Nador is not the prettiest town on Morocco's Mediterranean coast, but it is one of the most interesting. It sits beside the broad, shallow Marchica Lagoon, close enough to the Spanish enclave of Melilla that Spanish, Riffian, Arabic, and ferry-port pragmatism all mix in the streets.
The city is a working Rif capital rather than a polished resort. The corniche fills in the evening, the souks are busy with cross-border goods, and the hills behind town rise quickly toward Mount Gurugu. Travellers usually come through Nador on the way to Melilla, Al Hoceima, or the eastern Rif, but it rewards a night if you like borderland cities with more texture than postcard charm.
The main reason to linger is the lagoon. Marchica is being reshaped by resort development, but it remains a huge saltwater wetland with birdlife, fishing boats, and big skies. Use Nador as a practical base: walk the waterfront, take a taxi out to Atalayoun, and save time for the mountain views before moving on.