Essaouira is an Atlantic port city in Morocco of around 83,000 people, founded in the mid-18th century by the ‘Alawite sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah and laid out with European-style fortifications; its walled medina is UNESCO-listed as a late-1700s model town. White ramparts, blue fishing boats and windswept beaches set the scene, with highlights including the Skala seafront bastions, medina lanes and fish market, and long strands popular with wind- and kitesurfers. Culture peaks in June with the Gnaoua & World Music Festival, which brings large crowds to outdoor stages across the old town. Getting here is straightforward: it’s roughly a three-hour Supratours or CTM bus ride from Marrakech, with services throughout the day.
CAFÉS
Back to Morocco.