Stand on Boulevard Maghreb Arabe at the Eastern Gate of Bab Sidi Abdel Wahab and the medina opens in front of you: market booths, shoppers moving between them, the 13th-century grand mosque and its clock tower above the rooflines. It is the busiest and most characteristic corner of the city, and the natural place to begin.
Oujda suits travellers passing through Morocco's northeast, whether heading for the Mediterranean coast or arriving on the rail line from Casablanca via Fes and Taourirt. The city rewards a slow half-day of markets and gardens rather than a checklist of monuments.
This guide covers the sights and green spaces in and around the centre, the forest and park escapes on the edge of town, and how to string them together if you have only one day.
Top things to do in Oujda
1. Bab Sidi Abdel Wahab
This is the historic medina, entered from Boulevard Maghreb Arabe, where the 13th-century grand mosque and the clock tower stand among narrow, winding alleys that lead to houses and markets, including the jewelry market and the leather market. The Eastern Gate has a medieval castle look, and the scene around it is one of market booths and shoppers.
Come here first to get your bearings, and keep an eye on your belongings in the crowds. The medina sits at the centre of the old city, so the rest of your day can radiate from it.
2. Sidi Maafa Forest
A Moroccan national forest reached by taking Boulevard Mohammed VI south from the city to the forest turnoff. It offers hiking around rocky hilltops, a chance to see Moroccan flora, and other recreational opportunities, with a fine overlook of the city.
Pair it with the park on its eastern edge, Sidi Maafa park, and go when you want a half-day away from the streets rather than a quick stop.
3. Parc Lalla Aicha
An oasis-like garden on Avenue Yacoub Al Mansour, with a swimming pool, a tennis court, flowering plants and walkways. It is open from 06:00 to 20:00.
This is the easiest green break in the city itself. Combine it with the medina, since both sit within reach of the centre, and use the pool or courts if you want an active afternoon.
4. Parc Lalla Meryem
Another park with a garden and a cafe, Cafe El Methef, on the south side of the medina. The source notes it can be tricky to figure out how to get out of the medina to reach it, so treat the route itself as part of the outing.
It works well as a rest stop after walking the markets, with the cafe as the natural pause.
5. The old city markets
Within the medina's winding alleys you will find the jewelry market and the leather market, alongside the houses and lanes that give the old city its traditional Moroccan character. These are working markets rather than staged attractions, and browsing them is the point.
Go as part of your walk through Bab Sidi Abdel Wahab rather than as a separate trip, and mind your belongings in the busiest stretches.
6. The Grand Mosque of Oujda
The Grand Mosque is one of the city's historically most important mosques, and the current building was rebuilt as part of the town's reconstruction with new walls and a palace. It sits within the medina, near the clock tower.
See it as you pass through Bab Sidi Abdel Wahab; it is a landmark to orient yourself by as much as a place to stop.
7. Bled el Gaada
Roman era ruins known as Bled el Gaada lie just outside Oujda. They consist of a Roman fort measuring 175 by 210 metres.
This is a trip out of the centre rather than a walk from the medina, so plan it as its own excursion if Roman remains interest you.
8. Gharnati music
Gharnati is a variety of Andalusi music named after Granada, and Oujda is one of its main Moroccan centres. Each year the city hosts an International Festival of Gharnati Music.
If your visit coincides with the festival, build an evening around it; otherwise, listening to the style is a way to understand a musical tradition the city is known for.
9. Reggada music
Reggada is a Moroccan Amazigh musical genre and traditional war dance from the Beni Znassen tribes of north-east Morocco, originally from the village of Ain-Reggada and once used to celebrate and emulate victory in battle. It has since become part of the global music sphere.
Look for it as a live tradition rather than a fixed venue, and treat any performance you come across as a window into the region's Amazigh culture.
10. The Oriental Desert Express
The Oriental Desert Express was originally built in the 1920s and 1930s as part of the Mediterranean–Niger Railway. One of its cars, the historical "prince's wagon" passenger car, now runs twice annually, and outside camera shots of the train were featured in the 2015 James Bond film Spectre.
Because the historic car runs only twice a year, check timing well ahead if this is a priority, and otherwise simply note the line as part of the region's railway heritage.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Bab Sidi Abdel Wahab on Boulevard Maghreb Arabe. Walk the medina's winding alleys, pass the Grand Mosque and the clock tower, and browse the jewelry market and the leather market while the market booths are busy.
Afternoon: Head to Parc Lalla Aicha on Avenue Yacoub Al Mansour for the garden, walkways and flowering plants, and use the pool or tennis court if you want to be active. If you still have energy, take Boulevard Mohammed VI south to the Sidi Maafa Forest turnoff for the hiking trails and the overlook of the city.
Evening: Return to the south side of the medina for Parc Lalla Meryem and its cafe, Cafe El Methef, to close the day over a drink after the markets.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get to Oujda?
The city is served by Angads Airport, with connecting international flights to Lisbon, Brussels, Madrid, Marseille and Paris, as well as domestic flights to Casablanca. It is also the endpoint of the main railroad from Casablanca via Fes and Taourirt, with several day and night trains linking it to the western part of the country.
When is the best time to visit?
Weather in Oujda is cool but still tepid and wet in winter, and hot and dry in summer. Snow is rare; the last snowfall was on 7 January 2026.
Is the medina safe to walk with my belongings?
Bab Sidi Abdel Wahab is a busy scene of market booths and shoppers. The source advises being careful with your belongings while you are there.
Can I combine a visit with the coast?
Tourists aiming at Saïdia, bordering the Mediterranean, transit through Oujda's airport, so the city works as a staging point before or after the coast.
With the medina, the gardens and the forest all within a day's reach, you have enough to start mapping your own route through Oujda.