{"id":18916,"date":"2017-03-19T05:25:43","date_gmt":"2017-03-18T18:25:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/?p=18916"},"modified":"2025-03-11T01:24:18","modified_gmt":"2025-03-10T14:24:18","slug":"essaouira-moroccan-city-feature","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intrepidtravel.com\/adventures\/essaouira-moroccan-city-feature\/","title":{"rendered":"Essaouira: The Moroccan city that should be on your radar"},"content":{"rendered":"

Imagine a city that seems to have everything going for it: rich culture, warm people, great food, coastal location…lots to do, but few tourists.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Well, you don’t have to imagine, because that’s Essaouira<\/a><\/strong> in a nutshell. It’s one of Morocco’s most laid-back, unassuming destinations, and we can only assume that’s because it’s so quietly confident it doesn’t need to steal the limelight.<\/p>\n

Though just two or three hours from Marrakech, it might as well be worlds apart. It simply doesn’t have the same visitor numbers or quite the same chaotic streets and souks. What it does have is a charm that’s hard to put your finger on. People are just more content here, they’re not hustling. They’re happy to talk to you, even if you adamantly refuse to buy that rug. Maybe its the seaside vibes, or maybe it’s the cultural influence (Portuguese, Berber, Jewish, Dutch and French), but it’s\u00a0as chilled as it is unique.<\/p>\n

\"EssaouiraIt’s also full of places to wander \u2013\u00a0diverse, intriguing, not necessarily polished ones. Start exploring at the port, which teems with atmosphere as locals go about mending fishing nets and constructing traditional boats. (There’s also fish shacks if you’re looking for a fresh snack.) From here, you get a good view of the fortified city from afar, where\u00a0stone walls surround the old town. Be sure to snap the classic Essaouira shots, but don’t gawp without walking. A short(ish) stroll from the port, across the water’s edge, takes you to the ramparts.<\/p>\n

VISIT ESSAOUIRA ON OUR 15-DAY ‘BEST OF MOROCCO’ TRIP<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

These old city walls are quite the sight. It’s where the medina meets the Atlantic, and the bronze canons they hold host to explain the city’s fortification (built for defense against attacks from the sea). But the crash of the waves here, and the likely sunset you’ll encounter if you linger long enough, are what you’ll remember. Grab takeout from the friendly Italian just nearby (Pasta Baladin), eat it on the ramparts, and you can’t help but feel at peace. Essaouira is enchanting, and really brings a certain calm to its visitors.<\/p>\n

\"\"READ ALL ABOUT ANOTHER MOROCCAN GEM: THE BLUE CITY OF CHEFCHAOUEN<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

By now it’s strange that we haven’t mentioned the wind. The coastal wind really is your constant companion in\u00a0Essaouira. If you’re into windsurfing, it’ll appeal immediately. After all, the city is known as the\u00a0‘Wind City of Africa’. It makes sense, therefore, that kite-surfing and general surfing are big here too. You can take lessons, and make the most of peak windsurfing season \u2013\u00a0April and November.<\/p>\n

But there’s more to the wind’s charm than sport. It acts as a deterrent for those simply wanting to\u00a0sunbathe from visiting. If you want a Moroccan resort to really relax at, you go to Agadir, several hours down south. But if you’re looking for therapeutic coastal walks after a half-day of exploring the medina’s delights, Essaouira is for you.<\/p>\n

\"Essaouira,For many, it’s\u00a0the city’s distinctive hippy vibes that prove a draw. The expat scene is sizable, and a nice byproduct of this is the trendy renovated riads they rent out and the hip galleries they own. (Seriously, the art scene is big here\u00a0\u2013 check out sculptures at Espace Othello and local paintings at\u00a0La Petite Galerie.) But one of the best projects by expats is Dar Caravane, a stunning French-owned property with a pool, garden and restaurant that’ll put most others in the city to shame. Just a short taxi from the city’s old town, and you’ll find yourself somewhere so tranquil, and well-designed, it’s worth spending an afternoon chilling here just to unwind.<\/p>\n

SUBSCRIBE TO INTREPID’S NEWSLETTER FOR TRAVEL INSPO, COMPETITIONS, GIVEAWAYS & MORE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

But don’t unwind too much. You don’t want to miss out on the\u00a0contemporary Moroccan craftsmanship this city excels at. If you thought the art was talented, wait till you see some of the following boutiques. There’s Galerie Jama, for leather bags and Berber jewelry, Kifkif, for only the most colorful Moroccan accessories, and Boutique Mehdi, which’ll fulfill all your glass jewelry and table linen needs. And that’s not even scratching the surface.<\/p>\n

But\u00a0shopping takes energy, and to have energy you need food…Luckily, the restaurants in Essaouira tend to balance being both\u00a0authentically Moroccan and intriguingly international. Case in point:\u00a0La Cl\u00e9 de Voute, which offers both Moroccan and French eats, and Loft, which boasts Moroccan decor and what has to be the best monkfish (and cr\u00e8me br\u00fbl\u00e9e) in town. Street eats are also worth checking out… particularly the aubergine fritters, crusty bread (that’s baked in communal wood-fired ovens), and brochettes (skewered meat).<\/p>\n

MORE ON SOUTH MOROCCO: A GUIDE TO\u00a0TAGHAZOUT AND TAROUDANT<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\"Morocco\"Last but not least,\u00a0Essaouira’s nightlife is worth a mention. Of course\u00a0this is hardly the be all and end all, and not the thing you come to Morocco for, but it is<\/em>\u00a0a bonus that fits in with the city’s Bohemian vibes.<\/p>\n

Here, there are two very different places you might want to explore. Beach and Friends is a restaurant right on the beach, the most chilled out place you could spend the evening at, plush outdoor seating and all. For somewhere livelier, head to Taros. Overlooking\u00a0Essaouira\u2019s main square,\u00a0the rooftop restaurant boasts not just\u00a0ros\u00e9, but live music too. Oh, and\u00a0they give out ponchos to wear when chilly.\u00a0That damn wind again…<\/p>\n

\"\"By now you’ve absorbed a lot of seemingly contradictory information. Essaouira is happening but peaceful;\u00a0historic but hip; a place for a quiet wander, yet one for a lively drink too. And, really, that sums up the port city’s charm. It’s a calmly chaotic, authentically artsy whirlwind of a place. And, yes, we had to get that wind mention in one more time. But discover its charm for yourself and you’ll see just how much more there is to this Moroccan gem.<\/p>\n

Want to visit Essaouria, plus more of Morocco’s delights? Check out our 15-day Best of Morocco tour.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Image Credits (top to bottom): Intrepid Travel, iStock, Intrepid Travel, iStock, Intrepid Travel, Rebecca Shapiro<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It’s a calmly chaotic, authentically artsy whirlwind of a place. You simply shouldn’t miss out on Essaouira if traveling to Morocco.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15888,"featured_media":18887,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[455],"tags":[844,16,523],"class_list":["post-18916","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature","tag-city-breaks","tag-morocco","tag-north-africa","ipf_region-morocco"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nA Must-Read Guide to Essaouira, Morocco's Coastal Gem | Intrepid Travel Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"It's a calmly chaotic, authentically artsy whirlwind of a place. 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