We decided to get a bit of winter warmth over the Christmas period and flew to Agadir on the south-western coast of Morocco. Flight time just over three and a half hours from Stansted via Ryanair.
As soon as we landed we felt the lovely heat.
Our hotel is the Allegro, very close to the 5k long sandy beach.
The beach was quiet on our arrival afternoon but at the weekend it throngs with locals including families, football games and women's rugby coaching sessions.
The souk is said to be the biggest in Morocco. It is large and with the usual proliferation of stalls selling football shirts and trainers. However, the fruit and vegetable sections were full of marvellous looking produce. We ate oranges most days and they were amongst the juiciest, tastiest that we have ever eaten.
On the promenade.
The marina area.
The allegro hotel was catering mostly for families and so Santa was expected to put in an appearance on Christmas Day, He arrived on a rather reluctant looking donkey. A camel trailed behind and there were sheep and lambs in a small area of the garden. We were briefly roused from our sunbeds to watch the proceedings.
After a five-day a routine of morning walks, relaxing lunches and sunbed loafing afternoons we took a minibus to the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. Below: A local Berber woman shells argan nuts.
Below: The device for grinding the nuts.
Below: Billed as 'Paradise Valley'.
We had a very enjoyable lunch after our mini trek into and along Paradise Valley
