Essaouira is the antidote to Marrakech. Where Marrakech is loud, chaotic and relentless, Essaouira is windswept, calm and genuinely relaxed. It is the one city in Morocco where nobody is trying to sell you something every thirty seconds, where you can walk the ramparts above the Atlantic and feel genuinely far from the tourist circuit.
It is also, in my opinion, the most underrated city in Morocco.
THE MEDINA : A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE THAT DOESN’T FEEL LIKE ONE
The Essaouira medina is small enough to navigate without getting lost, a genuine rarity in Morocco. It was built in the 18th century by a French architect working for the Alaouite sultan, which is why it has an unusually ordered grid layout compared to the organic chaos of Fes or Marrakech. The streets are wider, the walls are white and blue and the Atlantic light gives everything a clarity that other medinas don’t have.
The medina is compact enough to walk end to end in twenty minutes. This is both its limitation and its charm. You can explore it properly in a day, which means the rest of your time in Essaouira is about slowing down, eating well, walking the ramparts, watching the fishing boats come in.
THE RAMPARTS AND THE SEA
The Skala de la Ville, the sea bastion on the northern edge of the medina, is one of the most dramatic spots in Morocco. Old bronze cannons point out over the Atlantic from the battlements and on a clear day the view stretches to the horizon. The wind here is almost always strong, Essaouira is one of the windiest cities in Africa, which is why it has become a world-class destination for windsurfing and kitesurfing.
Walk the ramparts in the late afternoon when the light is best. The combination of white walls, blue boats, crashing Atlantic waves and the smell of grilled fish from the port below is something you will not forget.
The port is active and working, not a tourist reconstruction. Fishing boats go out every night and return in the morning. The fish auction at the port happens early, around 8am and is worth seeing if you can get yourself up for it.
THE BEACH
Essaouira has a long, wide Atlantic beach that stretches south for kilometers from the medina walls. It is beautiful and almost always windy, the constant wind that makes it perfect for water sports also makes it less comfortable for sunbathing than the beaches further south.
In summer the beach fills with Moroccan families from Marrakech escaping the inland heat. Outside peak season it is relatively empty and genuinely spectacular.
The southern end of the beach, past the river mouth, has the best windsurfing and kitesurfing conditions. Several schools operate here offering lessons and equipment rental.
THE FOOD : THE BEST FISH IN MOROCCO
Essaouira has the best seafood in Morocco. This is not a debatable point. The combination of Atlantic waters, a working fishing port and a tradition of grilling fish over charcoal produces something that visitors from coastal countries find genuinely impressive.
The port grill stalls are the most famous, a row of grills where you choose your fish from the display, agree a price and eat it cooked in front of you at a table on the quayside. The atmosphere is chaotic and wonderful, the fish is exceptional, prices are fair but negotiate slightly, the first price is rarely the best one.
For a sit-down meal, walk away from the port stalls and find one of the small restaurants in the medina streets. A full grilled fish with salad and bread costs 60-100 MAD in a local place. Avoid the restaurants on the main tourist square which charge three times the price for half the quality.
Argan oil is produced in the region around Essaouira, you will see the goats climbing argan trees along the road from Marrakech, which is as strange as it sounds. Buy argan oil here rather than in Marrakech, better quality, better prices and you can visit cooperatives where women produce it traditionally.
THE MUSIC AND CULTURE
Essaouira has an extraordinary musical culture built around Gnawa music, a hypnotic, trance-inducing form rooted in the rituals of sub-Saharan African slaves brought to Morocco centuries ago. The annual Gnawa World Music Festival, held in June, turns the city into one of the great music festivals in Africa, with free outdoor concerts and collaborations between Gnawa masters and international musicians.
Outside festival time, Gnawa musicians can be found in the medina, particularly around the main square. The music is not a tourist performance, it is a living spiritual tradition. Listen respectfully.
Essaouira has also attracted artists and musicians for decades, Jimi Hendrix famously visited in 1969, inspiring persistent legends that he composed parts of “Castles Made of Sand” here. Whether or not the story is true, the artistic atmosphere that attracted him is still present.
WHAT TO DO BEYOND THE MEDINA
The Île de Mogador, the small island visible from the ramparts, is home to one of the largest Eleonora’s falcon colonies in the world. Boat trips to the island operate seasonally, ask at the port.
Day trips south along the coast reveal empty beaches, argan forests and Berber villages. Rent a car or hire a grand taxi for the day if you want to explore beyond the medina.
The Wednesday souk outside the medina walls is a large weekly market serving the surrounding region, produce, livestock, second-hand goods, spices. Completely local, worth an hour of your time.
Marquee surf and kitesurfing schools operate on the beach south of the medina. If you have never tried either, Essaouira is an excellent place to learn, the conditions are consistent and the instruction quality is high.
WHERE TO STAY
Essaouira has excellent riads at reasonable prices. The medina is small enough that location within it matters less than in Fes or Marrakech, you are never more than ten minutes from anything.
Staying inside the medina walls is strongly recommended over the hotels outside, the atmosphere is completely different and the wind that can make the beach uncomfortable becomes charming when you are in a sheltered courtyard.
Prices are lower than Marrakech for comparable quality. A good riad with a sea view or rooftop terrace costs €50-90 per night.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Getting there: No direct international flights to Essaouira, the nearest airport is Marrakech Menara, 2.5 hours away. CTM buses run daily from Marrakech (around 70 MAD, 3 hours). Grand taxis from Marrakech cost around 100-150 MAD per person shared, or 600-800 MAD for the whole taxi.
Getting around: The medina is walkable, taxis for the beach and outside the walls.
Best time to visit: April-June and September-October. July and August are busy with Moroccan tourists from Marrakech. The wind is constant year-round, pack a layer regardless of the season.
How long to spend: 2-3 nights is ideal. Long enough to slow down and feel the rhythm of the city. Essaouira does not reward rushing.
Budget: Cheaper than Marrakech. Good riad €50-90/night. Grilled fish at the port 60-100 MAD. Street food and café meals 20-50 MAD.
MARIA’S HONEST VERDICT
Essaouira is the city I recommend to anyone who finds Marrakech overwhelming, which is most people, eventually. It has everything Morocco does well: beautiful architecture, extraordinary food, a living culture, stunning landscape and none of the aggression. The wind takes some getting used to. The pace is slower than anywhere else in Morocco. Both of these things are, in my experience, exactly what most visitors need.