24H in El Jadida, Morocco

El Jadida is one place you’ll definitely want to see. The Portuguese Fortified City of Mazagan was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

El Jadida is located just over 100 km south from Casablanca, so you can get there via train or car. And it’s well worth the trip! 

Ready to start exploring? Here’s my experience spending 24 hours in El Jadida, Morocco.

On my trip to Morocco, we had two nights in El Jadida with my family.

We stayed at Riad Soleil d'Orient and it’s a spot I’d recommend! Located in the old town, only five minutes walk from the Portuguese Cistern and has a traditional Moroccan style that is absolutely stunning.

It’s a 10 years old hotel in the old town and, with just seven guest rooms, it has a very intimate feel– a nice place to escape the busy streets and chill with your family. 

It's sometimes hard for our baby to sleep in a new environment but he was peacefully sleeping in his crib that they provided.

Start your day early at El Jadida! They serve a tasty breakfast at the courtyard (Riad). But you can also take it on the roof. 

It’s a beautiful spot to linger, take the sun, hear the birds, and get inspired for a day of exploration.

One of the best preserved historic buildings. The sun enters the chambers and throws a beautiful green lit reflection throughout the chambers.  Fun fact: El Jadida, previously known as Mazagan was ruled by the Portuguese for nearly three hundred years before the they had to abandon this last stronghold in Morocco and flee to Brazil, where they founded a new settlement called Nova Mazagão (now in Amapá). Now El Jadida was then renamed to the ruined city due to the distraction caused in the process, before recently being renamed to El Jadida, meaning the new city in Arabic - for those of you interested I recommend to read more here. 

In the old fortress you can discover nice cafes and find souvenirs. However, for those of you looking to enjoy some fish, you will need to head slightly outside close to the port where you will find one fish place next to the other. For a truly local fish experience go further inward to the market and enjoy freshly caught fish. 

WARNING: Oyster eaters will be disappointed to find out that you need to pre-book a day in advance with a restaurant to enjoy this local delicacy.

I hope you will have a great time there! Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions.

Bisous,

Carole