Asilah travel guide

Background

Modern Asilah stands on the site of the Phoenician town of Silis, or perhaps Zilis. The area was subsequently settled by Romans in Anthony’s reign and the Byzantines. In 966, the town was rebuilt by El Hakim II, ruler of Cordoba. It was the last stronghold of the Idrissid dynasty. The Portuguese occupied Asilah from 1471, and built the town’s fortifications, and in 1578 King Sebastian landed there on his way to defeat at what was to become known as the Battle of the Three Kings. This defeat led to the Spanish absorption of Portugal, and thus of Asilah, but the Portuguese influence on the town is still quite discernible.

The Moroccans recovered Asilah in 1691, under Moulay Ismaïl. In 1826 Austria bombarded Asilah, then a base of piracy, as did the Spanish in 1860. In the late 19th and early 20th century Ahmed al Rasouli, the bandit chief who terrorized much of northwestern Morocco, was based in the town, as described by his one-time hostage and later friend, Walter Harris, in Morocco That Was. Al Rasouli built his palace in the médina, and from it exercised power over much of the region, being for a time its governor. The Spanish took Asilah in 1911, as part of their Protectorate of northern Morocco.

In more recent years, Asilah has played host to an international summer arts festival and the old neighbourhoods are squeaky clean and home to weekend retreats for wealthy Casablancans. The result is pretty and whitewashed and there are some excellent fish restaurants.

Ins and outs

Asilah lies off the main N1 Tangier to Rabat road. It is accessible both by road (buses and grands taxis take 60 minutes from Tangier) and by rail (50 minutes from Tangier). The rail station is some 2 km north of the town, and there aren’t very many taxis in Asilah. Buses and taxis stop at the Pl Mohammed V, close to the old town. There are buses from Larache, too, taking about one hour.

Asilah

The bus station is on Av de la Liberté, T039-987354. There are regular bus links with Tangier, Ouezzane, Tetouan, Meknès, Rabat and Casablanca. Grands taxis, particularly convenient for Tangier, leave from Pl Mohammed V. Asilah train station, T039- 987320, is a pleasant 30-min walk outside the town alongside the N1 to Tangier and can be reached by local bus or by either petit or grand taxi from Pl Mohammed V. There are 6 trains daily to Tangier, 4 daily to Meknès, Fès and Oujda and 2 daily to Rabat and Casablanca.

Banks

Banque populaire, Pl Mohammed V, has ATMs.

Police

Av de la Liberté, T19 or T039-917089.

Post

PTT, Pl des Nations Unies.

Medical services

Chemist: Pharmacie Loukili, Av de la Liberté, T039-917278. Hospital: Av du 2 Mars, T039-917318.