Things to do · Kenitra
An easy 40 kilometres north of Rabat on the Sebou river, Kenitra is a relaxed Atlantic city ringed by lagoons, cork forests and long empty beaches. A 20th-century port town rather than an imperial capital, it makes an unhurried day trip from Rabat for birdlife, beaches and nature. Here are ten experiences worth your time.
10 experiences
A broad sweep of Atlantic sand at the mouth of the Sebou, about 10 kilometres from the city. Popular with surfers and Rabat-area families in summer, Mehdya is Kenitra's main seaside resort and an easy add-on to a day by the coast.
Overlooking the Sebou estuary, this hilltop fort was rebuilt by Sultan Moulay Ismail in the 17th century on earlier Portuguese and Spanish foundations. Its weathered ramparts and gate command wide views over the river mouth and the Atlantic.
A protected freshwater lagoon and Ramsar wetland between Kenitra and the sea, fringed by cork oak and mimosa. It is one of Morocco's prime birdwatching sites, wintering flamingos, marbled teal and the rare crested coot among reeds and dunes.
Kenitra grew as a river port on the Sebou, Morocco's longest river. The waterfront and old port quarter recall its commercial origins, with fishing boats, cafes and a workaday Atlantic-town atmosphere quite distinct from the imperial cities.
The Maamora, one of the largest cork oak forests in the world, spreads east of Kenitra toward Rabat and Meknes. Its shaded tracks are good for a picnic, a gentle walk or a drive, and the forest supplies much of Morocco's cork harvest.
Founded by the French in 1912 as Port-Lyautey, Kenitra keeps a grid of wide boulevards and modest art deco and colonial-era buildings. The compact centre is pleasant for a coffee and a stroll between the station and the river.
The covered municipal market is the everyday heart of the city, stacked with Atlantic fish from Mehdya, regional citrus and vegetables from the fertile Gharb plain, and stalls of olives, spices and pastries.
Beyond Sidi Boughaba, the marshes and rice fields of the Gharb plain around Kenitra host herons, storks, waders and waterfowl. The area is a quiet draw for naturalists exploring the coast north of Rabat.
The beach breaks around Mehdya pick up consistent Atlantic swell, and small surf schools operate in season. The waves are uncrowded compared with the better-known spots further south near Rabat and Casablanca.
Morocco's capital is about 40 kilometres south and roughly half an hour by frequent train. From Kenitra it is simple to combine a coastal nature day with Rabat's Kasbah of the Udayas, Hassan Tower and Chellah.
Kenitra lies about 40 kilometres north of Rabat on the Sebou river. Frequent trains link the two cities in roughly 30 to 40 minutes, making Kenitra an easy day trip from the capital.
Kenitra is known as a relaxed Atlantic port city near Rabat, for Mehdya beach and its kasbah, the Sidi Boughaba bird lagoon, and the surrounding Maamora cork forest and Gharb wetlands.
Yes, for nature and beaches rather than monuments. A day from Rabat can take in Mehdya beach and kasbah, the Sidi Boughaba lagoon for birdwatching and a walk in the Maamora cork forest.
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