Asilah
Explore Asilah’s intact ramparts and whitewashed medina, then visit the seafront bastion. The August Moussem brings music, exhibitions and artist workshops.
We may earn a commission. It never decides our picks.
Asilah is a fortified town on Morocco’s northwest Atlantic coast, about 31 km south of Tangier. Its intact ramparts and gates surround a well-preserved medina, where narrow alleys pass white houses with blue or green details and carved wooden windows. Murals decorate many buildings, often linked to the International Cultural Moussem of Asilah, held each August with jazz, Moroccan music, art exhibitions and workshops for international artists. The festival began in 1978. The Portuguese took Asilah in 1471 and rebuilt its walls, first built and later reinforced by earlier dynasties.
At the medina’s western edge, a bastion reaches into the sea and is a popular place to watch the sunset. Other stops include Borj al-Hamra, or the Red Tower, near the old kasbah; the restored Raisuli Palace; and Sidi Mansour cemetery, where graves are covered in colourful ceramic tiles. Asilah’s Ibero-Moroccan food traditions include seafood, anchovies and paella. Visit in August for the Moussem, or come outside the festival to focus on the medina and ramparts. The town is also a seaside resort, with holiday apartment complexes along the coast road from Tangier.
Asilah in five
- Come for a night, not a checklistAsilah is small and rewards slow walking: the medina lanes, the sea wall and a seafood lunch. One night is enough, and a day trip from Tangier works if you are short on time.
- Walk the ramparts at the end of the dayThe walls above the Atlantic are the town's signature. Go in the late afternoon for softer light and cooler air, and keep an eye on footing near the sea-facing edges.
- Book ahead in summerThe town doubles as a summer seaside stop, and its arts festival draws visitors. Reserve beds for July and August, and check festival dates on official channels, not from old guides.Where to stay
- Use the blue petit taxis for short ridesThe tourist board lists blue as the taxi color in Asilah, Tangier and Rabat. Settle the fare or ask for the meter, and avoid unlicensed ride-hailing cars.
- Swim with care on the beachesMany Moroccan beaches have limited lifeguard cover and strong currents or unexpected waves can occur. Swim where others do and avoid isolated stretches.
Need to know
- Airport
- Tangier Ibn Battouta (TNG) is the nearest
- Getting there
- Road or ONCF train from Tangier; check which trains stop
- Getting around
- On foot in the medina; blue petit taxis for the beaches
- Best base
- A riad or guesthouse inside the walls
- Time needed
- A day trip or 1 night
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- JanuaryClear9 rainy daysHigh17°Low10°Cool, dampJanuaryClear
Mixed
- High
- 17°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 92 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, damp
- FebruaryClear8 rainy daysHigh18°Low10°Cool, dampFebruaryClear
Mixed
- High
- 18°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 76 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, damp
- MarchPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh18°Low11°MildMarchPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 18°
- Low
- 11°
- Precipitation
- 145 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild
- AprilPartly cloudy9 rainy daysHigh21°Low13°Mild, easyAprilPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 21°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 78 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, easy
- MayClear6 rainy daysHigh24°Low16°Warm, easyMayClear
Best
- High
- 24°
- Low
- 16°
- Precipitation
- 38 mm
- Rainy days
- 6
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, easy
- JuneClear3 rainy daysHigh26°Low18°WarmJuneClear
Best
- High
- 26°
- Low
- 18°
- Precipitation
- 14 mm
- Rainy days
- 3
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm
- JulyClear0 rainy daysHigh29°Low20°Peak seasonJulyClear
Best
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 20°
- Precipitation
- 1 mm
- Rainy days
- 0
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Peak season
- AugustClear1 rainy dayHigh30°Low21°Peak seasonAugustClear
Best
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 21°
- Precipitation
- 1 mm
- Rainy days
- 1
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Peak season
- SeptemberClear3 rainy daysHigh27°Low20°Warm seaSeptemberClear
Best
- High
- 27°
- Low
- 20°
- Precipitation
- 16 mm
- Rainy days
- 3
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm sea
- OctoberClear7 rainy daysHigh25°Low18°Mild, easyOctoberClear
Best
- High
- 25°
- Low
- 18°
- Precipitation
- 74 mm
- Rainy days
- 7
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, easy
- NovemberClear9 rainy daysHigh20°Low14°CoolNovemberClear
Mixed
- High
- 20°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 109 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool
- DecemberPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh18°Low11°Cool, dampDecemberPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 18°
- Low
- 11°
- Precipitation
- 120 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, damp
Average daily high and low in Asilah, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Asilah
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
17
- Feels like
- 19°
- Humidity
- 98%
- Wind
- 2 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 0%
Asilah
10:38 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today25°15°0%Monday: Fog. High 25°, Low 15°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Tue21°16°53%Tuesday: Rain. High 21°, Low 16°. Chance of rain 53%.
- Wed20°17°70%Wednesday: Thunderstorms. High 20°, Low 17°. Chance of rain 70%.
- Thu20°16°21%Thursday: Rain. High 20°, Low 16°. Chance of rain 21%.
- Fri23°14°3%Friday: Fog. High 23°, Low 14°. Chance of rain 3%.
- Sat25°15°8%Saturday: Cloudy. High 25°, Low 15°. Chance of rain 8%.
- Sun25°18°46%Sunday: Cloudy. High 25°, Low 18°. Chance of rain 46%.
Updated 09:44 PM local time · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 9.842 MAD
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Day trips by train
- Tangiera short ride northThe strait-side port city, the usual gateway and airport town.Read the guide
- Chefchaouena longer inland dayThe blue mountain town, usually done as an overnight.Read the guide
- Ceutaa cross-border tripA Spanish enclave on the strait, with its own entry rules and ferries.Read the guide
Before you go to Asilah
We may earn a commission. It never decides our picks.
Rules for Asilah, checked
- Asilah beaches: the FCDO notes limited lifeguard cover, sparse signs and strong currents on many beaches, so swim near others, not in isolated spots.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source
Plan around Asilah
The blue Rif town inland
Read the guideCeutaSpanish enclave on the strait
Read the guideCasablancaThe rail hub down the coast
Read the guideAll of MoroccoCities, desert, coast and entry basics
Read the guideTrains and transportRail and coach options for Morocco
Read the guideTangierThe Strait city to the north
Read the guideRabatThe capital down the coast
Read the guideAsilah FAQ
Is Asilah worth visiting?
Yes if you want a calm walled seaside town after Tangier or before Chefchaouen. It is small, so it suits one night, not a long stay with a checklist of sights.
How do you get to Asilah from Tangier?
By road or conventional ONCF train. The Al Boraq high-speed line serves Tangier, Kenitra, Rabat and Casablanca, so check which trains stop at Asilah on the ONCF site before you plan.
How many days do you need in Asilah?
A few hours to one night. The medina, ramparts and a seafood lunch fit in a day, and an overnight lets you see it before and after the day-trippers.
When is the best time to visit Asilah?
May, June, September and October. July and August are the summer resort months, when the town is busier and beds fill up.
Is Asilah good for a beach holiday?
For a few beach afternoons, yes, but it is a heritage town first. Beaches can have limited lifeguard cover, so check conditions and swim near others.