City of art and culture but also of tradition

Assilah is a town on the Atlantic coast of Morocco, south of Tangier. Its old town, or medina, is surrounded by ramparts and well-preserved gates, built in the fifteenth century by Portuguese settlers. The medina is an art centre renowned for its murals and the Moussem, an annual international cultural festival. In the city also stands the Hassan II International Meeting Center (exhibition space) and the Raissouli Palace, which dates from the early 20th century.