When asked if Salé is worth visiting, there is only one answer: it depends. The truth is, it’s very subjective: for some, its attractions won’t be enough, but for others they’ll be interesting enough to leave Rabat for a few hours and visit the highlights of this city, which is located right across from the capital, on the other side of the Bouregreg River, which acts as a border. Below we’ve gathered some of those attractions so you can decide for yourself.
Salé Marina, the marina
If you’re planning on taking a leisure boat trip during your trip to Rabat, then there’s no doubt: you’ll visit Salé… because the capital’s marina is actually located in its neighbor across the water. Plus, at Salé Marina there’s a great selection of restaurants, so if you feel like having a drink or dinner with harbor views, this is also the place to go, where the most exclusive private boats are moored.
Salé’s walls and gates
Salé has a long and diverse history, including periods like the pirate Republic of Salé in the 17th century, when this city and Rabat were ruled by local and foreign corsairs. It still preserves a walled medina, with a medieval labyrinthine layout, as is common in the country. And in that wall, there are several entrance gates that also have centuries of history, some with a truly monumental finish. Examples include Bab Lamrissa, built in the 13th century after the assault by the Castilian troops of Alfonso X the Wise, Bab Lakhmiss, still flanked by artillery cannons, or Bab dar Sanaa, the most elegant.
Great Mosque of Salé, an Almohad jewel
The Great Mosque of Salé was built over different periods, starting in the 11th century under the Almoravid dynasty. But it undoubtedly stands out above all for its Almohad minaret, built in the 12th century. That’s why it bears a very strong resemblance to the nearby Hassan Tower in Rabat and even the Giralda in Seville, as they all belong to the same historical period and architectural style, where the use of sebka or a network of geometric decoration covering the four sides of the tower with diamond shapes, blind lobed arches, etc. It is only open to Muslims.
Marinid Madrasa with a profusion of zellige
Slightly later, from the 14th century, is the nearby Madrasa Marinid, named so because it was built during the time of that dynasty. Its interest lies in the rich decoration of tiles or zellige on the wall bases and the base of the columns in its inner courtyard, which is open to all visitors. Your plasterwork running along the walls, its wooden coffered ceiling and its muqarnas arches are true demonstrations of the talent of the artists of that time. The wooden balconies, although somewhat weathered, also give an old and traditional touch to this former Islamic educational center.
Views of the Atlantic coast
Finally, the views of the Atlantic coast are another reason why Salé might be worth visiting. Although it doesn’t have a typical Corniche or promenade, its seafront is home to some historical buildings from which to contemplate the ocean and the coast. For example, Borj Adoumoue, also called the Bastion des Larmes in French, which served as a lookout post and the city’s first line of defense. Additionally, from some of these elevated points, you can see the city’s massive cemetery and the historic facade of Rabat across the river, with its Kasbah of the Udayas.
