Casablanca Activities

El Jadida Day Trip from Casablanca

El Jadida day trip from Casablanca: the UNESCO Portuguese City of Mazagan, its ramparts and famous cistern, with a stop in Azemmour and a private driver.

DurationFull Day
DifficultyEasy
Group SizePrivate
LocationEl Jadida
LanguagesEnglish / Spanish / Italian / French / Portuguese

Overview

Mazagan, the Portuguese Fortress on the Atlantic

El Jadida lies about 100 kilometres south of Casablanca, an hour and a half along the coast. In the sixteenth century it was Mazagan, a Portuguese fortress town, and its walled old city is now listed by UNESCO as one of the best-preserved examples of Portuguese military architecture outside Europe.

On the way you stop in Azemmour, a quiet whitewashed town on the banks of the Oum Er-Rbia river. In El Jadida you walk along the ramparts and bastions above the ocean, enter the old Portuguese church and descend into the cistern, a vaulted underground hall whose columns are mirrored in a thin sheet of water. After a seafood lunch near the fishing port, there is time for the beach before the drive back to Casablanca.

Portuguese City of Mazagan
Ramparts and bastions
Atlantic coast and fishing port
Private transport

Detailed programme

Your Day in El Jadida, Step by Step

DurationFull Day
LocationEl Jadida
FormatPrivate

01 MorningCasablanca to Azemmour
02 Late morningThe Portuguese City of Mazagan
03 MiddayThe Portuguese Cistern
04 AfternoonFishing port, beach and return

The Atlantic coast at El Hank in Casablanca, where the coast road south to El Jadida begins — Morning

Morning

Casablanca to Azemmour

Leave Casablanca in the morning on the coastal motorway south. After about an hour you reach Azemmour, a small town of white houses on a cliff above the Oum Er-Rbia river, with a medina enclosed by old walls and lanes decorated with murals.

Azemmour has long attracted painters, and many of the murals in its lanes were painted during local art festivals. The view of the town from the bridge over the river is one of the best on the coast.

Hotel pickup
About one hour by road
Azemmour medina and riverside

The crenellated Portuguese ramparts of El Jadida reflected in the water — Late morning

Late morning

The Portuguese City of Mazagan

Twenty minutes later you arrive in El Jadida and enter the walled Portuguese City through the Sea Gate. You walk along the ramparts and bastions, with views over the port and the ocean, and pass the Church of the Assumption and the old synagogue.

The Portuguese built Mazagan in the early sixteenth century and held it until 1769. UNESCO listed the Portuguese City in 2004 as an outstanding example of the meeting of European and Moroccan cultures.

Sea Gate
Ramparts and bastions
Church of the Assumption

Fishing boats in the port of El Jadida below the walls of the Portuguese City — Midday

Midday

The Portuguese Cistern

In the heart of the old city you step down into the cistern, a vaulted hall of stone columns where a thin layer of water reflects the light falling through a single opening in the roof.

The cistern was probably first used as an arsenal before becoming a water store. Orson Welles filmed scenes of his "Othello" here in the early 1950s.

Underground cistern
Vaults and columns
Entrance paid on site

Camels and sunshades on the long sandy beach of El Jadida — Afternoon

Afternoon

Fishing port, beach and return

After a lunch of fresh fish near the fishing port, you can relax on the long beach of El Jadida or the nearby bay of Sidi Bouzid before driving back to Casablanca in the late afternoon.

If you prefer, the return can follow the coast road through the small resorts between El Jadida and Casablanca, or continue south to the lagoon of Oualidia for its oysters.

Seafood lunch (not included)
Beach time
Drop-off at your hotel

This is a private experience, so times and stops can be adjusted to your arrival, your pace and the season.

Ask About This Programme

The experience

What to Expect

1AzemmourA whitewashed town above the Oum Er-Rbia river.
2The Portuguese CityWalk inside the walls of old Mazagan.
3The CisternA vaulted hall of columns reflected in water.
4Port and BeachSeafood by the harbour, then the drive back.

The port of El Jadida below the old walls

Why choose this experience

A Portuguese Corner of Morocco

Behind the walls of El Jadida you find a church, a cistern and bastions built by Portuguese engineers five centuries ago, a side of Moroccan history that few visitors see.

Why Choose This Experience

Local and authentic experience
Private, just your party
Flexible timing
Local guides and hosts
Suitable for families, couples and solo travellers

What’s included

Private vehicle with driver from Casablanca
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Stop in Azemmour
Portuguese City of Mazagan, ramparts and cistern
Flexible timing

Not included

Lunch and drinks
Entrance fee to the cistern, paid on site
Local guide in El Jadida (on request)
Tips

Good to know

Recommended clothingComfortable clothes, closed shoes, sunglasses and a hat or scarf.
Best timeAll year. The Atlantic keeps the coast mild; summer is busier with Moroccan holidaymakers.
Suitable forFamilies, couples, solo travellers (all levels).
Good to knowThe cistern is small and can get busy at midday, so we plan to arrive in the morning. Wear comfortable shoes for the walk on the ramparts.

Location

Frequent questions

El Jadida Day Trip from Casablanca: Frequently Asked Questions

All Casablanca Activities

How far is El Jadida from Casablanca?

About 100 kilometres, roughly an hour and a half by motorway along the coast.

What is the Portuguese Cistern?

An underground hall built by the Portuguese in the early sixteenth century to store water for the fortress. Its stone vaults and columns reflect in the shallow water on the floor, and it has been used as a film set.

Can we continue to Oualidia or Essaouira instead of returning?

Yes. El Jadida is on the coast road south, so the day can become the first stage of a private tour to Oualidia, Safi, Essaouira or Marrakech.

Is this a private activity?

Yes. It is arranged for you and the people you travel with, so the timing and pace are yours.

How do I book?

Send us a message on WhatsApp or by email with your date and the number of people. We reply with availability and the price, and nothing is charged for enquiring.

Can it be added to a tour?

Yes. It can be booked on its own or added to any of our private tours that pass through Casablanca.

Plan Your El Jadida Day Trip from Casablanca

What to know before you book your El Jadida day trip from Casablanca, and what else to do nearby.

More Casablanca Activities

El Jadida Day Trip from Casablanca is one of 3 private Casablanca activities on our list. Other Casablanca activities include Casablanca Guided Tour (4–5 hours) and Day Trip to Rabat (full day).

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Things to Do in Casablanca

The best things to do in Casablanca start with Hassan II Mosque (a 210-metre minaret above the ocean), Arab League Park (palm avenues in the heart of the city) and The Corniche (the Atlantic seafront promenade). Other things to do in Casablanca include El Hank Coast and The Modern City; our Casablanca travel guide covers each one.

Casablanca travel guide →

Casablanca Day Trips

Our Casablanca day trips include Day Trip to Rabat (full day). Every one of our Casablanca day trips is private, so the start time and pace are yours.

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