I first visited Asilah in 2016 and it was love at first sight. This small town is enclosed by well-preserved 15th-century ramparts and gates built by the colonial Portuguese on the Atlantic coast of northwestern Morocco, less than an hour from Tangier.

What really struck me was the beautiful, colourful murals all throughout the medina. The medina is an arthub and Moussem Culturel International d’Asilah, an annual festival every summer. From what I am told, new murals are made every year!

Outside the medina is the little town where restaurants and shops line the main street as well as the souk, like any other little city.

Outside the medina along the mainroad is one of my favourite places to eat lunch or dinner – Ali Baba. Such great fresh sardines and so reasonable! The Google Map pin is here.

A nous-nous – coffee with milk – is one of my favourites to drink right outside the medina and people watch or look out at the ocean.

Speaking of ocean, the beach here is so vast and I LOVE walking it – the wind is super strong sometimes too!

Back inside the medina, there are many gorgeous riads and apartments to stay or rent. Their terrace views are BREATHTAKING!

Sunset by the Mausolée Sidi Ahmed Ben Mansour is a must – or somewhere near by it. The last time I was there you couldn’t go onto the actual wall that is out over the ocean as it was falling apart. But the sunset is still a gooder.