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Al Hoceima is a port town on the Mediterranean coast of northern Morocco, set on a hilly bay where the Rif Mountains meet the sea. It is the main town of the central Rif and is known for its clear blue water, small cove beaches and quiet, laid-back feel.
The modern town was founded by Spain in 1925 as Villa Sanjurjo, after the landing at Alhucemas Bay that ended the Rif War against Abd el-Krim, whose home village of Ajdir lies nearby. It returned to Morocco at independence in 1956, and its tidy white streets and Spanish-era buildings still recall those years. Offshore, the tiny Peñón de Alhucemas has been held by Spain since 1673.
West of the town, Al Hoceima National Park protects a wild coast of high cliffs, coves and fishing villages such as Cala Iris, with dolphins and ospreys offshore. Farther along lie the medieval port of Badis and the rocky Spanish outpost of Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera.
Quemado Beach is the main town beach of Al Hoceima, a sheltered cove of sand and pebbles set below the cliffs right next to the center. Its calm, clear water and the hills around it make it one of the prettiest town beaches on the Mediterranean coast of Morocco, and it is busy all summer.
Cala Bonita Beach is a small cove between the rocks on the edge of Al Hoceima, on the road out of town. Its name means pretty cove in Spanish, and a corniche and park look down on its clear, calm water, while a campsite and a diving center make it a favorite with snorkelers and divers.
Matadero Beach lies on the edge of Al Hoceima, a stretch of sand below steep cliffs that keeps a Spanish name from the town's colonial years. Its clear water and setting under the cliffs make it a popular summer spot for local families, a short walk or taxi ride from the center.
Sfiha Beach is a long sandy beach on the bay just outside Al Hoceima, near the town of Ajdir, looking out over calm, shallow water toward the Peñón de Alhucemas. Wider and quieter than the town beaches, it has sunshades and beach cafes in summer and views of the Rif Mountains behind.
The Peñón de Alhucemas is a small rocky island in the bay of Al Hoceima, a few hundred meters off Sfiha Beach, held by Spain since 1673. Almost covered by a fortress, a church and other old buildings, it is a military outpost closed to visitors, but it makes a striking sight from the shore.
Morro Viejo is the rocky hill just south of Quemado Beach in Al Hoceima, dividing it from the cove of Matadero. Once the site of Spanish army barracks, it now holds the Mirador, a lookout area with restaurants, a small market and homes, and its terraces give wide views over the bay.
Al Hoceima Port is the fishing and ferry harbor of the town, set below the cliffs at the western end of the bay. Brightly painted boats bring in sardines, swordfish and other catch each morning, and small restaurants near the harbor serve fresh grilled fish at simple tables.
The Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera is a rocky Spanish outpost on the coast west of Al Hoceima, held by Spain since 1564. A storm in 1934 joined it to the shore with a strip of sand, creating one of the shortest land borders in the world, and its fortified rock is a striking sight from Badis.
Al Hoceima National Park protects a stretch of the Rif coast and sea west of Al Hoceima, with high limestone cliffs, hidden coves and forests of thuya trees. Created in 2004, it shelters ospreys, dolphins and rich sea life, and its villages and trails offer some of the wildest scenery in Morocco.
Cala Iris is a small fishing village on the coast of Al Hoceima National Park, west of Al Hoceima, set on a bay with a sandy beach and a rocky islet just offshore. With colorful boats, simple fish restaurants and clear water, it is one of the most beautiful and peaceful corners of the Rif coast.
Torres de Alcala is a small coastal village a few kilometres west of Cala Iris, set at the mouth of a stream between steep mountains. Its pebble beach is watched over by old defensive towers, and in summer it is a quiet base for trips to Badis and the wild coast of the national park.
Badis is a tiny village on the coast west of Al Hoceima on the site of a medieval port that once served as the Mediterranean outlet of Fez. Little remains of the old town, but its quiet beach looks straight across to the Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera, and a coastal path links it with Torres de Alcala.
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