The Medina of Essaouira Morocco offers all of the traditional images one would expect in this North African country. A “medina” is the Arab or non-European quarter of North African cities. It is typically a fortified walled city with narrow and maze-like streets. I found the Medina of Essaouira easier to navigate and to shop as we were hassled less than the bigger cities of Marrakesh, Casablanca or Fes.
Essaouira is a town off the main tourist track. It’s just under 200 km to the west of Marrakesh along the Atlantic coast. Musicians and watersport enthusiasts flock to Essaouira. The annual Gnaoua World Music Festival kicks off summer with a style of music rooted in traditional North African culture and best defined as a fusion of jazz, soul, rock, pop and contemporary world music. The windy beach attracts water sports enthusiasts, and throughout summer numerous windsurfing and surf competitions take place.
Today it is the Medina of Essaouira that we want to explore. Essaouira is the first stop on the driving portion of our Moroccan road trip.
Note: Based on world conditions, we advise checking official channels including cancellation policies prior to booking. Also, with often reduced capacity, booking ahead becomes more important.
Medina of Essaouira: Photo Essay
Take a Tour in Essaouira
Tips for Visiting the Essaouira Medina:
- If you drive, remember the cost of parking is negotiable.
- The best stop to see spectacular sunsets is along the coastal wall of the Medina of Essaouira.
- Bring a jacket for the evenings. The temperature often cools down quite a bit.
- Eat or just have a cup of tea at Cafe Des Arts. Find it on the main road of the Medina, up two flights of stairs. We had a great meal and lively music. It is a small place.
- If you like to stay in self-contained accommodation and are happy to arrive without knowing where you will stay, the people standing on the side of the road as you enter town waving keys are offering an apartment for rent.
- Essaouira Beach is the place to try out a new watersport. Our girls chose to try surfing in Essaouira. What will you try?
- The Medina of Essaouira Morocco is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Stay in the Essaouira Medina:
I love to stay in the old medinas in Morocco, and we tried to make an exception here staying just outside the Medina of Essaouira the first night. After that, we went on a hunt for better accommodation. We were lucky to be off peak season, and therefore had lots of choices. After looking at several rooms in various riads, we were delighted when we walked into Riad Watier. Our room, the Lakhdar Family Suite, had two bedrooms including a loft and perfect or a family with two teens. And, attention was paid to every detail of the Moorish decor, our host was like a helpful friend, and the food was outstanding. Breakfast was so good, we opted to have dinner here as well.
⇒ Check for availability and current prices or Riad Watier
Have you been to the Medina of Essaouira? Do the photos match your expectations of a Moroccan city?
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Erika
Beautiful! I, too, loved Essouira and found it to be much more hassle free than Marrakech and Fes. Wonderful relaxed vibe and beautiful colors that you captured so nicely in your photos. Glad I found your blog!
Melody Lassalle
In the 1980s, a co-worker took a year off to travel around Africa. Morocco was one of the countries she visited. It seems that much has stayed the same since her visit.
I loved the photographs. You’ve really drawn out the sights and the flavors (if that can be done in photos!) of this region.
Elen @ Elen G
Oh, the spices, the spices. And the peanuts!
Amila
Really interesting read.Seems like a great historical site.
Like the first photo much.The way they hang spices is interesting.
Photo Cache
Morocco in the bucket list. I love anything to do with the market. Your shots are wonderful.
New Jersey Memories
What an interesting place. Not a part of the world that Americans get to see very often. You are having some amazing adventures! 🙂
Linda Blatchford
Wow, I’d like to visit that market, but feel like I have. I’d have to have the nuts too, just because …
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Aquariann
What a fascinating place! The spice displays look like gnome hats to me. ^.^
L. Diane Wolfe
I would be in spice Heaven!
Merlinda Little (@pixiedusk)
Aww what a lovely place! Love how cats can roam free and I can already smell the peanuts!
Amy
Are the spices wrapped up in coloured paper? very cool and the fish looks yummy
Claire
Lovely pictures 🙂 I would love to visit the shoe stall ..
Travelera
Yes, the pictures are typical Morocco life which is really interestian, It is interesting to see a different Medina here. I know you have been in the main cities of Morocco but I left you here some of my pictures from Marrakesh, they will bring you memories 🙂
Travelera
Thank you very much for stopping by. It is quite chaotic city… 😀
Tim Hirtle
These pictures make me miss Morocco; colors, sounds, and sights everywhere. But it was the food situation that I enjoyed most. Perfectly easy to find safe, cheap, and delicious tajine’s everywhere. Defiantly a place I’d consider living for a while if I ever decide to learn more French.
Rhonda Albom
I miss it too. It is one of my favorite countries that we have visited so far. I would have considered living there if I didn’t have teenage girls. They are strong and independent, free thinkers, and one is already a bit of an activist. Maybe once we are empty nesters.
Stephanie
Looks a great trip – we’ve not been here but we have been to Marrakech and that’s just crazy, everything about it. Love those spices although how on earth they get them to stay like that is beyond me 🙂
Rhonda Albom
Essaouira is like a toned down Marrakech, with a beach. As for the spices, I think they use glue, but I am not sure. There are big bins of the spice below the cones.
Comedy Plus
I’ve never been there and never will visit. You’re a world traveler and I’m not. No desire at all. I do enjoy tagging along with you as I did for that almost year you were gone.
Have a fabulous day. 🙂
Parent Club
What an adventure! I hope you had a great trip.
ladyfi
Lovely shots. I love your spices!
Karren Halle
What a great show shop!!!
Angela Thompson
Another trip I would love to take someday! Thank you for sharing!
VioletSky
That is one massive cart of peanuts!
And I like the spice display – even the way they name them for their use rather than the spice name – could be very useful.
Rhonda Albom
And the peanut aroma wafting from it was to tempting to resist. They roasted them right there on the spot.
Nancy
Very cool photos!
I bet this is an awesome place for sights, sounds, and smells!
Alex J. Cavanaugh
Beautiful market, but I think I’d pass on the fly-covered meat.
Rhonda Albom
I would say you get used to it after a while, but not really on the meat. We never had a kitchen in Morocco, although we did cook with a Berber family we stayed with in the interior.
There were flies on everywhere. When we were traveling we often ate only fresh bread from the bakery, bananas and laughing cow cheese.
Diana @ Toronto Teacher Mom
Morocco. Now there’s a place I’d love to visit one day.
Rhonda Albom
I hope you get a chance to get there. It is interesting and wonderful, a sort of paradise of the senses.
Charlotte
Great photos! Love the spices! Amazing how they get them to stay like that.
Rhonda Albom
I hope this doesn’t spoil your illusion. I am not sure about this photo, but I saw one in the interior of Morocco where part of the spice had pulled away from the cone, it was somehow attached, and the spice they sell sits in buckets at the base.
Charlotte
Oh no! Thought they must have cheated somehow as they are too neat! x
stevebethere
Love the photos especially the spices one…nice post Rhonda
Have a spicetastic week & thanks for sniffing by 🙂