Dune-bound visitors may be tempted to zoom through Rissani, but photographers, history buffs
and architecture aficionados could spend days exploring decrepit ksour, an important zawiya,
artfully crumbling kasbahs and the ruins of the fabled desert city of Sijilmassa on the landmark
loop. More mudbrick ksour flank the road to Merzouga, including Ksar al-Beidha and Ksar
Haroun; look for signposts on your left leaving town.
Rissani is where Oued Ziz quietly ebbs away, but it was once a desert capitol where fortunes
flowed from caravans crossing the sahel . Rissani was so strategic that the Filali (ancestors of
the ruling Alawite dynasty) staged their epic battle here to supplant the Saadians. Today, you’ll
hear epic haggling over birds, sheep, and trinkets at Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday souqs .