Marrakech-Safi · Atlantic coast

Essaouira

A walled Atlantic port with wind, gulls and blue boats.

Best time to visit: April to October. It is cooler and windier than inland all year.
Ideal for: Seafood, watersports, relaxed days, escaping the heat of Marrakech

Introduction

Essaouira is a fortified port on the Atlantic, three hours west of Marrakech. Its medina, laid out in the eighteenth century to a plan drawn by a French engineer, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site — and unusually for Morocco, it is built on a grid, so you cannot really get lost.

The wind is the defining fact of the place. It blows almost constantly, which kept the town cool through centuries of trade, made it a world-class kitesurfing and windsurfing spot, and means the beach is for walking rather than sunbathing.

Why visit

01
It is the easiest, most relaxed town in Morocco — no hassle, no traffic, sea air.
02
The port at midday, when the catch comes in and the gulls descend, is genuinely spectacular.
03
It is the home of Gnaoua music, with a major festival each June.

Things to see

The Skala de la Ville ramparts and their brass cannon
The fishing port and its blue wooden boats
The gridded medina and its arcaded streets
The long beach running south towards Sidi Kaouki
Thuya wood workshops, a craft unique to this coast

Things to do

Eat grilled fish chosen from the stalls at the port
Walk the ramparts at sunset
Try kitesurfing or windsurfing, or watch from the sand
Ride horses or camels along the beach
Visit an argan oil cooperative run by women
Hear Gnaoua music played in a café at night

Local experiences

Choosing your fish and having it grilled in front of you
The gulls over the harbour wall at dusk
Thuya wood being inlaid by hand
Wind and Atlantic light that photographers come specifically for

Food

This is the best fish in Morocco, eaten simplest: you pick sardines, sea bream, sole or prawns from the stalls beside the port and they are grilled on the spot. Argan oil is produced along this coast and appears in everything from salads to amlou, a spread made with almonds and honey.

Culture

Essaouira was a major trading port with a large Jewish community, and the Mellah quarter and its synagogues are being restored. It is also the spiritual home of Gnaoua music, brought here by sub-Saharan communities and now celebrated in a festival that fills the whole town each June.