Moroccans and tourists took advantage of beautiful summer weather to enjoy the beach in Rabat, Morocco, on Sunday.

Tourists seduced by the exoticism of Marrakesh and Fez often unfairly neglect Morocco's lesser-known capital, reported The Telegraph.

Rabat, which is located about 300km from Marrakesh and sits at the mouth of the River Bou Regreg, has fine public beaches and a 12th-century kasbah, or citadel, perched over the water.

Morocco welcomed about three million tourists during the first four months of this year, and is set to see an increase of about 10 per cent over the same period last year.

Tourism remains a vital pillar of the Moroccan economy and is the country's second-biggest employer, after agriculture. The sector accounts for 10 per cent of national income and, along with exports and remittances from Moroccans overseas, is one of the country's main sources of foreign currency, according to Agence France-Presse.