Essaouira: A Complete City Guide

Last updated: October 2025

Essaouira is where Moroccan travel writers reach for words like ‘breezy’ and mean it literally. The trade winds that hit this stretch of Atlantic coast are consistent enough that the town has built a windsurfing and kitesurfing industry around them, and strong enough that outdoor dining requires a grip on your napkin. The wind is both the defining feature and the main reason the beach, despite being one of the longest and most beautiful in Morocco, rarely gets crowded in the way that warm, calm-water beaches do.

The medina is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and looks unlike any other in Morocco. Built by a Portuguese architect to Portuguese plans in the 1760s, it has a grid layout, wide ramparts, and a symmetry that the older organically-grown medinas of Fes and Marrakech lack entirely. Artists discovered it in the 1960s, musicians in the 1970s (Jimi Hendrix reportedly spent time here, though the exact details vary by who is telling the story), and the creative community that accumulated over decades gives the city a particular atmosphere.

The Ramparts and the Sea Bastions

The Skala de la Ville, the sea bastion running along the north side of the medina, is lined with antique Portuguese cannons pointing out to sea and gives the best elevated view of the Atlantic and the offshore Purpuraire Islands. The walk along the top of the ramparts takes about 20 minutes at a reasonable pace and is entirely free. Come at sunset for the light, or early morning to have it largely to yourself.

The harbor at the south end of the medina is a working fishing port. Blue-painted wooden boats, nets drying, the smell of sea and diesel. The port restaurants at the harbor gate serve fresh fish grilled to order at prices set by the weight of what you choose. This is the best lunch in Essaouira and possibly the best value meal in Morocco per quality of ingredient.

The Medina and the Souks

The grid layout makes Essaouira’s medina far easier to navigate than most. The main artery, Rue Mohammed el-Qory, runs the length of the old town and connects the kasbah gate to the harbor. Art galleries, craft shops selling thuya wood products (a local specialty, the burled argun tree cut and polished into bowls, boxes, and furniture), and music instrument shops line the lanes off the main street.

Thuya woodwork is worth buying here. The craftsmen in Essaouira have been working with this material for generations and the quality of the best pieces is exceptional. Prices have risen with the tourist influx, but a well-made thuya box or chess set at 200 to 400 MAD is a fair deal for the work involved.

The Beach

The beach at Essaouira runs for several kilometres south of the medina walls. The sand is clean and fine, the dunes to the south are interesting to walk, and the kitesurfers and windsurfers in the middle section provide constant movement. For actually lying on the beach and getting warm, it is not the right choice: the wind ensures you arrive at the restaurant afterwards covered in sand. The beach is excellent for walking, for watching the wind sports, and for the views back to the medina walls from the water line.

Argan Oil and the Cooperatives

The region around Essaouira sits in the Argan forest belt, the only place on earth where Argan trees grow wild. Argan oil, pressed from the kernels of the argan fruit, is used for cooking and cosmetics and has become a significant export product. Women’s cooperatives outside the city produce and sell authentic argan oil at fair prices that support the producers directly. Buying here rather than from medina shops of uncertain provenance is both better quality and better ethics.

Gnawa Music

Essaouira is the home of the annual Gnawa and World Music Festival, held each June, which brings tens of thousands of visitors to the city for four days of outdoor concerts. The Gnawa tradition, a spiritual music and healing practice rooted in sub-Saharan African ancestry, is represented in Essaouira year-round. Gnawa musicians perform in the medina most evenings and several dedicated music spaces host regular performances.

Wind, Water, and Activities

Essaouira is one of the windiest cities on the Moroccan coast. The trade winds that blow consistently from the north make the beach cold for sunbathing much of the year, but they also make Essaouira a premier destination for windsurfing and kitesurfing. The main beach south of the medina has several rental shops and schools offering lessons. From April to November, conditions are reliable, with winds averaging 15 to 25 knots.

Horseback and camel rides along the beach are available year-round and are popular with families. A one-hour ride typically costs 200 to 350 MAD. Surfing is better south of Essaouira at Sidi Kaouki, a small beach village about 25 kilometers down the coast with consistent waves and a handful of surf camps and guesthouses.

The fishing port is active every morning and is one of the most photogenic spots in town. Fishermen haul in sardines, sea bass, and other catch, and the adjoining open-air fish market lets you select your fish and have it grilled on the spot. A plate of mixed grilled fish with bread and salad costs 50 to 80 MAD. Arrive before noon for the best selection.

Accuracy note: Travel information, prices, and practical details in Morocco can change. This article reflects conditions at the time of writing. Verify current details before planning your trip.