Agadir

Morocco's premier coastal resort is a city of broad, palm-shaded promenades and international class hotels arranged along a magnificent bay of golden sand. Remodelled in the late 20th century after it was all but destroyed by the devastating earthquake which hit the region in 1960, Agadir is now a thoroughly modern city, made prosperous by tourism. As a showcase of progressive Moroccan urban style, it's impressive; for most visitors its biggest attractions are its holiday facilities and its glorious year-round sunshine.

Agadir has plenty of large hotels catering for European package holidaymakers who come here to enjoy near-guaranteed winter sunshine. While the boulevards nearest the beach are lined with smart four-star complexes with pools, tennis courts and saunas, Agadir also has some smaller places, popular with Moroccans and independent travellers.

Agadir lies on Morocco's sunny Atlantic coast, southwest of Marrakech and Casablanca, and northwest of the Canary Islands, which lie around 400km (249 miles) away, offshore. The capital, Rabat, is approximately 600km (373 miles) away.

Life in Agadir revolves around the beach, which is huge and, unlike other parts of the North African Atlantic, reasonably well sheltered from the ocean winds. The city authorities keep it both clean and safe; sunbathers can generally relax in peace thanks to conspicuous but unintimidating police patrols, which minimise hassle from hustlers and hawkers. As well as cafés and sunloungers to mooch about in, there's plenty of fun stuff on offer, including jet-skis, quad bikes, dune buggies, horse and camel rides, and a little tourist train. The only downside is the undertow which can make ocean swimming dangerous.

As a modern, purpose-built resort, Agadir has relatively few sights of interest, but the markets, fishing port and brand new marina are worth a look and golfers have three courses to choose from. The principal reminder of the past is Ancienne Talborjt, a grassy mound where the medina once stood, preserved as a chilling memorial of the 1960 earthquake: many bodies were trapped here and never recovered.

The beaches to the north and south are relatively undeveloped and interesting to explore. Taghazout, 15km (9 miles) north of Agadir, has awesome waves that attract surfers from far and wide, while the Souss-Massa National Park, 35km (22 miles) south of town, offers excellent bird-watching: the Massa lagoon and nearby dunes are visited by sandgrouse, cranes and flamingos in huge numbers. Inland, Paradise Valley makes a great day trip: this beautiful palm-lined gorge leads to mountain trails to Berber villages and the seasonal waterfalls of Immouzer des Ida Outanane (at their best in spring).

Kids love Agadir's sandy beach, but it's important to be wary of the undertow - for swimming, it's best to stick to hotel pools. There are also a couple of pleasant, child-friendly parks right in the centre of town: the Vallée des Oiseaux (near place de l'Espérance), which has a small aviary, and the landscaped gardens of Jardim de Olhão (avenue du Président Kennedy) Both have children's playgrounds.

Agadir's two main daily markets (the Marché Municipal and the Souk) sell goods from all over Morocco, including fish, fruit, vegetables, crafts and souvenirs such as rugs, chunky, Berber-style jewellery, babouches (leather slippers), djellabas (woollen tunics) and handmade bags. There's also a traditional-style craft market, the Médina d'Agadir, 4km (2.5 miles) out of town, a contrived but entertaining place where you can watch artisans making tourist trinkets.

Agadir's nightlife is pretty mainstream - think piano bars, casinos and cheesy hotel discos playing middle-of-the-road pop. The liveliest of the late-opening nightspots are concentrated along boulevard 20 Août, which runs parallel to the beach; some have open air dance floors.

While the hotel restaurants tend to serve up a crowd-pleasing variety of French-influenced and international dishes, in the centre of town you'll find plenty of surprisingly untouristy places with local-style menus of traditional Moroccan fare, at reasonable prices. The best of these offer great couscous, kefta (kebabs), tagines (delicately spicy stews of meat with fruit and almonds), mechoui (roast lamb) or tanjia (slow-cooked beef), followed by delicious thé à la menthe (mint tea).

The city is small enough to walk around, but is also well served by petits taxis (city taxis which can be shared by up to three passengers or hired privately) and buses. You can also hire mopeds or motorbikes. To explore further afield, you can choose between hiring a car, taking a long-distance bus or booking a tour at a hotel travel desk.

Several beautiful, historic towns are within easy reach. The closest, Taroudannt, is a delightful, elegant walled town, with lively souks and good hotels. Tafraoute, 100km (62 miles) southwest of Agadir, makes a good base from which to explore the Anti-Atlas Mountains; it's particularly lovely in spring when the almond trees are in blossom. The laidback, arty port of Essaouira and the bustling souks and squares of Marrakech are a manageable road journey away.

For a memorable evening out, book at a table at one of Agadir's swishest restaurants. Le Miramar at the Hôtel Miramar (boulevard Mohammed V) serves superb seafood in a chic, glamorous atmosphere, while La Tour de Paris (avenue Hassan II) serves some of the best, and most imaginative, tajines in town.

Al-Massira Airport, Agadir (AGA)