Essaouira in 3 days
Essaouira means wind-battered ramparts, a blue fishing port crowded with boats and a relaxed medina where Gnawa music drifts through the lanes. It is the laid-back seaside town of Morocco, popular with kitesurfers.
The plan, day by day
Day 1
- Morning
The walled medinafree · about 2 hAn 18th-century fortified town laid out on a grid and listed by UNESCO, with whitewashed houses, blue shutters and thuya-wood craft workshops.
- Afternoon
The fishing portfree · about 1 hBlue wooden boats, nets and gulls, with the day's catch sold on the quay and grilled at stalls nearby.
Day 2
- Morning
Kitesurfing spotsfree · half a dayStrong, steady trade winds make the long beach south of town one of Morocco's best-known spots for kitesurfing and windsurfing, with schools and gear hire.
Day 3
- Morning
The Skala rampartsfree · about 30 minThe seaward bastion lined with old bronze cannons, looking out over the rocks and the Atlantic breakers.
- Evening
Gnaoua World Music Festivalfree · an eveningEach summer, concerts on the squares and the beach bring Gnawa master musicians together with jazz and world music artists.
Where to sleep in Essaouira
- Riad Nakhla · €35 a night
- Atlantic Hostel · €22 a night
- Les Matins Bleus · €50 a night
- Riad Al Madina · €85 a night
- Dar Loulema · €120 a night
- Riad Baladin · €70 a night
- Villa Maroc · €200 a night
- Salut Maroc · €170 a night
- Riad Dar Maya · €140 a night
Plan this trip
Hotel prices per room per night, checked when written. Some links are affiliate links: we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.