Things to do · Sidi Ifni
Far down the Atlantic below Agadir, the old Spanish town of Sidi Ifni and the red cliffs of Legzira beach mark a wilder, less-travelled south coast. It is a long haul from Essaouira, more an onward journey than a day trip, but for those drawn to faded Art-Deco streets and dramatic shoreline it rewards the drive. Here is what defines this stretch.
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Held by Spain until 1969, Sidi Ifni keeps a distinctive faded Art-Deco character — blue-and-white buildings, a Spanish-era plaza and old colonial details that make it unlike anywhere else on the Moroccan coast.
A few kilometres north, Legzira is famous for its towering red sandstone cliffs and arches over a wide, dramatic beach. One of its celebrated natural arches collapsed in 2016, but the remaining one and the red-rock setting are still spectacular.
As the sun drops, the wet sand mirrors the glowing red cliffs and the surviving arch, making Legzira one of the most photographed sunsets on the Moroccan coast.
Sidi Ifni's central square, churches and the remains of its old aerial cableway port speak to its Spanish colonial past, a quiet open-air museum to wander.
This far south the coast is raw and uncrowded, with long surf beaches and big skies. It draws surfers, road-trippers and travellers seeking the Atlantic at its most untamed.
Sidi Ifni is a fishing town, and simple harbourside places serve the day's catch. The pace is unhurried, suited to a night or two rather than a quick stop.
Sidi Ifni is a coastal town in southern Morocco, well south of Agadir, with Legzira beach a few kilometres to its north. They lie far down the Atlantic coast and are a long drive from Essaouira, several hours beyond Agadir.
Not as a day trip. They are several hours' drive south of Agadir, which is itself two and a half to three hours from Essaouira, so they suit a multi-day coastal road trip or an onward leg rather than a day out from Essaouira.
Legzira was long famous for two giant red rock arches. One collapsed in 2016, but the remaining arch and the dramatic red cliffs over the beach keep Legzira one of the most striking spots on Morocco's coast.
Sidi Ifni was a Spanish enclave until 1969 and retains a faded Art-Deco character, with Spanish-era architecture, a colonial plaza and the remains of an old cableway port that set it apart from the rest of the coast.
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