Souk El Had, Taroudant and Agadir as locals know it.
Away from the big seafront hotels, another Agadir awaits you: its souks, its working-class neighbourhoods and, an hour’s drive away, the ramparts of Taroudant.
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Agadir is often reduced to its bay, its seafront promenade and its hotel complexes. That leaves out the city where people live, shop, haggle and drink tea. To discover it, you only need to step outside the tourist area: that is where the real Souss begins.
The El Khemis souk in Tikiouine
About two minutes’ drive from Hay Adrar, the Tikiouine market is where local people shop. They come from many parts of Agadir for fruit and vegetables, meat, household goods and everything a family needs day to day. No shop windows for tourists here: just stalls, voices and prices open to negotiation.
It is the ideal place to fill the fridge when you arrive, especially if you are staying in one of our apartments in Hay Adrar, a residential neighbourhood at the heart of local life, with a fully equipped kitchen to cook whatever you bring back.
Souk El Had, Agadir’s great market
Souk El Had is the city’s largest traditional market. Spices, dried fruit, argan oil, pottery, babouches, fabrics: you can spend hours wandering from one aisle to the next. Come early, take your time and don’t hesitate to haggle: it is part of the game.
Inezgane and Aït Melloul, local life in Greater Agadir
South of the city, Inezgane and Aït Melloul make up a single province, lively and working-class, where tourists are few and far between. About 8 km from the centre of Agadir, the Inezgane souks are busy every day from morning to evening: food, basketry, rugs, silver jewellery, leather shoes, pottery. The large wholesale fruit and vegetable market there supplies the whole of Morocco and beyond.
It is a deep dive into everyday life in the Souss, best done by car so you can come and go at your own pace.
Taroudant, the “little Marrakech” of the Souss
About 80 km from Agadir, or 1 hr 15 min along the N10, Taroudant is the ideal day trip. The town is encircled by earthen ramparts 7.5 km long and more than eight metres high, which you can follow by car or on foot.
In the medina, the souks sell spices, fruit, flowers and Berber clothing. You will also find the crafts of the Souss: Berber silver jewellery, cooperative-made argan oil, saffron from Taliouine, Atlas wool rugs and ceramics.
How to make the most of it
- Take a car. Tikiouine, Inezgane and Taroudant are far easier to get to by car than by taxi. Our air-conditioned Dacia Sandero Stepway can be waiting for you at the airport, and it costs less when booked with accommodation, thanks to the Cocon & Liberté package.
- Stay where local people live. In Hay Adrar, the mosque is a few minutes’ walk away, everyday shops are close by and the residence stays quiet in the evening. For a large family, both Cocons together offer 150 m² for 12 guests.
- Set off in the morning. The souks are more pleasant before the midday heat, and you can head back to enjoy the pools in the afternoon, from June to September.
To plan the rest of your trip, our guide to a family stay in Agadir covers choosing your accommodation, the best time to come and your budget.
All our Agadir prices, period by period, are on the prices page.
To find out more, read our articles on the Tikiouine Thursday souk and the great souk of Inezgane. For the rest of your stay, our What to do in Agadir guide brings together all the outings, from the kasbah and its cable car to Paradise Valley.
Experience Agadir like a local
An apartment in Hay Adrar, a car to explore the Souss, a single point of contact: tell us your dates.
Request my dates → Message us on WhatsAppPhoto: Jerzy Strzelecki, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, edited (header photo).