Tours From Essaouira | Essaouira Tours

Essaouira morocco tours-best essaouira excursion

Morocco travel holidays offer amazing Essaouira tours for all travelers ho want to discover that magical city and that an introduction about it.

Essaouira, or Mogador is located on the western coast of Morocco. It is a small, sleepy town that has gained some prominence lately as a getaway from Marrakech. Today, the city Essaouira Morocco retains a small-town feel but it wasn’t always this way. medina Essaouira’s biggest attraction may be its relaxing atmosphere. It’s not a big town, and being a beach place it has a holiday feel about it. Essaouira is very much a working port and a fishing town. The medina is surrounded by walls and there are 5 main gates you can navigate by. The medina Essaouira is free of cars and it’s also quite clean. The souqs (bazaars) are easy to navigate and you don’t have to worry about getting lost. They are located around the junction between Rue Mohammed Zerktouni and Rue Mohammed el-Qory (just ask a local shopkeeper when you’re there to point you in the right direction). Basically, it is a relatively small area and you can explore at your own pace and walk down any narrow alley that looks interesting to you. The only place to avoid is the Mellah area of the medina at night.discover Essaouira morocco riads and Essaouira beach.

Essaouira attracts both artists and photographers, as well as windsurfers who consider the local skiing to be the best in Africa.

marrakech essaouira distance

Essaouira city is located 176 km west of Marrakech.

casablanca essaouira distance

Essaouira city is located 372 km of Casablanca.

Informatioin About Essaouira Historique

The name of the city comes from the word suirah – “beautifully drawn”, and indeed, Essaouira is distinguished by an unusual regular layout for the country, which owes it to the French slave of the Sultan Sidi Mohammed, who in 1760 proposed the project for the current development. In the Roman era, the “purple” islands of Mogador (also the ancient name of Essaouira), located near the coast, supplied the dye obtained from shellfish for the royal mantle. Such a mantle was on the shoulders of Ptolemy at his meeting with Caligula, and it also served as a pretext for the murder of the Moorish ruler, who claimed to be superior in dress.

A busy fishing port is the epicenter of urban activity. Today tourism is competing with sardine fishing as the basis of the urban economy, although there are few attractions in the traditional sense in Essaouira. Chief among them – the fortress Scala (Skala) , which offers a wonderful view of the bay and a small town museum Sidi Mohammed (rue Derb Laalouj; open: 8.30-18.00; closed: Tue, entrance fee) . Guests of the city spend most of their time at the bazaars of wooden products, admiring the works of local craftsmen offered by the merchants.

To the south of the port stretched sand dunes Diabate (Diabat) , where once settled colony of hippies, led by Jimi Hendrix. Today the beach has been chosen by fans of windsurfing.

Essaouira doesn’t have many iconic sights and interesting places, but the city is very atmospheric and will suit those who want to relax on the ocean shore, leisurely strolling along the port and fortresses. And not getting tired of stroking the cats, they are very fat here (ate on fish)!

Things To See in Essaouira

Medina

The medina in Essaouira is very small (not as huge as in Fez) and it is difficult to get lost here. The old town is walled and was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2001. Scenes from “Kingdom of Heaven” and “Game of Thrones” (the city of Astapor in the bay of slave traders) were filmed here

City walls

The old city is separated from the ocean by massive fortress walls – a fine example of European fortification architecture in North Africa. We did not manage to get upstairs, they were doing some repair work..

Port

The port in Essaouira is very colorful: blue boats, a lot of seagulls and fishermen with a fresh catch. It’s a little dirty here, and I don’t really want to buy fish, it lies almost on the road. But the place to walk and take pictures is great!

Citadel

A classic postcard view from Essaouira, and once you climb to the top, you can look at the medina, port and neighboring island from a low altitude. During our visit, everything was surrounded by a fence and also renovated. Entrance fee: 10 dirham Opening hours: 09: 00-17: 30

Markets in Essaouira

There are several interesting markets in the old town: a fish market, a spice and jewelry market, where you can buy argan oil and other cosmetics, woodwork, teapots, ceramics, gold jewelry and much more.

Beach in Essaouira

Very few people swim on the local beach – the water is pretty cool all year round. But for walking there is a long and beautiful embankment with all the infrastructure. Tourists just love to sunbathe on the wide beach, while locals love to play football. Here it is just a massive hobby. Windsurfing and kitesurfing are also popular on the beach, since the wind blows here almost constantly.

Best Essaouira Restaurants

You will find many restaurants and cafes in the main square; there are dozens of good open-type fish restaurants near the port. Several cheap fast food outlets are located on Ave Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah, which runs across the medina. Here are some more cafes and restaurants that I recommend: Restaurant Keltoum – Typical Moroccan food, tasty and inexpensive. Vague Bleu is a small cafe with Italian cuisine and fresh fish, inexpensive. Taros – a bar with alcoholic cocktails in the main square, a cool terrace with a panoramic view, prices are above average. Pasta Baladin – pasta with various sauces, prices are slightly above average. Restaurant La Découverte

How to get to Essaouira?

There are three bus stations in the city: the main one, from where most buses leave (closer to the outskirts of the city), as well as the bus stations of CTM and Supratours companies. The last one is closest to the medina and the embankment, so we used it. The CTM and Supratours buses are slightly more expensive than all the others, but they have good service on board. Here are the prices for CTM buses from / to Essaouira from different cities in Morocco:

Agadir – 3 flights per day, 70 dirham, 3 hours

Casablanca – 4 flights per day, 140 dirham, 7 hours

Marrakech – 2 flights per day, 80 dirham, 2.5 hours

Tan-Tan – 1 flight, 175 dirham, 11 hours on the way.

Essaouira day trips Iside the city

THE BEST THINGS TO DO IN ESSAOUIRA, MOROCCO

1)ESSAOUIRA’S RAMPARTS

The ramparts of Essaouira Morocco are located where the medina meets the Atlantic Ocean. These essaouira ramparts were built in the 1760s by a French military architect, Theodore Cornut, to protect the port from looters. The design was inspired by the city of Saint Malo in France. If you are a fan of old movies, you may recognize them from the beginning of Orson Welles’ 1952 film Othello. The film opens with a shot of Iago hanging in a cage above the rocks that was shot here.

The ramparts of the waterfront are bounded by the impressive skala, a kind of defensive bastion. At one end is the Skala of the Port, which is the gateway to the fishing port. And at the other end is the Skala of the City, with 19 bronze cannons lined up along the seawall. The ramparts offer a magnificent view of the medina and the ocean. You will usually find artists’ and craftsmen’s stalls set up along the waterfront or in the arcades below, which were originally military stores.

There are two different ways to get on top of the ramparts. First, you can enter at the actual entrance right before the port. The admission is 60 dirham at last check. But, if you stroll down to the port, nearly to the end you’ll find a  stairway going up. It’s actually possible to enter here and walk along the rampart and see the port from above as well as the old Portuguese and Spanish cannons.

Enjoy MAGNIFICENT SUNSET IN ESSAOUIRA

Essaouira’s west coast location makes it an ideal place to watch the sun slowly plunge into the water. Looking across the Atlantic Ocean on a clear day, there is a spectacular light show at dusk, with the fading sun shining on the golden stone and fishing boats and seagulls looming against the light. Take a prime location along the ramparts or climb to the roof of the Taros Bar, Place Moulay Hassan, to watch the sunset.

Horseback riding

Whether you want to take a horseback ride on the beach or a longer adventure in the nearby villages, there are many options that start in Essaouira. Of course, if you dream of riding a camel on the beach, that is also possible.

Quad Biking

You prefer to go faster? when rentals and excursions essaouira are also an option. There are routes on the beach and also through the forests surrounding Essaouira. You can rent a quad directly on the beach or book in advance if you don’t want to deal with the haggling and the different prices you might find in person.

LEARN TO COOK MOROCCAN FOOD(essaouira cooking class)

One of the best ways to enjoy your vacation home is to learn how to cook local dishes. essaouira food tour. The cooking school L’Atelier Madada offers half-day courses with a local chef, which are taught in French and English. The day begins with a class on how to prepare a real Moroccan mint tea, then you prepare a two-course menu and take a tour of the spice souks in the market.

You can choose from a range of traditional tajines, as well as other dishes such as pastilla (pie made of several layers of puff pastry), zaalouk (eggplant salad) or briouates (filled triangular pastries).

Essaouira Dy trips And Tours IDEAS(outside)-Essaouira 1 day

day trips to essaouira from marrakech

Enjoy Best essaouira day tours from marrakech:one of best morocco tours from marrakech

Discover Essaouira Morocco With Marrakech day trip to Essaouira. During this excursion essaouira day tour from Marrakech, you can visit the old medina of Essaouira, the port and the Scala and the Argan woman’s co-operative, eat traditional dishes, and see Essaouira beach and the city gates.

Essaouira or Mogador is an old fort and fishing port located within 2 hours drive from Marrakech. It is considered one of the most popular day tours out of Marrakech. Essaouira day trip: A full day Marrakech to Essaouira tour is by far the most appreciated day tours by our clients: Many of them discover that hidden gem for the first time. Right away they decide to come back for sure to a short break in the peaceful and artsy and hippy town of Essaouira.

Essaouira day trips from Marrakech is a must-do day trip. Essaouira Situates in 175 kilometers away from Marrakech City. The beach of Essaouira is a long ribbon of around ten kilometers bathed in the surf. Its sheer size is surprising and its tranquillity is reassuring. There is an invigorating sensation from the ocean breeze as soon as you set foot on the immaculate sand., you will also admire the view of goats on trees. Essaouira is a medieval city known for its annual festival of Gnaoua music. UNESCO considers the city to be an international heritage. There are many other things to admire during your Essaouira day trip from Marrakech such as its pleasant weather, place Moulay El Hassan, La Skala, the port, the ramparts, and the Jewish district ‘Derb Lealouj’. thanks to the ocean breeze, Essaouira benefits from the cool air.

check our private day trip from Marrakech to essaouira (we offer also shared day trips from marrakech to essaouira)

day trips to essaouira from casablanca

Day Trip To Essaouira From Casablanca Started Wth depart from your accommodation in Casablanca,Drive for about 4.5 hours. and then drive you to one of the loveliest cities in morocco. Before reaching to Essaouira you will have an exceptional places in the road to admire the landscape; Arriving Essaouira Discovering the old History of Essaouira and enjoy a spectacular weather of this city. You will have free time to get your lunch and to stroll in Essaouira, Feel free to explore this city and to say your farewells.

begin exploring this stunning example of Moroccan heritage. Wander through the historic streets and walk along the beaches. The Mogador Island, just a few meters off the coast, lies in clearest of waters and its moderate waves and the surroundings make it one of the most popular beaches in the area.

check our day trips to essaouira from casablanca

day trip to essaouira from agadir

AGADIR DAY TRIP TO ESSAOUIRA

 Get to know the unique history, culture, and heritage of Essaouira on a one day trip.
A Visit to the Medina of Essaouira offers a charming colorful landscapes from The Moroccan – Portuguese style, to the Grand Mosque, terraces, cafes, and the souk. This old Portuguese city was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Morocco in 2001.

agadir essaouira distance is 175km with 2h52 driving time

[sc_fs_multi_faq headline-0=”h2″ question-0=”Is Essaouira worth visiting?” answer-0=”Yes, Essaouira definitely is worth visiting, but no way should it cost $200 per person–do it on your own via Grand Taxi, bus or rental car. If you have a choice, skip Todra Gorge and instead head up the beautiful Dades Gorge. ” image-0=”” headline-1=”h2″ question-1=”How many days do you need in Essaouira?” answer-1=”I would not recommend a day trip to Essaouira from Marrakech. It’s too much travel. At least spend one night there. There’s definitely enough to see and do for 1-2 days.” image-1=”” headline-2=”h2″ question-2=”What is Essaouira known for?” answer-2=”Essaouira is known as Morocco’s windy city. A combination of spectacular beaches, great sea and the almost constant tropical trade winds has changed this city from a hardworking port into one of the world’s greatest sites for windsurfing, kiteboarding and other exhilarating watersports.” image-2=”” headline-3=”h2″ question-3=”Can you swim in Essaouira?” answer-3=”Essaouira is renowned for it strong winds. The Atlantic ocean also has very strong currents. The best places to swim on the Atlantic coast are in bays, like in Agadir or Oualidia. Beach weather should be OK in April, though” image-3=”” headline-4=”h2″ question-4=”Is there a train from Marrakech to Essaouira?” answer-4=”Getting to and from Marrakech Train station Note that trains don’t go further south than Marrakech and there are no trains to Agadir or Essaouira.” image-4=”” headline-5=”h2″ question-5=”Does Essaouira have an airport?” answer-5=”Essaouira-Mogador Airport (Arabic: مطار الصويرة موكادور‎) (IATA: ESU, ICAO: GMMI) is an international airport serving Essaouira (formerly known as Mogador), a city in the Marrakesh-Safi region in Morocco.” image-5=”” count=”6″ html=”true” css_class=””]

Our Essaouira Tours Activities:

✎ essaouira tours from marrakech ✎ essaouira bike tours ✎ essaouira sahara tours ✎ essaouira morocco tours ✎ best essaouira tours ✎ quad tours essaouira ✎ essaouira morocco boat tours ✎ greg tours essaouira ✎ essaouira tour guide ✎ essaouira boat tour ✎ essaouira boat trips ✎ essaouira desert tour ✎ essaouira day tour ✎ best essaouira day tours from marrakech ✎ tour essaouira da marrakech ✎ tour essaouira de marrakech ✎ essaouira buggy quad day tours ✎ essaouira trips from marrakech ✎ essaouira food tour ✎ tours from essaouira ✎ essaouira free tour ✎ tours in essaouira ✎ essaouira quad tour