushing in.

This beautiful stretch of sand extends southwest away from El Jadida; you can access it by taking the coastal road about 5 km (3 miles) out of town. It's an ideal place to stroll or watch the sunset. Swimming is great here too, although currents can be strong. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards (in summer); parking. Best for: sunsets; swimming; walking.