Is Agadir good for a beach holiday?

Agadir is the one place in Morocco I describe as a "proper beach holiday" destination, and it is important to set expectations correctly so nobody is disappointed. A 1960 earthquake destroyed the old city, so Agadir was rebuilt from scratch as a modern resort town. That means you will not find a romantic ancient medina or labyrinthine souks here — what you get instead is the country's most comfortable, sun-soaked stretch of coast.

And the beach itself is excellent. It is a broad, gently curving bay of soft golden sand running for roughly six kilometres, backed by a palm-lined promenade of cafés, beach clubs and hotels. Agadir enjoys some of the most reliable sunshine in Morocco — around 300 sunny days a year — and the bay is sheltered enough that the swimming is generally calm and family-friendly, unlike the wilder Atlantic surf further north. For lounging, walking, sundowners and easy seafood lunches, it genuinely delivers.

Who is it for? I send sun-seekers, winter-escape travellers, families wanting a low-effort base, and anyone who wants to bolt a few relaxed beach days onto a more cultural Morocco trip. It is also a strong choice if you want resort amenities — spas, pools, golf, organised activities — that the historic cities do not really offer.

Who should skip it? If your whole reason for coming to Morocco is medinas, monuments, history and that storybook atmosphere, Agadir will feel a bit generic — pleasant but interchangeable with other Mediterranean-style resorts. My usual advice is to treat it as a reward rather than a centrepiece: do Marrakech and the desert first, then come down to Agadir to decompress on the sand. And if you want more soul with your seaside, consider nearby Essaouira or surf-town Taghazout as alternatives or add-ons.