Safi is mainly modern, as it's housing a fishing port and a diversified industry.
If you enter the city along the most common route, you'll see the industry before you see the city. Don't let this make you turn around.
The city it self is charming, with an ancient city very much alive. Here you might be tempted to buy pottery, seeing all shapes and patterns in a lot of shops, but then you are in one of the best places in Morocco.
There are plenty of opportunities to walk around and look at people working on their pottery.
When you have been in places like Moulay Idriss in Fez you will have seen the beautiful covering on the roofs, made out of green tiles. Safi is the place where these are produced.
For more information about the city, do not hesitate to have a look at the following web sites : www.safi.ma www.safi-ville.com