captivates at first glance
The first rays of morning light awaken the immaculate white of the medina. Life blossoms again, always the same and different: the shutters begin to squeak, the electric blue windows open and the first silhouettes appear walking down the street. In the background, like a distant but persistent murmur, the waves of the Atlantic crash against the walls. Welcome to Asilah, the blue city of northern Morocco.
Door Bab El Bhar (door of the sea) is one of the main entrances to the medina. at the entrance there is a busy fruit market. Behind its threshold we plunge into a vertiginous flow of time: there are no cars, no motorcycles, no nods to the technified 21st century.
Corners that fall in love in Asilah
Instead, there are women with the traditional djellaba (typical Muslim dress) ready to carry out the morning business, also artisans, vendors of slippers -those from Asilah are highly appreciated- and the occasional group of elderly people drinking mint tea. wonderfully and strangely all the houses are painted white and blue.
THE ART OF PASSING TIME
Moroccans are true artists when it comes to time management. Not a trace of stress on their faces. It seems that each act, each action demands its space, as if it were a small ceremony; and they engage in every activity with holy devotion. In other words, if they talk to you they give you 100% of their attention. Haste kills.
Inside the medina, you have to Let yourself go and be surprised at each new corner to discover. Forget mobile applications and tourist guides. It's a relatively small space, so you sure won't get lost.
Its streets are pristine, -something unusual in Moroccan medinas- and the facades of the houses seem to have been whitewashed the night before. Asilah is reminiscent of Chefchaouen, but it is not as touristy and offers priceless views of the sea.
Blue mottled windows and doors look lovely
Sooner or later you will find a large square where a tower rises, which reminds us the important defensive function of the city. Very close, is the great mosque, with its slender octagonal minaret and the Hassan II Center, a space that hosts conferences and exhibitions. There is celebrated the International Culture Festival, which takes place every year in the month of August. For those dates, they arrive artists and musicians from various countries. The days that the festival lasts all of Asilah is a party.
ILLUSTRIOUS NEIGHBORS
Art is very present in Asilah. There are several galleries, cultural centers and artists who seek refuge and inspiration under the shelter of its walls.
One of the most famous is Omrani , a Moroccan painter who has a wonderful gallery full of pictures painted only blue. the very Paul Bowles had a house here, like the writer Anthony Gala , who spent long stays in the medina. Nor can we forget the cats, illustrious neighbors who form an essential part of this decoration.
There is a celebration, almost for insiders, that no one who visits Asilah should miss. Every Saturday a group of musicians meet at Los Pescadores bar, very close to the gate of Bab El Bhar, to sing popular songs until dawn.
The musicians stand facing each other, in a rectangular structure, armed with traditional instruments. The atmosphere is charged with the smoke of the sisha and the smell of mint. You can hardly move. They sing, shout, climb on the chair and raise their arms. Pure Moroccan frenzy.
BRIEF HISTORY OF ASILAH
A quick review of Asilah's fascinating history is worthwhile. The Phoenicians were the first to populate it, in the 2nd century BC. also passed the carthaginians and romans , who used this territory as a commercial port.
There is always a new corner to discover
The Arabs conquered it in the year 712 , and it is from that time that its name Asilah comes. In 1471 the Portuguese invaded it, becoming a important enclave of the Saharan gold route. Then it passed numerous times from Spanish to Arab hands, until 1956, that Morocco obtained its independence.
Asilah is also a strategic point to explore the region: Larache It is another nice town located 48 kilometers away; Tangier, What was the cradle of the excesses and debauchery of the Beat Generation during the 40s and 50s, is only an hour away. Another good option is the famous Chefchaouen , two and a half hours by road.
WE GO TO THE BEACH
The beach is another of the great protagonists of this city. There is a smaller and tourist one in front of the medina, to which it takes no more than three minutes on foot. At night they set up tables and chairs for to be able to dine in front of the shore. Indeed, fish and seafood in Asilah It is an absolute marvel, and at very affordable prices.
If you keep walking to the left appears a kilometric beach of fine sand practically deserted, where you can forget everything, take a nap in front of the Atlantic Ocean and immerse yourself in a midsummer night's dream. Or winter.
The place to immerse yourself in a summer night's dream. Or winter.