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Our Oualidia & El Jadida Video

Following the Moroccan coastline, we left behind the charms of Essaouira only to discover the delights of Oualidia and later El Jadida. Starting off in Oualidia, we checked into our luxury lodgings at La Sultana (for more information on this hotel, please click here). La Sultana really is paradisical. Quiet and rural, the hotel overlooks a crescent shaped lagoon which empties and rises with the tides. Days here are spent wandering golden sands and exploring the lagoon and nearby beaches (which also happen to be great for surfing). It’s a tranquil place and one we’d thoroughly recommend should you be seeking sun, sea, silence and relaxation. The service at La Sultana is impeccable, as is the food and the accommodation. We only stayed one night here, but each of us was left utterly charmed by its beauty and the high standard of service.

When we arrived in El Jadida, we encountered yet another quiet coastal town protected by ancient walls. We checked into our boutique hotel L’Iglesia and went straight out to see what El Jadida could offer us. Originally constructed in 1506 by the Portuguese as a fortress to protect their ships, El Jadida, or Mazagan as it was then known, was left in ruins by the 1800’s. It wasn’t long however, before the town was redeveloped by Sultan Ab der-Rahman, who renamed it El Jadida, which translates as the ‘New One’ in Arabic.

Like Essauoira, El Jadida’s streets were quiet and lacked the crowds of Marrakech. A balmy breeze comes in from the sea, keeping the town cool and pleasant, so we spent hours walking along the ramparts of the city, peering over the rooftops and watching young boys jump down into the sea below.The last peaceful stop on our tour of Morocco, we made the most of the quiet atmosphere in preparation for the excitement of Fez that we knew was soon to come.