Explore Essaouira on the Moroccan Coast
Essaouira, Morocco (ISO 800, 10 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 s)
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**This post is the 2nd of a 5-post series discussing what to see in Morocco. (You can check out the other parts in the list below, separated by each specific city. Everything is also summarized in another post here.**
Morocco is a country in Northwest Africa, whose region has been inhabited for over 300,000 years. It bears a rich geography with the Atlas Mountains in the center/south of the country, the Sahara desert to the west, with Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines to the north and west, respectively. The official languages of Morocco are Arabic and Berber, but you will also find French spoken in many of the country’s institutions.
In this post I will talk about some of the places to check out in Essaouira. If you would like to read more about Morocco, feel free to check out the blog posts below:
Marrakech (Blog Post: Taking a Walk Through Marrakech, Morocco)
Essaouira (Blog Post: Explore Essaouira on the Moroccan Coast)
Chefchaouen (Blog Post: Just a few reasons why you HAVE to see Chefchaouen in Morocco)
Merzouga - Sahara Desert (Blog Post: Why you should see the Sahara Desert in Merzouga, Morocco)
Summary (Blog Post: Which city in Morocco is best for you?)
About 200 km to the east of Marrakech lies the quaint coastal town of Essaouira. If you found Marrakech to be a bit busy and overwhelming at times, you will feel much more at ease in the confines of this city. Within the city walls are alleyways full of restaurants and cafes to relax at, sometimes with musical entertainment. The city itself is rather small and can be seen in about 1 day’s time, but if you’ve come from a bustling city like Marrakech or Casablanca, two days here is very satisfying.
The city is known for it's citadel and harbor, home to hundreds of brilliantly blue fisherman boats. The present city was constructed by European architects and was originally called 'Souira', meaning 'the small fortress' but the name then eventually became 'Es-Souira', meaning 'the beautifully designed'. Furthermore, artisans here are known for their craft in cabinet making and wood carving. If you meander along the alleyways you will indeed find several shops with large workrooms, crafting such masterpieces. It's also known for being quite windy, so it is a haven for kite and windsurfing (if that's your thing).
Essaouira, Morocco (ISO 800, 10 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 s)
How to get to Essaouira
There are just a few ways to get to Essaouira aside from taking a long taxi. You can take a flight to Essaouira Mogador Airport (Airport Code: ESU) from any airport in Morocco or from the greater region (when available). Secondly, you can take a train to Essaouira (specifically from Marrakech) using the company ONCF. Or you could do the cheapest option (which is what we opted for), and that was by bus. Since we were coming from Marrakech anyway, the bus ride was only 3 hours. From Marrakech, it costs about $10 with companies like CTM and Supratours. You can also do a minivan transfer which is a more cozy way of traveling, but it will set you back at least $30 a person.
Sqala du Port d'Essaouira
What will be most apparent upon arrival into Essaouira will be its city walls and fortifications. Back in 1766, the sultan Sidi Mohammad ben Abdallah commissioned the construction of the Sqala du Port. It was built on the site of a castle that existed before it (Castelo Real) whereby the stones of the castle were used for the fort. This fortress played a crucial war in the defense of the city during the Franco-Moroccan war. Present day, you can walk along many parts of the fort and take in the great ocean views.
Sqala du Port, Essaouira, Morocco (ISO 800, 11 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 s)
Borj El Barmil
A specific part of the Sqala du Port fortification happens to be the cannonade at Borj El Barmil. This set of a dozen or so cannons are situated on a fortress platform with inscriptions dating back centuries. When the weather is nice, as it was on the days we were there, this was one of our favorite spots.
Borj El Barmil, Essaouira, Morocco (ISO 800, 15 mm, f/5.6, 1/2500 s)
Port de Essaouira
It is thought that the Sultan Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah founded the port of Essaouira as a way of punishing the city of Agadir since that is where rebellions against his dynasty took place. The significance of the port had diminished greatly after its foundation in 1770 given Casablanca to the north and Agadir to the south.
It was also known as the ‘Port of Timbuktu’ due to its abundance of African products and by 1780, the port accounted for half of Morocco’s international trade. You could find things like camel skins, ostrich feathers, and ivory, among other things. Today you will still see a bustling port with hundreds of blue colors boats and various shipping supplies.
Essaouira, Morocco (ISO 800, 10 mm, f/5.6, 1/2500 s)
Plage d'Essaouira
You can’t have a coastline city like Essaouira without a beach. As with most beaches in Europe that have rocky beaches, you will find a wonderful sand beach at Plage d’Essaouira. Located just south of the Essaouria city center, here you will find a nice stretch of coastline with some food vendors, but an otherwise nice and idyllic setting. This was a perfect place to chill for a few hours, especially after coming in on the bus from Marrakech.
Bab Doukkala
They love their city gates in Morocco, also known as a ‘bab’. They usually have special names which plays to their significance and are usually located at the main entrances of the city walls. The Bab Doukkala is an 18th century gate which encloses the Essaouira medina to the Northeast of the city. It was classified as a historical monument in 1924 and continues to stand to this day. Sometimes the babs are quite ornate, others are basic. Rest assured you will see many Babs in many Moroccan cities, some more special than others.
Essaouira, Morocco (ISO 800, 18 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 s)
Bab El Marsa
The Bab el-Marsa is also an 18th century gate, but built in 1769 by Ahmed El Inglizi and also serves as an enclosure of the Essaouira Medina. It is a bit more imposing than the Bab Doukkala, but also of course a bit newer. Given that is also a site of cultural significance, it is also worth seeing.
Essaouira, Morocco (ISO 800, 55 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 s)
Island of Mogador
Just off the coastline, you will see a group of islands in the distance (The Purpuraires Islands), the main island being the Island of Mogador. The harbor of that island is protected by the island itself, making it relatively peaceful against strong winds. There are a number of fortifications on the island such as the Borj El Assa (for surveillance) and 6 total bastions for defensive purposes. You will even find a mosque and prison on the island as well.
Legend has it that members of the Rhamna tribe were detained in the prison but managed to dig a tunnel underneath the prison wall. Most escaped but drowned before reaching the Essaouira shoreline.
Unfortunately, the Island of Mogador can only be admired from afar as it has been deemed as a bird sanctuary and you need a permit from the government to visit.
Tara Cafe
Making your way into the city walls, you will find it to be similar to Marrakech, with vendors and small shops and cafes. But you’ll notice that it’s a bit quieter, more tranquil, and less crowded than Marrakech. A good way in, relax at Taraa Cafe and enjoy the surroundings. What we enjoyed most about this place was its vibe and bright decor. The tea we had was simple and there was even a talented local playing songs for the people around.
Although this list is nowhere near comprehensive, it should give you a great idea of what to expect from this city and some of the sites that should not be missed.
Overall, Essaouira is rather modest in size compared to the rest of Moroccan cities, but the tranquility here cannot be rivaled. It turned out to be my favorite city of the whole trip, which is more impressive considering that we also say Marrakech, Fez, Casablanca, Merzouga, and Chefchaouen.
