Morocco Travel Guide

ART GALLERY

LANDMARK

BEACH

Offline map Google map ( 0661 99 80 30; Rue Tijara) Belgian painter Anne-Judith Van Loock
created this gallery with her Moroccan husband Ahmed Benraadiya, where foreign and local
artists can exhibit.

Galerie Hakim

Offline map Google  map (    0539   41  88  96, 061 799535; [email protected];  14  Place   Sidi

ben Issa) Zaïlachi artist Hakim Ghaïlan started this space and exhibits mainly young Moroccan
artists.

RASCALLY ER-RAISSOULI

Feared  bandit, kidnapper   and general troublemaker,   Moulay  Ahmed   ben Mohammed    er-Raissouli    (or Raisuni)    was one of

Assilah’s   most    legendary   inhabitants.    He  started life    as  a   petty   crook   in  the Rif Mountains   but saw no  problem in  bumping off

unwilling   victims and was soon    renowned    as  a   merciless   murderer,   and feared  right   across  the region.

Internationally,    Er-Raissouli    was best    known   for kidnapping  Westerners. He  and his band    held    various luminaries  to  ransom,

including   Greek-American  billionaire Ion Perdicaris, who was ransomed    in  1904    for US$70,000.

In  an  attempt to  control the unruly  outlaw, consecutive sultans appointed   him to  various political   positions,  including   governor

of  Assilah and later   Tangier.    However,    Er-Raissouli    continued   with    his wicked  ways,   amassing    great   wealth  in  whatever    way he

could.  He  held    considerable    sway    over    the Rif tribes  and the Spanish funded  his arms    in  the hope    of  keeping order   in  the

mountains,  but Er-Raissouli    often   used    them    against his benefactors.

The Spaniards   eventually  forced  Er-Raissouli    to  flee    Assilah after   WWI,    but he  continued   to  wreak   havoc   in  the Rif hinterland

until   1925,   when    the Rif rebel   Abd al-Krim arrested    him and accused him of  being   too closely linked  with    the Spanish.

New Town

The centre of the small new town is Pl Mohammed V. Northwest of the square is the Church of
San Bartolome Offline map Google map , built by Spanish Franciscans in a typical colonial

Moorish style. It is one of the few churches in Morocco allowed to ring the bells for Sunday
Mass. Nearby is the marché central (central market).

Beaches

Assilah’s main beach, flanked by camp sites and hotels, stretches north from town. It’s a wide
sweep of golden sand and although pleasant in low season, the crowds and noise from the
nearby road make it much less appealing in summer. For more peace and quiet head 3km
south to Paradise Beach , a gorgeous spot that really does live up to its name, though it’s not
cleaned much out of season. It’s a pleasant walk along the coast or, alternatively, hop on one of
the horse-drawn carriages that ply this route in summer.

Asilah Marina Golf, an entirely new resort, lies south of the town, but like many such
developments, its completion is delayed. It will have a marina, golf course, a luxury hotel and
apartments. Further north, 23km south of Tangier, yet another resort, Al Houara, is being built
along this fabulous stretch of coast. But again, construction has been stopped for the time
being.