Paraglide MoroccoPARAGLIDING
(%0676 31 86 55; www.paraglidemorocco.com)
The British-owned outfit is geared towards seasoned paragliders, but tandem flights (Dh550) are available.
4Sleeping
As well as decent hotels and bed and breakfasts, there are plenty of short-let apartments in Mirleft, costing from about Dh220 per night; ask at the entrance to the village.
Hôtel AbertihHOTEL€
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0528 71 93 04; www.abertih.com; s/d incl breakfast Dh200/300, without bathroom Dh180/240; W)
Looking like it popped out of a Cubist painting, blue-and-yellow Abertih is equally colourful inside, where open courtyards lead to 11 rooms above the licensed ground-floor restaurant. The French-owned hotel offers half-board and hire-car packages, making it popular with paragliding groups.
Hotel du SudHOTEL€
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0528 71 94 07; www.hotel-mirleft.fr; s/d Dh120/170; W)
The Sud's basic upstairs rooms are simply but tastefully decorated, with colourful bedspreads and vintage postcards. The rudimentary shared bathrooms have showers in stalls, but the turquoise patio and roof terrace are cool refuges on hot days.
Hotel AtlasHOTEL€
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0528 71 93 09; [email protected]; s/d Dh200/300, s/d without shower Dh120/240, meals from Dh20, all incl breakfast; W)
French-owned Atlas' palatial roof terrace is a popular fixture on the southern surf circuit. The blue-shuttered rooms, entered from a corridor open to the elements, are pleasantly rustic and the hotel has a 1st-floor balcony and ground-floor restaurant (meals from Dh20).
Aftas Beach HouseHOSTEL€
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0675 164 271; www.aftasmirleft.com; Aftas Beach; s/d from Dh170/220; W)
This whitewashed house overlooking the rocky cove of Aftas Beach has simple but clean rooms, all with shared bathroom facilities. Nearby are three beachfront cafes and endless Atlantic waves, and surf lessons can be arranged. There's normally a two-night minimum stay.
Sally’s Bed & BreakfastB&B€€
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0528 71 94 02; www.sallymirleft.com; Les Amicales; r incl breakfast Dh600-1300; W)
Created by a horse-loving Englishwoman, Sally, this gorgeous cliff-top villa above Imin Tourga, one of Mirleft’s largest and cleanest beaches, has breathtaking views up the coast. With six en-suite rooms and antiques decorating the lounge, it’s a stylish and comfortable hideaway.
Aftas TripGUESTHOUSE€€
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0666 02 65 37; www.aftas-trip.com; tents Dh330, r Dh550; W)
Superb Atlantic views and a versatile range of accommodation combines at this hilltop destination around 5km north of Mirleft town. Rooms range from family-friendly mini-apartments through to more prosaic Berber-style tents, and the English-speaking Aftas Trip team can arrange surfing, paddleboarding, fishing and desert explorations by trekking or 4WD. Meals are served in a large Berber tent in the pretty garden.
oLes 3 ChameauxGUESTHOUSE€€€
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0528 71 91 87; www.3chameaux.com; s/d/ste incl half-board Dh1200/1490/1790; aWs)
High on the hill, in a renovated 1930s military fort, is Mirleft’s best address, a lovely guesthouse with fabulous views over the village to the sea beyond. It’s worth paying extra for one of the suites, which have balconies and bathroom windows surveying the sea or the valley behind the property. Rooms are less impressive, without TV or air-conditioning.
Facilities include the pool (heated during the winter), hammam, licensed restaurant and boutique. The only sound is the roar of the surf far below, and you’ll feel yourself unwinding as soon as you arrive.
Dar NajmatBOUTIQUE HOTEL€€€
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0528 71 90 56; www.darnajmat.com; s/d incl half-board Dh1290/1640, apt Dh1900; aWs)
With its infinity pool seemingly melting into Marabout’s Beach, Dar Najmat’s view is one of the best on the Moroccan coast. You’ll want to start taking photos as soon as you pull off the road, 2km south of Mirleft. The decor in the seven rooms and two-bedroom apartment is perfectly judged, with Moroccan materials achieving a contemporary and harmonious ambience.
5Eating & Drinking
The highly convivial bar at the Hôtel Abertih serves decent wine and exceptionally cold San Miguel lager.
La Bonne FranquetteMOROCCAN€
( GOOGLE MAP ; Hotel du Sud; mains Dh40-70; hnoon-3pm & 6-10pm)
Mirleft's best daytime dining option is La Bonne Franquette, the downstairs restaurant at the Hotel du Sud. Standout dishes include seafood – try the shrimp tagine or calamari – and a few more surprising plates on offer are rabbit with mustard or camel brochettes.
Cafe AftasCAFE€
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0670 72 95 83; www.cafeaftas.com; Aftas Beach; snacks Dh20-30; h8am-10pm; W)
Mint tea, coffee and omelettes combine with up close and personal views of Aftas Beach at this fun spot with a funky beach-shack ambience. Colourful murals and the easygoing vibe of owner Najib create one of Morocco's most laid-back cafes. He can also hook you up with surfing lessons through his Chasseurs de Vagues surf school.
Tifawin CafeCAFE€
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0611 908 323; www.facebook.com/TifawinCafe; snacks & mains Dh20-30; h7.30am-10pm; W)
Tifawin's laid-back cosmopolitan style includes excellent juices and smoothies – especially anything incorporating creamy avocado – and Moroccan pancakes with honey or amlou (a winning combination of honey and almonds). Comfort food for hungry surfers includes muesli, omelettes and toasted sandwiches, and Tifawin's bright blue-and-yellow decor adds a colourful touch to Mirfelt's arcaded main drag.
Restaurant AyourBERBER€
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0528 71 91 71; meals Dh70; hnoon-10pm)
Cosy Ayour is one of Mirleft’s better stand-alone restaurants. It’s slightly overpriced but tajines, spaghetti and fish dishes are all on the menu.
oHôtel AbertihMOROCCAN€€
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0528 71 93 04; Hôtel Abertih; mains Dh60-120; h7pm-late)
The restaurant and bar at the Hôtel Abertih puts a cosmopolitan after-dark spin on Mirleft. Round tables host diners for an ever-changing menu of seafood and meat dishes, and after grilled sole or couscous with chicken, leave room for dessert with one of coastal Morocco's better crème caramels. There's also a compact wine list and a lots of cold beer.
Book ahead if you can, but Damien the friendly French owner usually finds room for additional diners on the 1st floor.
8Getting There & Away
Lux bus 18 links Mirleft to Tiznit (Dh10) and Sidi Ifni (Dh10). Grand taxis also run to Sidi Ifni (Dh13) and Tiznit (Dh15) from Mirleft.
Sidi Ifni سيدي إفني
Pop 21,618
Only returned to Morocco by the Spanish in 1969, Sidi Ifni retains an atmospheric Iberian flair, and the faded art-deco buildings are a haunting reminder of colonial ambitions. At the heart of what was the Spanish Sahara, Ifni was once a base for slave-trading operations and later a large exporter of fish to the Spanish mainland. When the sun sets on the ocean esplanade and dilapidated calles (streets), and the Atlantic rolls in, Ifni seems an eerie outpost.
The locals have painted the town blue and white, and continue the colour scheme in their turbans and robes. They support Spanish football teams, take siestas and are more likely to greet travellers with hola than bonjour. You might hear Spanish beats blaring from a cafe, and the expats and local cafe crowd are laid-back even by Moroccan standards. Equally easygoing are visiting surfers, seeking out excellent Atlantic waves on nearby beaches.
History
Spain acquired the enclave of Sidi Ifni after defeating the Moroccan forces in the war of 1859. They christened their new possession Santa Cruz del Mar Pequeña, but seem to have been uncertain as to what to do with it as they did not take full possession until 1934. Most of Ifni dates from the 1930s and features an eclectic mix of art deco and traditional Moroccan styles.
On Moroccan independence in the late 1950s, Spain refused to withdraw,
citing the fact that some 60% of the town’s population was Spanish. The protracted dispute over territorial rights included the Ifni War, in which the town was besieged. It eventually ended in 1969, when the UN brokered an agreement for Spain to cede the enclave back to Morocco. Santa Cruz was renamed Sidi Ifni, after a holy man buried in the town in the early 1900s. Ifni still celebrates ‘Independence Day’ (30 June) with a festival on the abandoned airfield.
Ifni is mostly a contented place, but clashes occasionally erupt between the police and townsfolk, sparked by high unemployment and the marginalisation of the independently spirited town.
Sidi Ifni
1Sights
1BeachB1
2Cine AvenidaB3
3Former Spanish ConsulateB2
4Law Courts (Former Church)B2
5LetterboxC4
6LighthouseA3
7Royal PalaceA3
8Ship HouseC1
9Town HallB3
10Twist ClubB3
2Activities, Courses & Tours
11Ifni SurfC1
4Sleeping
12Camping Sidi IfniC1
13Hôtel BellevueA2
14Hôtel Ère NouvelleC4
15Logis La MarineB1
16Maison d'hôtes TiwalineD3
17XanaduC2
5Eating
Cafe Ere NouvelleC4
18Chez SofiaC1
19Gran CanariaC4
20Municipal MarketC4
21NomadC1
6Drinking & Nightlife
22EddibB3
Hôtel BellevueA2
8Information
23Attijariwafa BankC3
24Banque PopulaireC4
25BMCEC3
1Sights
Sidi Ifni has a unique atmosphere, which has lured many a passing foreigner to settle. The small old Spanish part of town is one of the main attractions. At its heart is Pl Hassan II (often still called Plaza de España), the colonial centrepiece. The large square with a small park in the middle is surrounded by the main administrative buildings: law courts (former church) ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ), royal palace ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ), former Spanish consulate ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ) and town hall ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ), mostly in grand art-deco style.
Other interesting remnants of the colonial era include the Hôtel Bellevue, also on Pl Hassan II, a nearby lighthouse ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ) and the clifftop ship house ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ), which served as the Spanish Naval Secretariat. There’s also some art-deco architecture in the streets east of Pl Hassan II, including the derelict nightclub Twist Club ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; off Ave Hassan II) and cinema Cine Avenida ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Ave Hassan II). The post office still has a letterbox ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Ave Mohammed V) outside marked ‘Correos – Avion/Ordinario’ (Post – Air Mail/Ordinary).
BeachBEACH
( MAP GOOGLE MAP )
The beach is big and rarely busy, though not always clean. At the south end is the port: Ifni’s economy is based on small-scale fishing, with most of the catch sold in Agadir. The odd construction just offshore is the remains of an old land-sea conveyor, which was used to take cargo from ships to the old Spanish port.
2Activities
There’s some excellent surfing around Ifni and paddlboarding is also becoming popular.
Ifni SurfSURFING
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0662 53 37 17; www.ifnisurf.com; Ave Moulay Youssef; board & wetsuit rental per day Dh150, 2hr lesson incl equipment Dh200, kayak & wetsuit rental per hr Dh60)
The most well-established of Ifni's surf companies also offers kayaking at Legzira Plage, quad bike and 4WD desert excursions, and market visits and cooking classes. Check the website for accommodation and surfing packages at its bases at Sidi Ifni and Legzira.
4Sleeping
Hôtel BellevueHOTEL€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0528 87 52 72; Pl Hassan II; s/d Dh170/200, without bathroom Dh105/130)
The art-deco charms of the Bellevue’s exterior do not continue inside, where you'll find just a few lampshades and stained-glass windows. Nonetheless, it is a reasonable budget option on the main square, with coastal views from the bar-restaurant and room balconies. Request an en-suite room upstairs; those downstairs are darker and the shared shower is a frugal rooftop affair.
Hôtel Ère NouvelleHOTEL€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0528 87 52 98; Ave Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah; s/d Dh35/70)
Above a local restaurant, this central cheapie has spartan rooms with narrow beds. The shared bathrooms sport that classic shower and squat toilet combination. However, it’s welcoming and secure, and the breakfast of bread, honey and snow-white butter is delicious.
Camping Sidi IfniCAMPGROUND€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0658 019 813; off Ave Al Hourria; tent/caravan/r Dh35/75/120)
Next to the outdoor swimming pool at the north end of the beach. Popular with visiting Europeans in campervans.
oLogis La MarineB&B€€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0641 76 60 96; www.logislamarine.com; 1 Ave My Abdellah; s/d/f incl breakfast from Dh600/660/880; W)
Formerly the headquarters of the Spanish navy, this art-deco clifftop mansion has superb views of the Atlantic. Charming Belgian owners Benoit and Dominique have adorned many rooms with heritage art-deco furniture and local art, and shared breakfasts and dinners (Dh165) are enjoyed in a shaded garden populated by a posse of shy tortoises. Bathrooms are relatively compact.
Ask Dominique about looking through the photo albums crammed with poignant images of Sidi Ifni's relatively recent Spanish heritage.
Maison d’hôtes TiwalineGUESTHOUSE€€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0528 875 660; www.maison-tiwaline-ifni.com; 21 Rue Casablanca; s/d Dh330/450; W)
French expat Michel has created this cool and calming guesthouse a short walk downhill from Sidi Ifni's main street. Crisp blue-and-white decor combines with stylish design touches – we especially like all the retro travel posters dotted throughout the building – and social breakfasts complete with fresh baguettes and homemade jams are shared around a big downstairs table.
XanaduGUESTHOUSE€€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0528 876 718; www.maisonxanadu.com; 5 Rue el Jadida; s/d incl breakfast Dh360/550; iW)
Tucked away on a lane off Ave Mohammed V, this restored house offers a contemporary take on the Ifni aesthetic, with soothing colours pervading the five rooms. Breakfast on the roof is a pleasure and the book-filled lounge is ideal for whiling away an evening. The charming French host, Patrick, speaks some English, and offers guided hikes and 4WD excursions.
5Eating
For fresh produce head to the fruit and vegetable market ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; h7am-3pm), off Zankat Marrakesh or stock up at the weekly souq, held on Sundays, 1km out of town on the road to the port.
Cafe Ere NouvelleMOROCCAN€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0528 87 52 98; Ave Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah; mains Dh20-40; h8am-8pm)
This simple eatery under a budget hotel is recommended by multiple locals as one of the best places in town for a cheap and authentic meal. Tagines are the highlight, but a few Spanish flavours also creep in with good tortilla and other dishes. If you don't get breakfast at your accommodation this is where to come.
Chez SofiaSEAFOOD, MOROCCAN€
(Mar Pequeña; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Calle de Teniente Carlier; mains Dh60-80; hnoon-3pm & 6-10pm)
The well-established family business fills a compact corner location with a few tables and the aromas of daily specials including seafood couscous, chicken pastilla or decent-value three-course menus of the day (Dh100 to Dh120). There are usually a few vegetarian options available including mushroom frittata or zucchini and cheese.
Municipal MarketSEAFOOD, MARKET€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Ave Mohammed V & Ave Hassan II; mains Dh15-40; h10am-10pm)
In addition to the fish market, fruit and vegetable market and surrounding cafes, look out for the courtyard of smoking grills. In this atmospheric outdoor spot, where cooks fan the coals and call out to punters, you can get grilled seafood �
� including sardines, fish and prawns – served with salad and bread.
oNomadMOROCCAN, SEAFOOD€€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0662 173 308; [email protected]; 5 Ave Moulay Youssef; mains Dh70-100; hnoon-3pm Tue-Thu, Sat & Sun, 6-11pm nightly)
The best restaurant in Sidi Ifni serves excellent grills and seafood, often to a soundtrack of Western music – English-speaking owner Abdellah is a big fan of the blues – amid an elegant Moorish-style interior. Beer and wine are both served, and especially good is the plate-covering Pariada of the Sea (Dh180), a mixed grill of fish, calamari and octopus.
Caution: you must like loads of garlic and the occasional air guitar flourish from the chatty owner.
Gran CanariaINTERNATIONAL, SEAFOOD€€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Ave Mohammed V; mains Dh35-100; hnoon-11pm)
Sidi Ifni's best pizzas and expertly cooked seafood – try the octopus tagine – all feature at this popular spot with a terraced view of Ave Mohammed V. Downstairs is an espresso-fuelled cafe, but upstairs Gran Canaria's chef adds a few idiosyncratic touches such as spectacularly presented brochettes and a basil-laden caprese salad that comes piled high on the plate.
6Drinking & Nightlife
EddibCAFE
Lonely Planet Morocco Page 77