February 2024
Even though out of our 5 days trip to Morocco we could have easily spent all this time in Marrakech, I felt we needed to go outside the city. Our nerves were boiling due to its harsh intensity and the urgency to have some rest was pressing.
There are many options of things to do and visit from Marrakech, but we didn’t even have to discuss this matter – we both knew it would be Essaouira.
Since I first saw photos from Essaouira on Along Dusty Roads blog, I knew that it will 100% be on our list once our own road takes us to Morocco. Finally, the day has come – and, boy, a good day it was.
How to get to Essaouira
There are multiple ways and bus companies connecting Marrakech with Essaouira but as usual, I’ll just share our experience. The companies suggested by majority of sites and guide books – Supratours and CTM – didn’t suit us in terms of schedule – their departure was too late. If we had to spend 6 hours of the day in a bus, then the time in Essaouira had to be at least as long. So, the solution was a SATAS bus with a departure at 06:00 – thus at 09:00 we were already in Essaouira. Fun fact – we were the only tourists on the buses on both trips – apparently most of the tourists stick to the companies above.
240 MAD – round trip for two (~22 €)
What to do in Essaouira
The moment we arrived to Essaouira, a great flush of relief covered both of us. After crazily hectic days in Marrakech (more about it here!), arriving to a quiet seaside town was a sooo much needed rest. We didn’t plan much for these days apart from chilling but surprisingly, even in a very relaxed rhythm, there are certain things not to miss in Essaouira. Some of them are pretty obvious, some of them less so, but I’ll do them in order.
First of all – Medina. If you come here from Marrakech, you are probably fed up by this point with souks, carpets and lamps. I thought this was our case but Essaouira’s Medina is much less oppressive and crowded that what we had seen in Marrakech. The sellers are way less insistant and the overall color palette matching the town contributes to the feeling of experiencing something different. Medina here is small and…cozy?
Naturally, the main striking point of Essaouira is its seafront. It’s a bit silly even to put it in a separate highlight but you won’t write an article about Paris without mentioning the Eiffel Tower, will you? So after the quick breakfast in a lovely place Des Arcades, we went straight to the quays. I’m happy to report that in reality, this iconic view of the town looks just as beautiful as any picture you might have seen before. In fact, it’s hypnotizing and judging from the amount of locals leaning against the barrier to watch the sea, it’s not only the first-time impression. The wind, the seagulls – everything was just like we imagined it.
Honestly, at this point I could wrap this article up. We spent hours walking along the sea and not getting enough of it – colors, beauty, people cycling along the quay (god I would have loved having my bicycle with me!), incredibly authentic looking fishermen working in the harbor with their catch, some selling it straight away at the fishmarket. It was insanely beautiful and peaceful. Not only we wanted to photograph every building and every person on our way but to sketch them too – Essaouira could have easily been a perfect place for a five-day drawing holiday.
Another iconic view of Essaouira is the harbor with dozens of small blue boats in front of the Borj El Barmil (the bastion). Only after leaving the town did we learn that blue was there for a reason – It is believed that the color wards off evil spirits and attracts fish, an important aspect for the town’s thriving fishing industry, which hasn’t changed much over the centuries. This is a gorgeous view indeed, the only saddening thing is the amount of trash and garbage floating in the middle. I also realize that I say the same thing almost about every place we visit and this is truly tragic.
Don’t hesitate to walk till the end of the quays – it’s relaxing, there are some cool pieces of street art, dozens of fishing boats and several simple cafés. As well as seagulls and even more seagulls. I struggled again to chose a reasonable amout of pictures for this article as you can guess…
Hover the picture with your mouse to see a less instagrammable view of Essaouira…
God save the camera timer!
We used the moment of the low tides to walk on the sand and draw a little – even if we have seen a good share of beautiful things in our travels, I think the view over the white and beige houses of Essaouira from the quays (or the sea) is one of the most beautiful ones I’ve ever seen.
On the bus ride to Essaouira we passed by numerous Argan cooperative farms and if we had more time, it would have been something worth visiting! However, in Essaouira’s market we saw a lot of stands where mostly women were selling their produce while preparing amlou. Amlou is a sort of almond butter, made of Argan oil, honey and almond paste. Do yourself a favor and try it – it’s freakishly delicious!
Architecture outside Medina is awesome too!
During the day we didn’t visit any museums or galleries as, truth to be told, we had enough of them in Marrakech, but there was a thing we went to – Essaouira cemetery. I won’t dwell about how calm and aesthetically pleasant this place is but rather its interest from a sociological point of view. In Essaouira there is a striking combination of two lives at the same time – locals and French expats who come here to spend their retirement. So, this cemetery is a glimpse to a parallel timeline of a community from Europe. Do I find it weird that the French come to spend their retirement years in Morocco? Yes. Do I understand why they do it? Also yes.
Essaouira is also known to be a local surf spot with that particular chill vibe that goes with it. As we were spending just a day in Essaouira, there was not much time to try the local waves out, but seeing people in wetsuits and surfboards brought nice memories from our times on the French Atlantic Coast. It’s funny how such an activity can shape the public you see in such towns – it was almost disturbing seeing the same blond hipsters that normally populate Biarritz BUT in a Moroccan setting.
For the way back we took the same bus and late in the evening were back in our bed in Marrakech. Essaouira is a wonderful place and depending on your needs deserves much more than one day. Just the act of staring at the ocean alongside locals and watching seagulls takes a lot of time, so be ready!
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