Cultural
Medina Polizzi Agadir: The Craft Village Coco Polizzi Built
On the edge of Agadir sits a medina that nobody ever lived in. An Italian architect, Coco Polizzi, built it by hand from stone and rammed earth as a memorial to the city the 1960 earthquake took away, and your entry ticket is already paid.
- Duration
- Approx. 2.5 hours
- Languages
- English / French
- Getting there
- Hotel pickup
- Group size
- Up to 30 people
The experience
About this trip
The Medina Polizzi is not an ancient quarter and it does not pretend to be. Coco Polizzi, an Italian architect who settled in Agadir, designed the whole thing and had it built with traditional Berber methods and materials, as a way of remembering the city the 1960 earthquake took away. Locals often call it the Medina d'Agadir or the Medina Coco Polizzi.
What you walk through is 12 hectares of narrow stone lanes, workshops, tiled courtyards and gardens, laid out like a village rather than a museum. Woodcarvers, weavers and jewellers work in the open, and you can stand and watch them for as long as you like. The buildings hold their own too: zellige tiling, doors carved by hand, walls of packed earth that keep the courtyards cool.
Your entry ticket is pre-paid, and you get up to two hours to wander at your own pace. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included from Agadir, Taghazout and Tamraght.
Why this one
Highlights
- Walk the 12-hectare Medina Polizzi d'Agadir at your own pace
- See Berber building methods using stone and earth from the Atlas
- Watch woodcarvers, weavers and jewellers working on site
- Cross tiled courtyards and Mediterranean-style gardens
- Up to two hours inside, with the entry ticket already paid
- Hotel pickup and drop-off from Agadir, Taghazout and Tamraght
Your day
How the day runs
10:00 – Hotel pickup
We collect you from your hotel in Agadir or Taghazout and drive out to the edge of the city.
10:15 – Arrival & Entry
You reach the main gate of the medina and walk straight in. The ticket is already covered, so there is no queue.
10:30 – Walk the medina
Twelve hectares to roam, all of it raised with the old techniques and stone brought down from the Atlas.
11:00 – Artisan workshops
Stop at the workshops and watch the craftsmen at woodcarving, weaving and jewellery making.
11:30 – Architecture and tilework
Sit for a while in a shaded courtyard and look properly at the zellige tiling and the carved doors.
12:00 – Through the gardens
Follow the Mediterranean gardens that link one quarter of the medina to the next.
12:15 – Drive back
Meet your driver at the gate and settle in for the ride back.
12:30 – Drop-off at your hotel
You are back at your accommodation in Agadir or Taghazout.
What is included
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off (Agadir, Taghazout & Tamraght)
- Travel in an air-conditioned vehicle
- Entry ticket to the medina, pre-paid
- Up to two hours inside at your own pace
What to bring
- Shoes that are fine on gravel and stone
- Sun cream and a hat
- A camera or your phone
- A little cash for anything you want to buy
Know before you go
- Your entrance ticket is included and already paid for.
- You get up to two hours inside the medina.
- The site is mostly open air, with some shade to retreat into.
- This is a modern recreation of traditional architecture, not an original medina.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is the Medina Polizzi a real old medina?
No. Coco Polizzi, an Italian architect, had it built with traditional Berber methods and materials as a tribute to the Agadir that stood before the 1960 earthquake.
Do I need to buy an entry ticket?
No, it is included and paid in advance. Your driver hands it over when you arrive.
How long do we spend inside the medina?
Up to two hours. You go round the lanes, the workshops and the gardens on your own, at whatever speed suits you.
What is there to see at the Medina Polizzi?
Stone lanes, working workshops for woodcarving, weaving and jewellery, tiled courtyards, Mediterranean gardens and Berber building work across the whole 12 hectares.
Is this the same trip as the Agadir city tour?
No. This one is just the Medina Polizzi. The Agadir city tour covers the Kasbah, the marina, the mosque and Souk El Had.
Does the price include hotel pickup?
Yes. Pickup and drop-off cover hotels in Agadir, Taghazout and Tamraght.
Ready when you are
Book Medina Polizzi Agadir: The Craft Village Coco Polizzi Built
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