Things to do · Essaouira
Essaouira is the heart of Morocco's windswept Atlantic coast: a UNESCO-listed walled medina, a working sardine port, miles of open beach and the deepest Gnaoua music heritage in the country. These fourteen experiences cover the ramparts, the souks, the surf and the wider coast, and form the base for every day trip and onward route along this shore.
14 experiences
Stroll the 18th-century sea bastion lined with bronze Spanish and Dutch cannons for sweeping Atlantic views. Orson Welles filmed the opening of his 1952 'Othello' here, and the walls later doubled as Astapor in Game of Thrones.
Laid out in the 1760s by French engineer Théodore Cornut, the whitewashed medina is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its straight, walkable grid shelters spice stalls, silver souks and craft workshops behind blue-shuttered doors.
The Skala du Port and its fleet of bright blue wooden boats form one of Morocco's busiest sardine harbours. Come in late afternoon to watch the boats land their catch and the gulls wheel above the open-air auction.
A wide crescent of golden sand sweeps south from the medina toward the dunes and the ruined Borj el Bermil. The steady trade winds keep it cooler than inland cities and perfect for long walks and football games at low tide.
Essaouira's dependable 'alizée' trade winds earned it the nickname 'Wind City of Africa'. Schools along the bay rent gear and teach windsurfing and kitesurfing, with the strongest, most consistent winds running April to September.
Stables on the edge of town run guided horse and camel rides along the beach toward the Oued Ksob river mouth and the dunes, a relaxed way to take in the open coast and Atlantic surf away from the medina.
The town's palm-edged main square links the medina to the port and hums with cafés. It is the focal point of festival season and the prime spot to sip mint tea and watch Essaouira life roll past.
Essaouira is the world capital of thuya (thuja) carving, a craft tied to the argan-belt forests around the town. Watch artisans turn and inlay the fragrant burl wood into boxes, chess sets and furniture in the workshops below the ramparts.
Essaouira is the spiritual home of Gnaoua, a hypnotic Sufi music fusing African, Amazigh and Arab roots. The Gnaoua World Music Festival, running since 1998, fills the streets and the beach with free concerts every June.
The town has long drawn painters, and small galleries throughout the medina show Gnaoua-inspired and self-taught Souiri artists. The bright, naïve coastal style is distinct to Essaouira and a souvenir worth more than a rug.
The countryside around Essaouira is the heartland of the argan tree, found almost nowhere else on Earth. Women's co-operatives on the Marrakech and Agadir roads demonstrate the hand-cracking process and sell culinary and cosmetic oil.
Pick your fish straight off the ice at the port-side grill stalls and have it cooked on the spot, or sit down to sardines, calamari and prawns in the medina. The day's catch is as fresh as Morocco gets.
About 25 km south, this wild surf-and-windsurf village gathers around the seaside marabout shrine of Sidi Kaouki. Its long, empty beach and laid-back cafés make the easiest half-day escape from town.
South across the Oued Ksob lies the village of Diabat, once a hippie haunt linked to Jimi Hendrix. The walk passes the sand-drowned ruins of the Borj el Bermil fort, said by some to have inspired the song 'Castles Made of Sand'.
Two days covers the medina, ramparts, port and a beach afternoon. Stay three or more if you want to windsurf, walk to Sidi Kaouki or Diabat, and visit argan co-operatives on the roads out of town.
Spring (April to June) and autumn (September to October) bring warm, pleasant weather. Wind lovers favour the strong summer trade winds, while June brings the famous Gnaoua World Music Festival.
The beach is superb for walking, windsurfing, kitesurfing and horse or camel rides, but the steady wind and cool Atlantic make Essaouira better for watersports and long coastal days than for sunbathing or calm swimming.
The easy half-day trips are Sidi Kaouki and Diabat down the coast. Further afield, Marrakech is about two and a half hours inland, while the surf coast at Taghazout and the city of Agadir lie a few hours south.
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