Sidi Ifni, Mirleft and Legzira

Ifni, a Spanish town in Morocco

Sidi Ifni's history explains its look. The Spanish first settled on this shore from 1476 to 1524, under the name Santa Cruz de Mar Pequeña, "Holy Cross of the Small Sea", before the Saadians drove them out. The Treaty of Tetouan returned the territory to Spain in 1860, but Spain only occupied it in 1934. It then built, on the clifftop, a military town in the Art Deco style of the period. The enclave remained Spanish until 1969, when Spain handed it back to Morocco, which had closed off access by land.

This past can be read on a walk, and it is what makes Sidi Ifni a distinctive stop on this coast:

• The central square and its white and blue Art Deco façades;
• the former Spanish consulate, or Military Treasury, completed in 1938 and listed as a monument by the Moroccan Ministry of Culture;
• the former Santa Cruz church, now the courthouse;
• the marine infantry barracks, the Avenida cinema and the old airfield.

Many of these buildings have deteriorated; the authorities are working to conserve them. The town is also a centre of Amazigh culture, in its language, music and crafts: silver jewellery, carpets, pottery.

The cliff coast

Between Mirleft and Sidi Ifni, the road follows a coast of ochre cliffs cut by coves.

Legzira, about ten kilometres north of Sidi Ifni, spreads eight kilometres of sand below the cliffs. The beach was known for its two rock arches; one collapsed on 23 September 2016, the other, with a span of about 27 m, still stands. Sabaro advises going at low tide, after checking the tide times, before walking along the foot of the cliffs.

Mirleft has several beaches, each with its own character: Imin Tourga, the closest to the village, reached by car or by a staircase down the cliff; Marabout, a small beach with a rock outcrop and a mosque on the sand; and Aftas. In the village, climb to the old 1930s military fort for the panoramic view.

Sports. Surfing is practised at Mirleft and Sidi Ifni, as are kitesurfing and paragliding at Sidi Ifni.

Swimming. Most beaches have no lifeguards, and the wind often raises high waves: take care, especially with children. Sidi Ifni is also prone to long sea mists.

Getting organised

• Access. Mirleft and Sidi Ifni are about two hours' drive south of Agadir; Sidi Ifni is some 160 km away. The nearest airport is Guelmim; for international flights, you arrive at Agadir-Al Massira.
• Getting around. A car is the best way to move between beaches and villages. A CTM coach, run by the national road transport company, links Agadir and Mirleft once a day.
• How many days. Two days are enough for Sidi Ifni and Legzira; Sabaro suggests three or four to add Mirleft, its beaches and a day in Tiznit, a walled town known for its silverwork, or in Guelmim, gateway to the Sahara.
• Safety. A French tourist was killed in an attack at Tiznit market on 15 January 2022, and some areas south-east of Guelmim province are still mined: before taking an unpaved track by 4x4 or motorbike, you must report to the gendarmerie. Your country's foreign ministry advice is in the "Travel advice" table on this page.