Asilah Medina and Its Murals

What it is

Asilah is a town on the Atlantic coast about 40 km south of Tangier, and its medina is what you come to see: a walled enclosure of about 7 hectares, with whitewashed houses, blue or green doors and windows, clean, quiet alleys and murals painted on the walls. It is small, flat and without the bustle of the Tangier medina, and can be toured in a couple of hours at an easy pace.

A little history

The Portuguese took the city on 24 August 1471, called it Arzila and fortified it: from that time come a good part of the walls and two of its five gates, Bab al-Homar and Bab al-Bahr. Later, among others, Spain occupied it, and held the town within its protectorate until 1956; from that period remains the church of San Bartolomé. In the early 20th century, Moulay Ahmed el Raisuni, the famous leader of the region, had a palace built by the sea, the Raisuni Palace, now a cultural centre.

The walk

Enter by Bab al-Homar, the main gate, facing the new town. Wander the streets without a plan: the medina is so small that you always end up at the wall. Look for the Borj al-Kamra, the main tower of the enclosure, and the Borj al-Bahr, the bastion that juts out over the sea, where many sit at sunset to watch the sun go down over the Atlantic. On the seaward side is the Raisuni Palace, which opens its rooms during the Moussem events.

The murals are what distinguishes Asilah. Every year, with the summer session of the International Cultural Moussem, artists from Morocco and elsewhere paint new works on the medina's walls, so the walk changes from one summer to the next. In 2026 the summer session ended on 5 July and the artists' exhibition stayed open until 31 August.

The Asilah Moussem

It has been organised by the Asilah Forum Foundation since 1978; in 2026 its 47th edition was held, in three sessions: spring (27 March to 12 April), summer (until 5 July) and autumn (2 to 18 October). There are international symposia, exhibitions at the Hassan II Centre for International Meetings and at the Palace of Culture, workshops and concerts. The 2027 dates have not yet been published: if you want to coincide with freshly painted murals, aim for the start of summer and confirm in the Moroccan press a few weeks before.

When to go and how long

Two hours is enough for the medina; if you sleep over, you will see it at sunset and at night, when it falls silent. From May to October the weather is good. In July and August a lot of Moroccan tourism arrives and the town fills up; in spring and in September it is quieter. At midday in summer the white of the walls dazzles: bring sunglasses.

Getting there

From Tangier, by train from Tangier Ville station in about 45 minutes, or by grand taxi or car, in somewhat less. Asilah station is outside the centre: take a petit taxi to Bab al-Homar. By car, park outside the wall, because you cannot drive inside. The medina is flat and can be toured with a pushchair; some stretches of the wall have stairs.

For lunch, Casa García is a step from the medina. For sleeping by the sea, the Hotel Zelis is a few minutes' walk away.