| | Overview (Source: Frommers) |
Lying on the Atlantic coast at the mouth of the fertile Souss Valley and almost in the shadow of the Anti-Atlas mountains in the distance, Agadir is popular for one thing -- its beach. Crescent-shaped Agadir Bay and its 9km (5 1/2-mile) stretch of golden sand attracts large numbers of all-inclusive holidaymakers nearly year-round. Currently experiencing an increase in popularity as an alternative for those looking for a resort holiday with a twist, the city is largely hassle-free and has a pleasant, relaxed air about it, with the local Gadiris enjoying the current rise in prosperity. Agadir's history is dotted with 16th-century Portuguese and 20th-century French interference, as well as a brief moment of German interest in the heady "Scramble for Africa" days pre-World War I. This is interspersed with Saâdian and Alaouite rule, but the greatest influence on today's Agadir occurred just 4 years after independence at 11:47pm on February 29, 1960. In 15 seconds, a violent earthquake shook the old city and buried 15,000 Gadiris alive under fallen rubble, leaving the remaining 50,000 inhabitants homeless. It was a particularly traumatic event for young Morocco, and King Mohammed V reacted quickly by declaring to his people, "If destiny decided to destroy Agadir, then its reconstruction depends on our faith and our will." The reconstruction was seen as a chance to build a modern city that would be a showcase of the "new" Morocco. The result is a well-designed (and earthquake-p
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