Experience
Essaouira
An Atlantic port fortified in the 18th century, its medina UNESCO-listed, about 175 kilometres from Marrakesh.
Essaouira, formerly Mogador, was rebuilt from the 1760s on the orders of Sultan Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah, to a regular plan drawn by the French engineer Theodore Cornut. Its medina has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2001.
It is one of the few Moroccan medinas in which you do not get lost: the streets cross at right angles and the ramparts are a permanent landmark. The fishing port is still working, with its blue boats and its daily auction.
The trade winds blow across the bay for much of the year. They made the town's name among windsurfers and kitesurfers, and make the beach more of a sporting proposition than a sunbathing one.
What there is to see
Skala de la Ville
A bastion over the ocean, with its row of 18th-century cannon.
Fishing port
Blue boats, a wooden boatyard and the late-morning auction.
Medina
The grid plan inherited from the 1760 layout, UNESCO-listed in 2001.
Bay and beach
A long sand beach, and windy: sailing, kitesurfing and land yachting.
Purpuraires Islands
A reserve facing the port, a nesting site for Eleonora's falcon.
Argan groves
Argan oil cooperatives on the Marrakesh road.
When to go
April to October. The temperature varies little across the year, but the wind is strongest from April to August and the water stays cool in every season.
Essaouira: frequently asked questions
How long does it take from Marrakesh to Essaouira?
About 175 kilometres by road, so two and a half to three hours. There is also a coach service, several times a day.
Can Essaouira be seen in a day from Marrakesh?
It can, but the round trip leaves barely three hours there. One night changes the visit entirely: the town shows itself late in the afternoon and early in the morning.
Can you swim at Essaouira?
Yes, but the Atlantic stays cool all year and the bay is windy. It is a place for board sports before it is a beach for lying on.
