Essaouira
The pearl of the Atlantic: a UNESCO-listed medina, ramparts, fishing port and trade winds.
Once Mogador, Essaouira charms with its white and blue UNESCO-listed medina, its ocean-battered ramparts and its busy fishing port.
A city of artists and Gnaoua music, swept by the trade winds, it is Morocco's kitesurfing and windsurfing capital and a favourite coastal escape from Marrakech.
An 18th-century port laid out by a French architect on Vauban's principles. UNESCO cites it as an example of a European fortified town built in North Africa, and one of the great Atlantic trading posts between Africa and Europe.
Medina of Essaouira — inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2001.
What to see and do in Essaouira
- The UNESCO-listed fortified medina
- The Skala ramparts and the cannons
- The fishing port and its blue boats
- The long beach, a kite and windsurf spot
- The thuya woodwork studios
- The Gnaoua festival (June)
Frequently asked questions
How long do we allow there?
One to two nights, or a day trip from Marrakech, two and a half hours away. We run both.
Can you swim at Essaouira?
The beach is superb but windy and the water cool: ideal for kitesurfing and windsurfing, bracing for swimming. For a proper beach holiday we point you to Agadir instead.
When to go?
All year round: the climate is mild and summer stays cooler than inland, thanks to the trade winds.