Weather Patterns and Climate in Agadir

The climatic conditions of Agadir over the last three decades are assessed and described throughout this chapter. Agadir is characterized as having a yearly warm temperate climate with dry summers according to the Köppen classification. The year climate is characterized by cool and rainy winters and hot and dry summers. Also, it is characterized as a climatic transition area from North Africa to Europe because in winter there is continuous continental wet influence, with inversions and in summer the European anticyclone extends towards the South of the continent causing the dry season with the presence of distilled fogs. In Agadir, there is a yearly rhythm with temperature and precipitation, with inversions, with probable radiative foci and typical microclimates during summer. Different rhythms are also found, considered subordinate, like the decade. Agadir deserves this climatic study because throughout the last three decades there is a microclimate area with humidity concentration over the mountainous region north of the city.

The location of the city of Agadir is 30° 26’ North latitude and 9° 37’ West longitude. It is situated in the Northwest of Africa in an oasis bathed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and sheltered from the aggressions of the winds by the Anti-Atlas Mountains. The region of Agadir has an exceptional climatic potential that conditions both its character as a tourist and agri-food center in development. To manage its space well it is necessary to understand its climatic rhythms because its primary activity – agricultural – is based on the climate.

2. Climate Characteristics

Located on the southwestern Atlantic coast of Morocco at 30° latitude and 8° West longitude, Agadir enjoys a typical Mediterranean climate that is transitory between a hot arid tropical climate and a winter rain-fed Mediterranean climate. The conventional climate-type classification indicates a hot arid winter dry season. Agadir is also subject to Atlantic influences such as winter and spring rains and the foggy insolation-free weather often found over the whole northwestern coast of Africa during the summer months. Topographical factors influence temperatures, especially monthly temper shorts.

With a long period of sunshine and a mean annual temperature above 18°C, Agadir enjoys a fairly high concentration of sunshine hours per year. Winter maximum mean daily values remain constant at 90% through February, but summer minima are only about half that figure. High summer sunshine figures and low winter figures are usually characteristic of Mediterranean-type regions. However, like other places with a Mediterranean climate in Morocco, Agadir has characteristics that deviate from the norm, as the most typical summer-high winter-low pattern of June-July-August and December-January-February is not always manifest. Temperatures at Agadir vary more in the summer than they do in winter. Summer temperatures at Agadir are lower than those at North American coastal cities at the same latitude but the opposite holds true for winter temperatures, which are generally above their equivalents in North America.

Agadir’s insolation figures deviate from the summer-high winter-low pattern characteristic of other places. This is mainly due to circumstantial and local meteorological conditions such as depressions bringing moisture-laden air masses to the eastern and western coasts of Morocco during the summer months as well as temperature, humidity and pressure gradient differences.

2.1. Mediterranean Climate Overview

The Mediterranean climate is a specific type of climate that belongs to the dry subtropical climactic group, limited to five regions worldwide. In these regions, the summers are dry and warm, while precipitation is concentrated in the winter months. The Mediterranean climate is characterized by warm to hot, dry summers and mild to cool, wetter winters, with most of the precipitation falling between October and April. The dry season is characterized by the dry winds. Typically, during spring and autumn, for a few days, when the sea temperature is low and air masses migrating from the poles come down, the temperature may drop, generating storms or precipitation with the unusual presence of frost and snow at higher altitudes. According to global climate classifications, summer precipitation is less than 65 millimeters and is at least 5% of the total precipitation. Continental zones of the Mediterranean climate, far from the sea, have a high summer temperature, which causes prevailing evaporation and humidity dropping into the wadis. The Mediterranean climate is located in regions without significant monsoon influence.

The Mediterranean climate is a transitional type between an oceanic climate and a dry-summer climate: mainly, the zone where all possible atmospheric and oceanic exchanges are in harmony, without excessive humidity nor desert conditions. The manner of describing the Mediterranean climate as an “extreme” oceanic climate is not only accurate but necessary. Because the summer drought does not develop in winter, the oceans that are so cold in summer are incapable of providing wet air such as that from the Gulf Stream. Because the Mediterranean climate is located on the eastern coast of the oceans, its types are oceanic and desert. Due to the location of the Mediterranean climate, it is farthest to the east of the three climates that have moderately hot, dry summers: the dry-summer subtype of the humid subtropical, the subtropical highland, and the monsoon.

2.2. Atlantic Influence on Weather Patterns

Specific geographical conditions set the inland city of Agadir apart from coastal towns situated at the same latitude. The most important influential factor is the Atlantic Ocean. This huge body of water has a significant effect on the city. Because of this geographic situation, besides the Mediterranean climate that reigns in the region, Agadir enjoys a climate characterized by other weather conditions; these are marked by mild temperatures, moderate precipitation and high humidity during the summer. The other oceanic effects are that of warm winds blowing off the ocean and of a summer fog caused by upwelling currents. The city of Agadir experiences clean weather patterns during winter. The sky is clear and bright, the temperature is warm and a few showers occur. This period is the dry season of Agadir winter where the hours of insolation are very high. The month of July is known to be the mildest summer month. The sun shines bright and the heat is moderated at night by humid winds blowing off the ocean. Agadir cold wind during summer is the day’s relief. More than its temperature, the humidity of this wind which is particularly important is to be regarded with caution. The city of Agadir is not much more than a summer resort. Summer tends to be very dry and relatively warm, with sea breezes to mitigate the heat and short periods of fog. Summer is a clear and bright season so that the number of sunshine hours is brought to their peak. The months of summer experience high evaporation and in the tragic climatologic history of Morocco, droughts are more frequent during summer months. Thunderstorms are not infrequently recorded. With the exception of July which is the warmest month of the year, the months of summer are the least hot.

3. Seasonal Weather Breakdown

Weather Patterns and Climate in Agadir boast year-round sunshine, pleasant heat, and moderate trade winds, interrupted at times by late autumn and winter rainy spells, and by some short periods of strong summer heat after May. Rain is rare after April. Rain is generally rare, mainly falling from October to mid-March, mostly in short-lived showers. Agadir’s climate is sub-tropical Mediterranean in type, more humid than most Mediterranean areas. Although it lies in North Africa, Agadir has warm oceanic climate features due to the ocean-influenced climate.

The warmest month is usually August along the coast with an average temperature of 22 °C, but up to 28 °C in the interior. The coldest month is usually January with an average coastal temperature of 15 °C. If winter temperature is temperate on the coast, inland winter is held under frost influence due to cold desert climate of the Sahara near Agadir. Indeed, Agadir is one of the warmest cities in the world as its southern subtropical latitude marks, with average monthly temperature always above 25 °C from July to September. Long summer days with a mild heat are however disturbed by daily coastal mists known as “ablaze” accompanying coastal winds from nearby cold Atlantic Ocean whose excessive cooling influence smoothens temperature range caused by negligible and infrequent rain: often less than 10 mm each year.

In the late winter months, heavy rains may occur either due to “set-in” but short-lived rainy days, or torrential downpours and thunderstorms. February and March bring clear and bright weather finally released from frequent winter rains within stormy episodes. Low summer humidity characterizes the summer months which depresses the contrast between daytime and nighttime high temperatures. High temperature above 35 °C or so may occur for a short time although on rare encouragement due to the influence of the Sahara, but summer temperature above 28 °C is most common either at/from the coast or inland.

3.1. Spring Weather (March–May) in Agadir

Spring is a transition time for the weather in Agadir. In March, the town still suffers from the long waves of chilly weather and the natural patterns of this month favor the fog formation, the average daily temperature is still relatively cool around 13.7 °C and the temperature at nights is chilly and drops around 10.1 °C. As spring arrives, days get warmer and clearer: March is the month with the minimal sunshine duration of the year (170 hours), April sees the daily temperature climbing 2 °C up (to 15.3 °C) and the sunshine coming back (238 hours); days in May are already quite warm (the average temperature is 17.5 °C) and usually quite sunny (263 hours). In addition to warming, spring is also a relatively dry period: the long dry summer is still to be felt in May (15 mm of total precipitation), and the beginning of the year wettest period is coming to an end in March.

Spring also brings variable weather and the typical marine summer pattern is only starting to develop by May. The mornings stay relatively cool until late in the season (the average daily minimum is 10.3 °C in March, 11.3 °C in April, and 12.5 °C in May) as the solar heating is still low; daily maximum temperatures jump from March (17.0 °C) to April (19.2 °C) and then increase more gently to 23.0 °C in May. Higher temperatures combined with strong solar radiation contribute to the development of cumulus clouds in spring afternoon which make the weather hotter and a higher number of thunderstorms with some precipitation are already recorded in April and May (20 mm in total) and some of them can even hit Agadir valley.

3.2. Summer Weather (June–August)

3.2. Summer Weather (June–August) In summer, the temperature rises quickly, becoming warm in June and steadily hot thereafter. July is only slightly cooler than August. The average temperature reaches 25.2 °C in July and drops to 24.4 °C in August, the hottest months being July and August. Daily maximum temperatures rise to 31.1 °C in July and 31.3 °C in August and continue to tour-boat AT 32.0 °C in mid-August. Minimum daily temperatures hardly go down to 18 °C in August and do not drop below 18.6 °C in July. More than two-thirds of the days in summer are above 25 °C and only three in summer are above 30 °C. In summer, July has the largest number of hot days (more than a third of the days), but their number is also large in August (only slightly less than a third of the days). Daily maximum and minimum temperatures increase 0.5–1 °C on account of upper-atmospheric warming. For most of June and from virtually all in July and August, the cooling breeze blowing in from the ocean keeps daily maximum temperatures in check (daily maximum temperatures are around 25 °C most of the days, under the sublimating influence of the ocean) and reduces daily minimum temperatures, with their average dropping below 19 °C in early July and falling to 19.8 °C in mid-August. During these months, the cooling sea breeze and the reduced cloud cover induce very little upper-air cooling. July and August are the driest months, with very little draught and virtually no sudden draught. High pressure dominates, as it retreats to the north from May to October, creating around several heat clouds that are responsible for draught meteorology along the southern Atlantic coast. The sea shows a sharp upwelling contribution during this period; as a result, summer surface temperatures are much cooler than those of the upper ATM, which usually become the warmest during summer.

3.3. Autumn Weather (September–November)

3.3. Autumn Weather (September–November)

September remains one of the hottest months in Agadir with average daily high of 29.6 °C and average low of 18.2 °C with no surprising warm sea-temperature to enjoy swimming or surf. It continues to be dry. From the second half of the month onwards, a transition into autumn occurs with the weather becoming milder. The nocturnal lows decrease, and daytime temperatures drop accordingly. Rainfall in October and November is infrequent but can be heavy. Warm days and cool nights are then the norm. The sea is still warm. With Agadir receiving little precipitation all year, the rainy season typically only consists of a few hours or days of rain every few weeks. Despite a number of rainy days and overcast skies, especially in November, the positive influence of the Gulf stream is evident; it ensures mild and dry weather even in winter. At the end of the season, weather becomes overcast more frequently. Dreary but mild days also occur. Almost all observed rain falls in the form of brief downpours.

With constant hours of sunshine, Agadir has a pleasant temperature and is less warm than places farther inland far from the ocean. Most days in September and October are sunny, November remains less sunny, but sun with mild temperatures still prevails. Warm sea-water encourages swimming. Surfing is possible too with good swells, ensuring much better surf thereafter than during the northern hemisphere summer. The predominating north wind also provides surfing interested with superb conditions.

3.4. Winter Weather (December–February)

Winter in Agadir is a peculiar season to which the city contributes great variability in terms of sunny, warm days and gray, cold, windy, rainy days. This season could also be described as sometimes pleasing, sometimes irritating, continuously revitalizing. Just after the summer-dry and dynamic breezes of the autumn season, a relative calm settles down on the area. The average daily air temperature declines to about 15 °C, about 3 °C less than the autumn average. The nocturnal nearly calm conditions allow for nocturnal cooling, which somewhat pleases cold air lovers, who experienced too few of those days with a night temperature below 10 °C over the previous seasons as well as summer heat and autumn daytime heating. With night temperatures often colder than 5 °C, but typically warmer, an occasional frost occurs. Rainy days, with daytime maximum temperatures less than 15 °C, need their experienced pleasant sun-lovers to spend about 20 % of the winter.

The daily mean wind speed is diminished to a mellow 3.5 m/s, usually allowing for calm and quiet moments, but when a breeze is disturbed by a moderate gale, the feeling of bothering cold can be exacerbated. Less than 20 % of the winter days could be annoying with faint clouds or clouds and fog reducing horizontal visibility; occasional scant precipitation often provides the desire for moistening. However, despite their short, nearly pleasant, sunny days, the sun-lovers have to expect about 5 % of winter days to be difficult because of a southerly lower-atmospheric mass incursion, together with experiencing less than 45°C of the accumulated wind chill factor with maximum gusts.

4. Temperature Ranges Throughout the Year

The temperature in Agadir reflects a typical Mediterranean regime, with warm summers and mild winters, not very cold, and skin-drying humidity during the summer dry season. Rain days, which are very few during the summer, equalize the humidity, but for the rest of the year, which is in Agadir’s case 9 months during which rain is expected, humidity goes up to the maximum relative humidity (around 90% on average) level, i.e., or rather too often than not during the rainy season. Morphology, the green hillsides crowned with rocky mounts of the Siroua mountain ranges inland, surrounding the coastal plain, and maritime surroundings, the Atlantic Ocean tempering the heat and hiding the cold, are responsible for these effects. On average, daytime temperatures vary between 17 °C and 27 °C; nighttime temperatures vary between 9 °C and 18 °C register the lowest value in January. Notably, the months of December to March are essentially what the cold season is made of. Mild winter and harsh summer are mainly typical of the Cabo Blanco region, located further north on the Atlantic coast. In Agadir, temperature includes two temperature seasons: the cold, wet months (from December to March) and the warm, dry months (the rest of the year). Temperature in Agadir increases at the time of transition between the wet months and the dry months, peaks between July and September, and then drops during the two subsequent months, around October and November or thereabouts.

4.1. Average Temperatures in Spring

During spring, from March to May, the temperature gradually increases, accompanied by an increase in ocean water temperature. Indeed, beginning in March, the temperature rises above 14 °C for the first time since the autumn of the previous year, reaching 14.4 °C in March, then 15.6 °C in April, then 17.4 °C in May, before exceeding 18 °C the following month. The number of days when the temperature exceeds 22 °C and 23 °C is still quite low in spring, being 0, 0 and 1 for 22 °C and 0, 0 and 0 for 23 °C in March, April and May, respectively. However, the temperature sometimes briefly approaches 30 °C, with 29.4 °C recorded on 26 May; on that same day for the past years, the average temperature has been 25.7 °C. However, in general, the average temperatures of the hottest days in spring are quite mild for cities at the same latitude as Agadir that do not benefit from the sea: for example, many cities in Tunisia are approximately the same latitude or even a little higher, such as Madiana or Ras Tanura, but their mean maximum temperatures regularly exceed 30 °C in May. This is because during spring, in North Africa, the wind usually blows from North to South and is affected by the temperature of the ocean, which easily changes in June and allows summer temperatures that are higher in inland areas.

4.2. Average Temperatures in Summer

The summer season of Agadir’s climate generally comprises the months of June through September. The month in which the average temperature is highest is August, when the mean monthly temperature reaches 23.6 °C. With respect to average temperatures, Agadir is warmer in summer than the mean annual temperature would predict. Therefore, the average temperature is greater than the mean annual temperature at any latitude in summer. For comparison with other places, Agadir during August has an average temperature of 23.6 °C. This value is in the range of tropical temperature values. The hot months are July and August at 24.4 °C, and the mean minimum temperature during July and August is 17.3 °C.

The 23.6 °C average temperature in Agadir during August is not far below the 25.6 °C normal August temperature for locations in the Tropics, and even a larger drop can be seen in comparing Agadir with the offshore subtropical regions where the temperature is fairly constant through the year. However, the monthly average temperature drops to 19.6 °C in July, which is slightly less than the normal value for July given by the theoretical model, and it is lower than the normal value for locations in the Tropics. It is interesting to note that in July and August, the maritime effect is so strong that the daily maximum temperature for days with any clouds at all is lower than the average temperature for the month.

4.3. Average Temperatures in Autumn

After the hot summer months, the further increase in air temperature in September usually passes unnoticed. It is due to a great heat capacity of the North Atlantic. During autumn, air temperatures drop slowly. During daytime in October and November, air temperature usually exceeds 20 °C. By the end of November, the average daily air temperature is 16 °C, which is 8 °C higher than the period of acceptable thermal comfort. None of the autumn daytime or nighttime temperature means fell below the range of thermal convenience, hence, the autumn season is also, from this angle, adequately warm and reasonably dry. Expressed by months, autumn is the season of weather transition in Agadir area. During daytime in September air temperature is, on average, 23.8 °C; at night 17.3 °C. In October it reaches 24.3 °C and 19.8 °C, November 21.7 °C and 16.2 °C, respectively. The average diurnal ranges of temperature for these three months are 6.5 °C, 4.5 °C, and 5.5 °C. The average heat balance for autumn shows a negative value of −760 from a thermal equivalent of solar radiation, and −490 from the quantity of hot air brought in by atmospheric circulation. The first balance component is constantly negative during all months of this season whilst the solution falling towards the ground is not substantial nor have relatively great effect upon the heat balance. The hydrological balance shows the precipitation of about 60 mm formed by three rainy days; it is also negatively balanced during autumn and has a minimum in November.

4.4. Average Temperatures in Winter

In terms of winter temperatures, few months of the year might be more boring than January and February in Agadir, with minimum average temperatures near or below 10 °C, and maximum average temperatures almost always around 18 °C. Once the month of December has passed, there is not much day-to-day variability. The only noteworthy feature in terms of temperature is the usually sunny, warm and pleasant weather at the end of December and for a few days at the beginning of January. Accordingly, people on holidays in Agadir for Christmas and New Year find sunny and warm weather, wishing it would last more long. Young tourists at the beach bar some ten days after New Year’s Day were astonished by the sudden cool down – from 35° in Toronto to just 20° in Agadir hardly any day had passed since Christmas.

On an average, at the very end of December and first days of January, the warmest weather occurs in Agadir; on the other hand, weather is at its coolest between late January and late February. Among the three lower temperatures at night, all belong to January. I am sorry – the warmest day in Agadir is reached more than one year around average; more than three cool months in Agadir is an unwelcome surprise for tourists. Not wishing to lose them due to a decidedly pleasant December end, Agadir hosts the manufacturers and tour operators of the major countries sending tourists to Morocco. We do not know them; we only publish some reflections about the weather enjoyed by tourists who come to Agadir before January 17.

5. Precipitation Patterns

5.1. Rainfall Distribution Across Seasons

Generally, precipitation is low during summer, while the autumn and winter months are wetter, and a small peak can be seen in the spring. The driest month is July with usually less than 0.5 mm rainfall, while November is the wettest month, having an average of statistically 64.3 mm. On average, approximately 48.8% of yearly rainfall occurs from October to March, while hardly 3% from June to August. The ten wettest days per year generally collect approximately 80% of all precipitation. Precipitation falls mainly as rain, but some is in the form of snow; however, when snow falls, it rarely stays on the ground. Rain usually occurs with warm or occluded fronts of passing mid-latitude cyclones. These fronts can be triggers of rainfall from mid-autumn until mid-spring. Although the period from June to September is usually very dry, isolated thunderstorms can still occur. The moisture in these cases typically originates from the ocean. The average precipitation of Agadir is about 283.4 mm with a maximum of about 637 mm, recorded during the rainy season.

5.2. Impact of Rain on Local Climate

A very small and short exceedance of the mean value is observed in the case of summer temperatures with maximum values in August, as well as during mid-winter. Summer clouds usually dissipate during the late afternoon, making way for dry and sunny weather; however, even during summer, there can be three days when the rain streaks, caused by rising density currents at night, last until the early afternoon. Another interesting feature about precipitation and temperature at Agadir is the increase of single peaks of both precipitation and temperature. What at first was released as a paradox is quite easy to explain when we understand that lower maximum temperatures mean lower saturation vapour pressures. Rain drives ambient humidity down for a short period, resulting in an increase of roughness caused by cooling of the usually dry ground, as well as because of the drop size. Statistically, the city of Agadir is in dry between northern and southern Morocco.

5.1. Rainfall Distribution Across Seasons

Rainfall is the most important climatic variable. In our study area, the rainy months are the winter months, from November to March, with rainfall exceeding 95% during that period. Rainfall shows a single maximum period that extends from December to February, during which more than 70% of the annual average is concentrated. In May and October, the monthly precipitations are moderately rainy, with total amounts of about 15 to 30 mm; the rains are more varied than in winter, but still quite rare, representing less than 5% of the year. The frequency of rainy days is small outside winter, with annual averages of 1.7 days in June and July and 0.4 days in August. The periods in which the atmosphere is perfectly dry, between mid-June and early September, last for about three months. Rain is by no means excluded during that period, but the impenetrable air of the eastern part of the Azores anticyclone opposite Gibraltar and the mean continental heat are very unfavorable for that phenomenon. The evapo-transpiration of the Sahara during those months is maximal, and the soil is rarely subsidized by any atmospheric contribution, with the exception of occasional and partial rain. From early September to about mid-October, light rains occasionally fall; since the Gulf Stream continues to heat the waters of the Atlantic and especially the western Mediterranean, and the Azores anticyclone is then particularly vigorous against the Moroccan coast, the southwestern winds can be heated, considerably limiting their capacity for humidity.

5.2. Impact of Rain on Local Climate

Given its situation close to the sea, Agadir’s precipitation is subject to relatively moderated evapotranspiration, and hence, rainy days help sustain the levels of humidity in the air and soil for longer periods. Rain and snow is generally limited to the autumn, winter and spring months, falling frequently from the evening until the night, but rarely during summer nights. Rain rarely, if ever, freezes, and snow is quite uncommon at the town’s level. Rain precipitation changes the Surat Bay landscape frequency and gives it a various colors palette. In this near described climate, the vistas are beautiful from time to time when the clouds cover the valley surrounding the town, during the cold season, in which they are near or not far from the town. Compared with the big rainfall town in Europe or Middle East, Agadir has a low humidity compared. Air is less damp on average than the one in London. Anyway, it’s relative humidity stays above 50%, and gets a minimum of about 30% in July and August, and peaks at about 98% in January. Weather systems come from two main directions to the area of Agadir, either from the west carrying WNW oceanic fronts with considerable moisture, or Lows, especially in autumn and winter, or from the northeast, cold and dry, such as the trade winds. The pressure systems over which Agadir is placed cause several precipitation periods in different seasons and climate. At last, computer predictions of climate change suggest that secular trends of higher temperatures in all seasons, and especially in summer, could also be accompanied by more draughts and longer dry periods, and by a decrease of yearly and autumn-rainfall amounts, and especially of maximum amounts and number of rainy days, with probably not too considerable increase in heat waves and drought and fire intensity. Other simulations of the region, however, did announce few variations, along with a decrease of rainy days and increase of maximum intensity of rainy events.

6. Sunshine and Daylight Hours

Sunshine duration can be regarded as an important climatic factor because of its effects on processes such as heating, evaporation, and photosynthesis. In Agadir, sunshine averages 10 hours per day in mid-summer and only about 5 hours daily in the winter months of December and January. Sunshine duration is further helped by the scarcity of precipitation. From available data at Agadir-Al Massira Airport for the period 1985-1986, the average annual monthly cloudiness value is only about 40%. The minimum amount of cloudiness is during the period of summer of April to September, approximately 20%, accounting for only 1% of days during these months; while the maximum amount occurs during the winter period of November to March, about 56%, which represents 62% of days in these 5 months. Also, the airport data show that southerly, easterly, and also southwesterly winds have very low clouding amounts.

Seasonal sunshine duration presents a bimodal distribution. The first minimum is at the beginning of winter, with an average duration of 140 hours per month; the duration of December and January is only about 120 hours. The second minimum occurs at the end of winter and the beginning of spring, with an average sunshine duration of about 210 hours per month. The month of February is the cloudiest month with only 50% average of sunny days. The sunshine duration increases significantly between April and June, and reaches its maximum in July and August with averages of 328 and 347 hours per month, respectively.

During the winter, daylight duration varies between 09h29min, at the beginning of winter, and 09h55min, at their maximum extent in early winter. During summer, it varies from a maximum of 14h38min, in early summer, to a minimum of 14h07min, in late summer. This means that the increase in daytime length in summer is greater than the decrease in daytime length in winter. It also means that the variation in daily length has a minimum value of 50 seconds per day during mid February (around 15 February), and a maximum value of 1m24s per day close to the mid July (around July 12). In June, these rates increase to 60 seconds per day in the first week of June (around June 5), and decrease to 1m08s around June 17, the summer solstice.

6.1. Sunshine Duration by Season

Agadir receives an annual average of approximately 2900 h of bright sunshine. The brightest months are July and August, with an average of approximately 350 h, while December is the least sunny, with an average of around 145 h. The low sunshine duration during this month is probably due to the increased number of low-level marine clouds, which frequently lead to shallow fog and high relative humidity. The year’s fourth and last bright month is May, with a monthly average of approximately 315 h. Its bright weather is followed by a decrease in sunshine duration during the summer months of June and September, with amounts of around 300 h. These months have much foggy weather with high humidity levels, especially in September. Finally, less sunshine is observed in two transition periods, which are from February to April for the spring transition and from October to January for the autumn transition, each lasting 3 and 4 months, with an average of around 225 and 205 h, respectively. These transition periods are characterized by a slightly turbulent variation, with either dry or wet weather for a short period.

The seasonal distribution of bright sunshine is annually governed by the four seasons, with four bright months, which are April, August, and September during the summer and May during spring. In winter, the sky is grayer because of low marine cloud cover, which frequently prevents the incoming solar radiation from reaching the ground during daylight hours. The translucent fogs often observed during summer evenings or mornings rapidly revegetate to sunny clear skies with sharply increasing temperatures from late morning, leading to dry sunny days around early afternoon. The brightness of summer days is still often followed by less bright autumn days.

6.2. Daylight Variation Throughout the Year

Despite the regular variation in the sun’s zenith angle throughout the year and Agadir’s proximity to the Tropics, the seasonal amplitude of changing daylength is relatively small. Except for the six days around December 21, no daily change exceeds more than 40 minutes. In the period from June 1 to July 31, on the other hand, lagging daylength increases by 45 minutes. The effects of the Mediterranean climatic region on the solar position are also felt on daylength, but are of lesser importance. In the summer half of the year, this is the case for the subsequent months from the end of February to just before June 1. The July and August schedules show hardly any variation. Starting in September, the existing delays are becoming increasingly shorter. The best solar conditions and therefore the most ideal daylengths are found at the very beginning of the year around January 1; sunrise already arrives at 7.42 a.m. local mean time and local solar time is reached at noon 29 minutes later. As the angle of incidence grows, the morning light creeps earlier and earlier out of the valleys and up the mountains, thereby making the day last. Once again, the opposite occurs in H2. At the height of summer, when the sun is at its zenith over Agadir every day at noon, and even slightly fulfills the altitude criterion, the day is no longer spent in the valleys and the surrounding mountains.

7. Wind Patterns in Agadir

Wind—an essential meteorological phenomenon—has diverse impacts on the terrestrial environment. It plays a crucial role in various natural processes, whether physical or biological, including influencing floral patterns, sowing cultivation in agriculture, determining fishing conditions, and affecting air travel. In this study, wind rows are investigated at Agadir, because—like temperature and precipitation—they are important factors for the city’s tourism sector through making tourist places attractive or unattractive, and so for its economy. Thus, understanding wind leads to increase equity in risk exposure. A strong wind can adversely affect surface transport or trail, so it is essential to take into account for more efficient levee creation and design. Wind has its best influence in sailing, paragliding, surfing, sand play, and surfing activities when crossing weak and moderate classes. The considered parameters in the present study are total frequency, dry, dusty, rainy, and storm winds.

As Agadir is located at the Atlantic Ocean coast, the behavior of winds at this site is an influence of the Atlantic winds. The main objectives of this paper are to study the directory and strength of winds in Agadir in summer and winter, and their effect on transportation, travel, and tourism. The information on wind and its direction is collected from local meteorological data at Agadir airport. The study reveals that most of the wind flows at Agadir are traced from the Atlantic and the North, whereas in summer there is a southeast wind flow and a light intensity—then it rises in winter to a more intense flow. This paper builds the maps of these winds as something important for studying their seasonal variation. Indeed, every wind map is important in different fields of tourism.

7.1. Influence of Atlantic Winds

Just as one needs both cool and warm tones to create a work of art, Climate in Agadir is both the cold of the Wind and the heat of the Sun. Cool winds from the Atlantic bring balance to the warm climate of the region. If it were not for the evening cold, the Moroccan people from the North would have been tempted to conquer Agadir long ago. We shall first study the influence of wind on the region, and then focus on the so-called microclimate of Agadir City, where the Suns warmth predominates over Wind. The study is based on meteorological data from Agadir Al Massira Airport for the period 6/1/1980 to 3/31/1988.

The climate of the area is characterized by the smooth oscillation of the seasonal wind direction: In summer, the wind blows almost exclusively from the West, while in winter, it blows from all directions. The climate of the region is under the influence of two main winds: The East Trade Wind and the West Wind, while others determined the Hot East Trade Wind as the dominant one. The predominance of the East Wind would explain the outstanding desertification of the ecosystems of the South-Western regions of Morocco when compared to the North. It is worth noting that the name “Les Alizes” (Trade Winds) used in Morocco refers to the heat experienced in summer inside the country while the wind blows cool in the mountains and on the coast. It is in this sense that these winds are a natural heating and cooling system.

7.2. Seasonal Wind Variations

The close proximity of the Atlas Mountains, the Bassin D’Agadir, and the southernmost slopes of the Gerouan oued creates a local thermoregime whose monthly variations obviously have a strong influence on seasonal wind variations. Thus, the two summer months show a temporal window of about 10 days with extreme winds. After this period, the thermal wind system from north to east ceases to be predominant. The months of June and July, in which a marine air mass prevails in the Atlantic Ocean, are probably also characterized by strong thermal gradients between the sea surface and the ground of the minor slopes of the littoral. The dromedary in August is likely due to the winding of the sea breezes along the open beaches of the littoral. The second local maximum of winds in fall months is related to the moderate establishment of the eurasian high and the general dust service of hydraulic work at the meanders of the Bouregreg River.

Wind strength shows seasonal variations that overprints inter-annual and diurnal variability. In the upper part, we see the seasonal variation of wind strength which corresponds to the seasonal contrasts of synoptical situation. At the local scale, strong winds, more frequent in April and November, are also observed in July and August, while in March and October the skeletons of wind events of 6 h can reach 2 m.s-1 on average. Events of winds of 2.5 m.s-1 on average are also observed in winter months in Southern Morocco and in lower Baraka, low slope of Agadir.

8. Sea Temperature Insights

The sea temperature in Agadir is representative of the regular annual trends in the nearby ocean. Thus, there are variations for average temperature across seasons, with January featuring the coldest conditions for the region with 17 °C. Then, the temperatures rise in the spring and soon reach interesting levels for swimming in the summer. The water is warmer in July, August and September (21.5 °C), but by October, the temperature drops again. As a result, there is a season with cool waters (December to March), one of warm waters (June to October) and one of average waters (April, May, November). With the above mentioned average temperatures, we can say that the swimming season is relatively extended, that is, from June to October. In fact, at this time, comfortable temperatures prevail in the ocean in which the act of swimming is carried out. The average sea temperature of 21.5 °C is pleasant for swimming in the sea, which is the most common activity in the area.

From December to March, the waters are cooler, so only the most daring tourists would venture into the water and perform swimming activities. Most of the visitors at that time would prefer to enjoy the stay with other activities and only perform swimming in the hot days of March. In fact, in late winter, early spring, it could be said that the water temperature is borderline for bathing, as several hikers, tourists, locals sweaty and tired, bathe, while a few others huddled on the beach or have a mild heat stroke after taking a swim. Therefore, it could be argued that the sea of Agadir is mostly cold for swimming and the most daring adventurers who want to cool off would enter to perform this act.

8.1. Average Sea Temperatures by Season

Coastal temperatures do not have the dramatic seasonality of inland temperatures, so winter time in the water is actually not that much colder than summertime. What is more, although the average temperature of the sea is lower in the winter months than in the summer, it is still cool enough to preclude swimming without a wetsuit. The period of time during which average sea temperatures are high enough to permit swimming without the protection of a wetsuit is quite short at Agadir, a mere one or two months in early summer. The average for the month of July is 19.4 °C, the average for August is 19.7 °C, and the average for September is 19.4 °C. Swimming is possible, but fairly cool, during the second time period, from the end of March until the end of May. During that time, the temperature rises from an average of about 16.6 °C in March to about 18.4 °C in May. On the other hand, without a wetsuit, swimming is unpleasant or outright imprudent for the remaining portion of the year. But during the coldest months, from late September until early March, the near-coastal water is too cold to swim, reaching an average temperature of 16.5 °C in January. February is the second coldest month, with a temperature of 16.8 °C. The average temperature rises to 18.3 °C in late March. The remaining months, April, May and June, lead to a spring which is initially cool, with temperatures of 17.0 °C in April and 17.9 °C in May, but which warms up considerably in June, with a temperature of 19.0 °C.

8.2. Swimming Conditions Throughout the Year

The swimming conditions depend not only on the sea temperature but also on air temperature and wind force. In winter, from early December to late February, swimming conditions are not only de facto but also de jure closed, as perceived by the local population. In spring, water temperature increases, rising towards the lower limit for swimming use in March or April. The informal bathing period is in May and autumn in October and part of November, when the air is warmer and the number of calm winds increases. These months are characterized by a strong inter-annual variability of the associations of air and water temperature and wind, so that swimming conditions can be either pleasant, acceptable, or not advised until August and already favorable in September. Summer is the only season where swimming is accumulated on relatively stable thermal conditions.

The thermal conditions for swimming in the Agadir area vary during the year and among the seasons, showing a high inter-annual variability and large daily amplitudes, influenced by the oceanography regime, but limited by the local atmospheric circulation. In summer, the trade wind gently arrives at the coast. The air temperature ceaselessly increases until it is 12 °C higher than the sea. Debasement of relative humidity makes summer unpleasant while autumn is comfortable. In autumn, the de-sync of air and sea temperature peaks when the temperature difference is a maximum. The transition from summer to autumn is gradual. The relative humidity elevates up to a dynamic equilibrium reached by mid-December, maintaining stable values throughout winter and increasing until summer begins again. Winter is fully comfortable as year after year the air is colder than the sea and the sky is sunny.

9. Travel Tips for Visitors

While there are few things worse than unpacking again after arriving in a contrasting climate, the following list suggests items to pack or plan to buy while in Agadir for your visit. It is a good idea to pack beach wear, sunblockers (minimum 15 SPF), sunglasses, and sunhat(s) for beachgoing from May through September. A light sweater or light jacket is recommended for evenings, while not essential, October and April visitors will discover chilly nights but warm days that may require a medium-weight sweater or jacket. If you enjoy cooler weather, a few mid-weight clothes should suffice for your visit from November through March and be handy for the evenings. Around 10% of the annual rainfall in Agadir is during October to March, much of it occurring in December and February. Throughout the remainder of the year, including all of Northern Morocco, specific summer shower predictions are non-existent, and planning your visit during the northern summer months of July to September to assure maximum probability of warm sunny weather is advisable, as long days of sunshine and often cloudless skies are normal. Beach sports or outdoor sports in the sun, however, require early morning or late afternoon timing as daytime high temperatures during the summer months run around 30° or above while nighttime/early morning low temperatures hover around 20°. Moreover, especially crowded conditions exist from mid-July through August near Assaka Beach, as do cooler winds.

9.1. Essential Packing Suggestions

The present study has been energized from tacit knowledge or predictions of inhabitants of the Agadir inputs provided. Inhabitants and long staying as well as business players of Agadir see two climatic shapes or periods. From winter to spring, the weather is generally temperate, mild, severe, humid for few intermittent days and sometimes warm. The summer, late summer and fall are hot, dry and humus. A very rare summer deviation animates itself for three days once every five years, where the maximum temperature reaches 41° at the very beginning, middle or end of June or July. During the five day phenomenon, where the temperature reached 42° at midday, followed us at the very end of May. During the winter raining period, humidity of the various bodies or parts of the body is not well supported.

Therefore inhabitants; advanced vacationers and tourists need to possess various types of clothes, according to weather pages or temperatures which may be required. What to put in one’s suitcase? We usually travel with clothes appropriate for summer in Agadir. Thus, our tourist and vacation strategies appear erroneous, as confirmed by the application of the principal component analysis. To prevent any false equipment behavior, humorous strikes of horses for coats and sun shields desire advice on the various studies. As we can wear T-shirt pants and sandals during the day, it is refreshing, especially at the start of the day and night, and freshly chilly at the end of the day, to dress in long pants and a long-sleeve shirt, or better yet, and a jacket or coat are required.

9.2. Best Times for Outdoor Activities

In terms of sea and air temperatures and wind force, the summer months are better suited for swimming than the months of June and September, since the nominal sea surface and air temperatures in September are lower than in July and August. However, as all shallow marine areas are heated in summer, swimming in the shallows of the bay during June and September months is without any risk.

In terms of the local balneological summer, the best time for swimming in the open sea at Agadir is from mid-July to mid-September. Swimming in the open sea and balneological summer conditions commence in mid-July, when the average monthly sea temperature reaches the limiting value of +21.5 °C, despite a high frequency of low sea temperatures. Outside the stated period, swimming is possible only in the available marine areas heated during the summer months. Moreover, the sea temperature is above +23 °C during the period from mid-July to mid-August.

In terms of the duration and positive influx of solar radiation, the amount of cloudiness, precipitation, and relative air and soil humidity, the period from mid-June to the end of September is favourable for outdoor activities. The beginning of May and the beginning of October can be used for excursions without any risk. In May, excursions should take place after midday. In terms of the air temperature, from the beginning of May to the end of June, and from the end of September to the middle of October, excursions outside the town should be allowed only on very warm days. During the stated periods, excursions should take place in the morning and last until midday. This is necessary in May, since the afternoon temperatures can be too high in early summer. In autumn, the same is valid if air temperatures are still very high in daytime. In terms of wind patterns, from the beginning of September to the end of the year, outdoor and seaside activities, including swimming, are usually interrupted due to the east-southeast wind blowing at beach fronts.

Weather-Based Activity Suggestions in Agadir

In ports, some information is needed to assess how shipboard operations may be affected and what steps should be taken to reduce the possibility of injury to workers. In order to assist researchers in assessing port weather conditions, weather offices have been developing by various methods sets of published criteria for use to decide whether or not work should proceed outside or whether it should be halted temporarily. The use of such criteria is commendable indeed.

Previous work shows that there are a variety of potential criteria suitable for testing different weather activities. It is found that in addition to the sometimes enumerated potential bioclimatic indicators or indices, that different combinations of conventional weather elements, particularly temperature, humidity, windspeed and, to a lesser extent, cloud cover, will produce values generally indicating when certain outdoor activities would be acceptable or desirable.

Outdoor workers and sailors have their outdoor weather activity desires affected by hemispherical wind and beam directions and magnitude, as well as by seasonal and time-of-day values of creating other weather conditions. The effect of wind for any weather activity category depends and changes with relative humidity, sunlight angle induced effects of solar and infrared radiation hence, temperature, and the other weather parameters. Ways to ameliorate use of variable weather activity variables include employing uniforms or modified slit controls, or employing controls on tasks scheduled in adding protection from and adjusting for the weather variables are other ways of improving such events.

☀️ On Warm Sunny Days (Spring–Fall):

Beach time: Relax at Agadir Beach or Taghazout.

The boulevard that runs along the beachfront is the heart of Agadir. Searching for beach time? You can do that all year round at Agadir Beach, where the Atlantic Ocean licks sand as soft as sugar, which reaches up into the Atlas Mountains. Among Morocco’s most prized tourist destinations, every inch of this massive labor of love is used (for good; for bad). Hotels, restaurants, parasols and deck chairs line the shore. Agadir weather is sealed in a quasi-perpetual sunshine, offering beach vacations without much risk of rain. The promenade is always abuzz with people, like ants in a hill. To say the least, the beach draws visitors from all over since there are so many things you can do, including walking along the promenade, watching the waves and the surfers, eating a whole plat of sardines, sunbathing, pigging out on ice cream and fast food, and skating or biking around, as the boulevard is a closed circuit.

But if all this is too touristy for your taste, you can get an escape at Taghazout Beach. Taghazout is a small fishing village north of Agadir, and the mainstay point for surfing. Behind the wholesome seafood cafes, the beaches are lined with surfers riding the crippled seasons. However, if you’re a rookie and wish to catch a wave, during the summer months, the Atlantic peels off fatter waves at Banana Beach or Check Point, both to the south, where novice surfers take surfing courses. While other lovers of the good life are at one of the fancy beach resorts, you can chill out and guzzle a drink drenched in the mellow light that makes Moroccan sunsets famous. The restaurants serve good berber cookings, mainly consisting of gigantic platters of grilled fish, just cooked, and if you’re not picky about hotels, Taghazout is cheap.

Water sports: Surfing, kitesurfing, jet skiing (Taghazout & Tamraght).

Water sports: Surfing, kitesurfing, jet skiing.

Agadir is the hotspot for water sports in Morocco. The beach with waves is mostly windless in the summer, making it suitable for jet-skiing, parasailing, and boat trips. The surfing near Agadir is at Taghazout, the commercial capital of Moroccan surfing and kitesurfing in Tamraght, a village 4 km north of Agadir. Taghazout has become increasingly commercial. Big investment has transformed it from a sleepy little fishing village into an orange and white oasis, with surf shops on every corner. Tamraght is quieter, with a mainly Moroccan clientele.

Taghazout owns the best surf spots, starting with Panorama 50 km up the coast. It’s said to be the longest wave in Morocco, and a hidden gem on your left. From 10 am to 2 pm, it’s a leftie restaurant where you’ll often find it solo and the food is great. Back to Taghazout, we are in the middle of the surf region. North of Taghazout, up to 10 km, there’s Killer Point; and South of Taghazout, back to the beach, there’s Crocrousses, La Source, Hash Point, The Point, Draculas, Sunset, and more.

In short, and every evening, there’s a sunset. Local surfers love to enjoy “the long sunset” is between 6 and 8 pm. Then before heading to one of the many chill out coffee offerings of Taghazout, there’s the after surfer shower at the beach. A fast shower, before heading back to Agadir. The jet-ski excursion is also at the city beach, near Marina Agadir. But if you are with a group of people, don’t hesitate to ask at the reception for a price discount.

Promenade walks: Enjoy the 5km coastal promenade.

Walking on a promenade by the seas is relaxing. The fresh heavy breeze has a reassuring power. At sunrise or sunset, when the sky turns red in the horizon, the charm of the sea is magic. The coastal promenade offers unique moments in day-long walks. Palms, flowers, kids playing, guys fishing, families having a picnic, all at the edge of the beach. It is a good idea to start the walk when there is little light. The glowing eyes of the seagulls, pecking around for breakfast, will accompany you all the way along the promenade.

On one side of the promenade, you have the peaceful beach. Soft amber-colored sand stretched for 9 km, sparsely decorated with surfers and kitesurfers. On the other side, several restaurants, coffee bars, and shops for all tastes and budgets. You can enjoy a delicious mint tea or coffee or watch the waves wash the beach in one of them. The promenade is 5 km long. Most of the distance offers a paradisiac view over the beach, the sea, the island, the fishing port, and the purpose-built village.

If you walk down to the promenade in the morning, you may discover fishermen by the port’s side disposing of their long day’s work. You may also meet the beach clean-up team who, during the night, has worked hard to ensure that the beach is immaculate for people to enjoy during the day. The women of the fishing port village, supporting heavy different colored clay jars on their heads and swaying their hips, walking up the hills on both sides of the bay to get fresh water, is a unique view. You may also wonder at seeing near the coast dolphins at play. More than everything else, the sunsets at the horizon are wonderful. The colors are so vivid. And the view over the hills and villages beyond the bay, and at the edge of the beach, is so moving.

Sunset views: Catch the sunset from the Kasbah (Oufella Ruins).

The Kasbah was built in the mid-1500s on a hill overlooking the harbor to protect the Sultan’s city from marauding pirates. Today it is only in moderate condition, but a decent little hike (and impressive photos of the city along the way) will reward you with spectacular sunset views of Agadir. The Kasbah was totally destroyed in the 1960s earthquake, and the only area of the site from which you can take a picture of the present-day Agadir is from the steep hill above the beach. A large picture of the Kasbah taken 60 years ago replaces the view. To go up to the Kasbah, take a taxi or walk to the base of the hill. Local residents do not appreciate tourists scaling the hill from the beach but it must be noted that other people do it anyway. Try to plan your visit in the late afternoon or early evening, and bring a drink and snack to pass the time while waiting for the sunset. You will not be disappointed, as the view of Agadir and beyond is simply breathtaking. If you’re in the Kasbah around sunset, kindly encourage the Muslim men who pray to do their thing early or late in the hour and allow you to grab a photo or two of the sunset view with little or no obstruction. Also make sure you use the closing time sign at the Kasbah gate to remind guards about the time. It can be difficult explaining to them that you simply want another half hour to catch the sunset from the best location in Agadir with the best view of Agadir and beyond. The town has a couple of points where you can go for local seafood without paying the oceanview restaurant prices along the promenade. However, these unpretentious little fish joints’ big draws are the local Moroccan clientele.

🌬️ On Windy Afternoons:

Try windsurfing or paragliding.

In high wind season, you might see a long line of colorful sails in the water. Windsurfing is popular around Agadir, so you can definitely find schools and rental services. The most arranged center is in Tamraght, but is not a surf capital. There are various centers that rent all water sports equipment. The most trusted school and rental service is based at the sandy hotel beach. If you want to learn in a relaxed atmosphere, some schools offer lessons with a ratio of only two students per instructor. From June to September, you hardly can windsurf without sharing the beach and the short breaks with several learners. The season lasts all year round if you are already a pro, or if you want to be one. Others like a little bit of sun, a little bit of sand, and of windy summer days. All windsurfing spots are onshore with small waves. You can launch at low tide everywhere and still have shallow water for a few hundred meters. It gets deeper during the day when the tide comes up, but with almost no waves it stays shallow enough for a long time. The wind is side-onshore during the day, but comes in on two directions.

For professional paragliders, the region has perfect weather conditions from late May to early August. Along the Atlantic coast, you will find many paragliding schools offering tandem flights, amongst others at the big beach and in the Anti-Atlas Mountains. The other months are not suitable due to the weather conditions, but there are often several tandem flights in February and March, as long as they are thermic because of the sun heating the valley. The flights are short but nice. The best weather is from late May to the beginning of July, and from the end of August to mid-September.

Visit indoor spots like Souk El Had or the Amazigh Heritage Museum.

Visit indoor spots like Souk El Had or the Amazigh Heritage Museum.

Even if the climate is warm and sunny, if you’re feeling a little tired from your travels, consider visiting one of Agadir’s indoor attractions. The most famous of these is also the busiest, Souk El Had. This large souk is the place to shop, especially for handicrafts. You’ll find displays of rugs, ceramics, leather goods, jewelry, and much more. It’s also a great place for a meal, with an entire section dedicated to fresh produce, olives, and other local specialties, where the vendors’ signs are written in French. If you want Moroccan takeaway, you’ll find a deli section with plenty of prepared dishes. Restaurants serving fresh fish are very popular at the souk. The first time we went, we both ordered a grilled white fish and it was quite good, but a little bland.

If you want to discover more about Berber culture in Morocco, a must-see museum is the Amazigh Heritage Museum. The goal of the museum is to share Amaziɣ history and culture with visitors. The collection features clothes, jewelry, pottery, carpets, and other objects, all displayed in a simple but immersive setting. Moroccan cities often seem to hide their Berber history behind electrified walls, but here you’ll find pieces from different Amazigh regions, from the Middle Atlas to the Sahara. You’ll learn about traditional Berber life, Berber symbols, and gemstones in Berber culture. As a bonus, you can check out the shop featuring carved wooden souvenirs; even the window display is worth a visit.

☁️ On Cooler or Cloudy Days (Winter or Evenings):

Take a day trip to Paradise Valley (lush canyon, 45 min away).

Take a day trip to Paradise Valley. If you feel like some natural adventure, you can always take a trip to Paradise Valley. Situated about 45 minutes east of Agadir nestled in steps of the Anti Atlas Mountains, Paradise Valley is a green palm oasis area that is famous with Moroccans as a getaway during the summer, especially the warm weekends. As the name indicates, Paradise Valley is an incredible valley filled with olive trees and dotted with high limestone cliffs, swimming holes, and natural pools. The best time to enjoy Paradise Valley waterfalls is known to be in the spring as a consequence of snow melting.

Accessing Paradise Valley from Agadir is either done through a guided tour, collective taxi, renting a car or other means of public transportation. A day trip will allow you to enjoy the palm oasis of the valley, hike and meet with where to swim and chill before heading back to Agadir by the end of the day. Paradise Valley is also famous for the stops. So, if you have by any chance decided to spend more than a day exploring the magic of the valley, you can camp and spend the night in the valley to top the adventure.

The area is also known for its traditional Berber hospitality, will offer local food, tourist shops, sightseeing and some of the prettiest natural sceneries. Excursions often include lunch in Moroccan style, where the food is prepared by the families you are visiting. There are many caves in the area some of which are known to be religious and are famous with their pilgrimage. Climb to the top of the cliffs, if you’re adventurous enough, you will find caves, believed to be food storage caves, built by the Berber tribes. Stroll around, be cautious of the animals and drink a lot of water while discovering the area and enjoy its natural beauty.

Enjoy Moroccan hammam and spa treatments.

To experience Morocco to the fullest, it is not only important to enjoy the food, culture, architecture, and other vivid experiences. Relaxing is also a necessity, and there is no better place to do this than in hammams or spas. Hammams are an integral part of Moroccan culture, as they are places not only for washing, scrubbing, and cleansing the body, but also for socializing and relaxation. Spa treatments were mostly adopted from Europe and are more luxurious than local spas. Most hotels and riads are equipped with spas which offer a range of services. Still the authentic experience should be done in a hammam and Moroccan hammam.

A hammam is essentially a steam room with marble tables where guests are washed and scrubbed. The majority of hammams are public. Females visit the hammam during the day and males usually come after the evening. An appointment is not required. You just need to drop in and wait in line until a table is available. Inside the hammam, you’ll see a bunch of washed and scrubbed people relaxing on the tables, while the attendants wash, scrub, and rinse the others, who are lying next to them.

In larger towns, you will see more “touristy” hammams that use soap. They will charge you to wash and scrub you yourself; the entire experience could take between 30 minutes and 1 hour. There’re many smaller, local hammams. They have two rooms — the main area with steam, hot water, and marble tables, and the washing rooms that are equipped with showers.

Going to a public hammam can be a bit daunting. Luckily, many hotels, riads, hostels, and health centers in Morocco offer private hammams as part of their services. Here you can relax steam to your heart’s content — and many also offer full-body treatments in comfort and privacy.

Sample local cuisine: Try tagine, seafood, and amlou.

Tagine is a famous Moroccan dish made of meat, vegetables, spices, and dried fruits. It has a delicious flavor, is usually very tender, and is cooked slowly. It is served with bread in a tagine-shaped clay dish. In Agadir, local specialties offer red meat, chicken, or fish. If you want to eat a chicken tagine, do not expect it to be made with chicken fillet. You will rather find it made with a whole chicken, served with the bones. For seafood lovers, Agadir is a great place, as it has a beautiful port and many fishermen. You will also find sardines everywhere, unmissable in this town.

Seafood is mainly fresh fish served grilled or in a tagine dish, as well as prawn and squid brochettes. Fish served grilled is usually accompanied with spicy green sauce, chopped onions, and a little bit of salt. Be sure to try brochettes of small sardines, grilled on charcoal and served in a paper cone. Argan oil is an ingredient originating in the Souss region and used in cosmetics, food, and medicine. The almost dried nuts of argan are crushed and the crude oil extracted is used to dip bread in or to pour over salads. In Berber culture, this culinary tradition is typically present in the Tiznit and Taroudant regions.

You may also find sweet amlou while visiting Agadir. Amlou is a local specialty made with argan oil, crushed almonds, and honey. This cream is similar to the Italian gianduja and is served with Moroccan bread. As Agadir is a popular destination for international tourists, do not be surprised to find various restaurants offering different cuisines around the town. From Moroccan, Italian, Chinese, or French cuisine to sushi burgers or what special creation from a fusion-style restaurant.

📍 Recommended Experiences in Agadir (by Season)

📍 Recommended Experiences in Agadir (by Season)

Choosing the best time to visit Agadir depends on the activities you want to do during your stay. Regardless of the season, several tours and activities take place almost every day, but not all of them are worth the cost during summer. The best recommendation is to visit Agadir during low season when the weather is pleasant and enjoy everything that usually involves cost in high season without high prices and a large crowd.

Discover the souk in the old town: Agadir was almost completely reconstructed after the earthquake in 1960, but the south of the promenade hides some old houses. For pretty handicrafts and silver jewelry from the region, visit the souk of the old town and purchase amlou and argan oil.

Hang out a little longer: If you want to be on the safe side during Ramadan, it’s better not to visit Morocco in Ramadan. It creates a strange relationship in daily life where the locals refuse to eat and drink in the company of tourists. The Muslims avoid contact with “eaters and drinkers”. For the late afternoon at the café on the boulevard or beach, where the terraces are now filled with Muslims, it’s a nice time. The waiters check very diligently if no one is eating or drinking before the breaking of fasting. It’s very nice to break the fast with the locals at sunset and to see the joy of the event. Restaurants are also opened, but many Muslims still prefer to eat at home with their family. Tagine here, tajine there, tajine everywhere – why? Because tagine is the Moroccan national dish and you can’t resist the varied delicacies cooked in it. Of course, tajines are served in all restaurants, but why not trying the specialty in the city famous for its seafood? You can go to a local restaurant for a special tuna tagine.

🔆 Spring (March–May):

Palm-lined hikes in Paradise Valley

Around 40 – 45 minutes north of Agadir, in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, is the delightful Paradise Valley. Its name is not unfounded; this river valley is home to lush palm trees, blooming wildflowers, mountains full of Argan trees, as well as several natural pools – and it can be cleverly combined with a visit to the Taroudant or with a trip from Agadir towards the North. The most beautiful hikes in Paradise Valley lead you through palm trees and naturally shaped rock formations, passed by traditional stone buildings and small mountain villages, and usually finish at the valley’s lovely natural pool which is embedded in spectacular rock formations and looks like a large blue gem between the brown and gray of the rocks. It’s a great place to take a refreshing dip, and the hike along the rushing river usually makes it even more enjoyable. Ponies and donkeys have made a living in the area for centuries – several trekking tours lead along the ancient donkey paths and are a great way to experience local life up close and explore the area.

Various palm-lined natural pools in the Paradise Valley compete for the title of the most beautiful one. The best and biggest are accessible by a short hike from the ‘main road’ leading through Paradise Valley. There isn’t exactly a shortage of signpostings, so no need to worry about finding the right path. Legend has it that this special type of palm tree just suddenly appeared in the valley one day. Others would claim they are native to enormous areas of the area and were then brought into Paradise Valley. However, they ended up here and whether they are the lucky first palm trees of the genre or not – the palm trees in Paradise Valley announce a beautiful valley. You feel as if someone had colored a postcard with green, purple, blue and brown. The only thing missing were huge Arabian horses feeding on the colorful meadows, grazing in front of a perfect rock formation.

Sunset camel rides on the beach

Agadir is mainly a seaside resort, although it is also a University Town and Administrative Center. The city offers a wide choice of tourist activities, whether in the summer period or in the mid-season, thanks to its favorable climate. The city is an ideal base for excursions or walks throughout the region. In fact, Agadir is also known for the beauty of its beaches and its pleasant environment. The ride along the beach during sunset on the back of one of these animals is a joyful moment for those who love to observe nature. Seagulls file past amidst myriad reflections giving the bay a special brightness and charm. Passersby stop and stare at the caravan moving on the fluff. Children run along the companions embarrassed by the laughter of others.

Camel rides in the summertime are also pretty fun. At sunset, weathered blue, pastel reflections, and the tired but happy-looking kids reclining on the back of the sweaty camel make a good photo subject. It is a very special experience to ride along the beach and watch the sun sinking down in the sea in a blaze of color. Depending on the ride length you choose there may be whole minutes of silence. The walk on soft sand is soothing and your horse will keep the same pace with the others. As the parade wades deeper into the beach, some kids are getting more intelligent, asking for a little hug or an ice cream cocktail at the tide bar. Thus you figure out that they are stuck in the back of the organizers’ camel, so excited they simply stopped looking around. After a short time, the caravan will stop for a few minutes to allow the little child to fully enjoy his or her special high ride.

🏖️ Summer (June–August):

Early morning surfing lessons

No trip to Agadir is complete without taking a surfing lesson. Sharing that thrill of standing up on a wave, or simply remembering the fun of paddling about like a complete kook, is what makes surfing such a great world sport. The beaches along Agadir are particularly suited to first timers and offer various surf schools where you can book a lesson. Facilities, particularly safety and equipment, are of good international standard; often they can be better because of what may be considered extravagant investment. At the time of writing, lessons including equipment cost around MAD 300. Various courses are offered with full or half-day lessons suited to your experience. In general, it is possible to learn to stand up on a board almost immediately in the calm water on the mouth of the river.

The most effective way to spend the morning is by taking one of the early morning surfing lessons. Not only does this avoid the busy life of the day, but also you are very likely to surf in a zen atmosphere of peace. Waves are the most consistent in the morning. If you get there in winter, you can still encounter some good sessions, and the ocean will be way colder than outside; so it is better to be moving around. Surfing for real in Agadir is an experience difficult to explain, especially when compared to other Moroccan towns. You will notice you are in blessed weather because in winter, you will be in the water with a thick wetsuit, while back on shore, surfers are in their shorts. Remember you really have to work on your paddling to withstand the chill atmosphere until you reach the line-up. Quite often, if you do not mind the pushy locals, they will respect you – indeed, one is generally friendly, waiting to guide you.

Beach yoga in Tamraght

Tamraght, nearby Agadir is becoming a favorite location for yoga holidays. Many guesthouses and similar small places are offering yoga specific packages and courses, available during all the year. It’s a special thing to get up early and do yoga on the beach while the sunrise. You relax by the sound of the soft waves and enjoy a magnificent view. Need we say more? Beach yoga in Tamraght: The best time for beach yoga classes in Tamraght is, charmingly enough, at sunrise. The sun creeps over the horizon while the class starts, the waves are lapping and it isn’t too hot. That’s what most Tamraght sunrise yoga classes would look like. An extraordinary location, but with the right energy in the students, it can become even better. What can be more relaxing than yoga on the beach? You breathe in the aroma of the salty water and the exotic flowers planted along the beach. Train with your friends or partner, with your family or be challenged and motivated by other like-minded strangers. And when the class ends, you can chill out for a little while, enveloped in a soft towel, enjoying the view of the little red boats drifting in the small marina, of surfers and stand up paddlers in the small Tamraght surf, of the sandy beach with some unwired sunbathers. Feeling hungry? On the way from the beach, you can refill your empty tummy at one of the corner little cafés offering good breakfast, but also a big variety of food later during the day. Well-fed and full of new energy you can either take a relaxing walk along the beach towards Agadir or go swimming or surfing in the lovely Tamraght water. However, don’t forget to come back at sunset for a drink with an extraordinary view on the shore!

🍂 Autumn (Sept–Nov):

Coastal horseback riding

There is no better way to experience the beauty and serenity of the long stretch of colorful Atlantic surf, and the bizarre coastal cliffs dotted with the famous Argan trees, than on horseback. Horseback riding, besides providing you with a great feeling of freedom, also gives you the opportunity to discover remote places or new places off the beaten path. Horseback riding at sunset is even more spectacular; you will discover a myriad of colors as the sun sinks in the ocean. You will be riding along the edge of the surf, and have the chance to enjoy the beauty of the surrounding natural landscape.

Agadir is the famous and important beach resort of Morocco. Located at the head of an excellent bay, protected by mountains from the storms of the interior during the winter, it has the finest beach in Morocco, a wide expanse of powdery white sand dotted and flanked by fine hotels and beach facilities. The attractions of Agadir itself last only two or three days; its beaches and local amusements, however, are enough to keep the visitor occupied for weeks. From Agadir, there are many fascinating excursions to places in the surrounding countryside or on the southern or northern coasts.

Sandy beaches and Atlantic create on the southern coast of Morocco, near Agadir, a stunning scenery; the immensity of the ocean, the sheer cliffs, the immobile weight of the dunes, the lacy foam patterns on the sands of the beaches embellished by brilliant colors at sunset time. That is exactly the ride we propose. Swimming in a pristine and isolated beach, assisted by an expert monitor. All horses have been carefully selected for a “sea” ride. Quiet horses but in great shape to enjoy swimming in the ocean before returning. Riding along the surf line is amazing.

Market shopping and cooking classes

Cooking in a foreign country can be a real thrill, and cooking classes in Agadir will provide you with an experience that you will pull out in stories for years to come. What is more, most of the classes offered will include a great deal of flexibility, and allow you to choose the time and specific dish or range of dishes that you would like to take part in. Experiment with the many varieties of spices that make Moroccan cuisine famous wherever it is enjoyed. Purchase your spices from the market, but be sure to pay close attention to the colors and aromas, the best spices are those that are new and have not been sitting around for a while losing their intensity. Explore one of the gastronomical specialties of Agadir with a set of cooking courses dedicated to the art of preparing fish recapturing the fame of Agadir for its fish and seafood. But, if you are taking a refrigerator full of fresh fruits, vegetables, and spices back to your hotel, you won’t be able to cook too much. You have to prepare delicious meals while on vacation, or invent taking-out around Agadir in a mini-moto! But let one of the cooking schools take care of everything, perhaps while you attend one of the cooking classes, preparing typical Moroccan dishes will fill your days. You can select the amount of time you want to dedicate to these cooking classes, from a single day to a complete week, or anything in between. With just a few students in one of the schools, you’ll receive a lot of individual attention while you learn how to make traditional Moroccan specialties like harira soup, savory meat and vegetable couscous, tajines, and sweets like pastilla or mhancha, along with other dishes. Most of the cooking schools will take you to the market with them, while explaining how to choose the ingredients and spices used in Moroccan cooking before going back to the kitchen, or one of our kitchens, and spending the day cooking.

🌿 Winter (Dec–Feb):

Day trips to Taroudant or the Atlas foothills

While the Agadir area holds its own treasure of interesting sites, the attractions increase exponentially should you take parallel tours into the set of towns in the north: Essaouira, Sidi M’Issar, Tanane; or tributary tours into/around the underdeveloped areas of youth nature: the High Atlas or Whale Bay, just to name a few. The most convenient day trip option is the excursion to Taroudant. Inhabiting the same pattern of a walled city as its elder brother Marrakech, Taroudant offers the same ambience in a quite cheaper and relaxed way. The square has gardens, souks, a Kasbah, and the Todra Valley not too far away. To be fair, Agadir’s attraction is more linked to beaches and outdoor adventures. The second excursion option is the discovery of the Atlas foothills, their extraordinary relief, and the Berber villages clustering to their base. It’s not a coincidence if a lot of mountain bikers have made Agadir their homeland. The area is a paradise for mountain biking and hiking. You can go into small group excursions to the vicinity of Agadir, but the apparition of a daylight is only short-term, and no chance of discovering a surround so diversified. When you walk on the beach, you may sometimes see quite a few people exploring the fresh inside, but they don’t last long. To take full advantage of the natural wealth and the contrasting colour set, you have to feel into the surrounding areas. Leaving the streets of the town brings you 10 minutes too hard effort, and you melt into settings at three-dimensional scales. It’s just an invitation to discover the gentle shapes of mountain bikers and first-timer hikers.

Cultural excursions with mild temperatures

Cultural excursions with mild temperatures

Early in the morning of winter days, at around 8 o’clock, the air is fresh, a little windy, and if you are outdoors, you feel the need for a jacket or a coat. At 10 a.m., however, the small chill is replaced by a pleasant temperature of more than 15 degrees. Said temperature rises and in less than three hours, the thermometer reaches or even exceeds 21 degrees. The break even point usually comes between 11 a.m. and 12 a.m., which is when the sun shines brightly in the middle of a blue sky, giving a magnificent luminosity to the landscape of Agadir and surrounding areas. Despite being in the middle of winter, the sun maintains the temperature above 20 degrees until 5:30 p.m., after which the coolness returns, but it is not intolerable even at 8 p.m. In the middle of July summer days, the sun shines above Agadir’s horizon from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Walking about the streets of Agadir’s main tourist district around a main-square-like area consisting of the monumental entrance of the Kasbah of Agadir, the Marina, the shopping promenade, several cultural centers and the medina, it is also in winter when you can appreciate the daily life of Agadir’s inhabitants and tourists, whether Moroccans or foreigners, in all its swarming, serene, multicultural, pleasant color and without the burdensome heat of summer. It is in winter when all the delicious features of this daily life can be appreciated for free: the shopkeepers who open their stores at dawn and prepare fresh bread and pastries, the fishmongers who set up their stalls with the catch of the day at dawn, the old people who crowd the cafés to play chess or dominos, the parents who take their children to school, the children coming back from school, the bus and taxi stations crammed halfway with people, the official postmen or the private delivery men, and so on.