El Jadida

Overview

El Jadida, literally meaning 'the new one' is a nice old town on the Atlantic coast, about 100 kilometer south of Casablanca. El Jadida's open stretch of beach is the town's main highlight. The beach is a Moroccan destination in the summer, large crowds of Moroccans from Casablanca, Marrakesh, and Fes arrive to tan, swim, and play soccer on the enormous beach. It's a great place to swim!

The Medina is very European in style, a walled seaside village with a few churches lining the roads. The medina was founded in 1513 by the Portuguese and named Mazagan. In 1769, the city was captured by the Moroccans and re-named "El-Jadida". The old town, also called the Cite Portugaise is constantly being restored. Don't miss a walk around the old town (especially around sunset over the Atlantic), exploring the walls and many chapels. The Portuguese Cistern (9-6) is worth a look if there is water in the underground vault. However, it's a bit of a disappointment if there is not a thin layer of water to mirror its roof. The cistern was used in Orson Welle's film Othello.

History