Essaouira is a fortified harbour city on Morocco’s
Atlantic coast. There are direct flights now from the UK but if you arrive in
Marrakech jump onto a bus to get there (you can book tickets with Supratours online) or rent a car. The journey down to Essaouira by car takes three hours.
Don’t even think of speeding, fines are handed out readily (and that very
polite) by the police. You can go on a day trip from Marrakech to Essaouira but
that is really a long day. There is so much to see, better make it a weeklong
stay ….
1. Visit the harbour in Essaouira
Visit in the morning to see when the fishermen get back
from sea and trading is in full swing. Watch out for seagulls and cats, as they
try to get their share of the fresh catch. Did you know that it takes one year
and six people to build one of these bigger boats? Talk to the fishermen and they
will tell you all about it. The smell is a different story, and at times it feels
like you are about to faint from that stench, but keep on going and be rest
assured you won’t.
If you visit once more make it in the afternoon and you
are going to experience it very differently, the light and the mood of the place
changes in the course of the day.
2. Windsurfing, kitesurfing and surfing in Essaouira
Essaouira is called the windy city, and the strong trade
winds along the coast are great in summer for wind- and kitesurfing. From
October on it is apparently better for surfing when the big swell arrives. If
you didn’t bring your own equipment go and rent it at one of the surf schools
on the beach. Drive 20 to 25 kilometres south and reach Cap Sim and/or Sidi
Kaouiki, drive 30 kilometres north and reach Safi.
3. Walk up to the 18th-century seafront ramparts called the Skala in the Medina
The view over the ocean and beaches and parts of the
Medina are magnificent.
4. Walk through the Medina of Essaouira
Bring enough time to talk to as many people as you
can in the walled Medina. Ask questions and learn about their products and
their lives. Essaouira became World Heritage Site in 2001 because according to
UNESCO it has “for the most part conserved its authenticity.” Have fun and
smile. Visit at different times of the day, and don’t miss to visit the Souk
where locals go grocery shopping.
5. Look at the former consulates in the medina of Essaouira
There are eight old consulates. If you are a fan of
abandoned buildings, the old Portuguese consulate next to the Portuguese church
is especially striking. It is at the end of the small Rue Ibn Zohr, a street
named after a physician from Spain who died in 1161. Everything is padlocked
and the cobwebs create a ghostly atmosphere. The buildings are fast asleep and
probably wait to be kissed awake.
6. Have lunch with a view in a rooftop terrace cafe in Essaouira
Sit down and look at the ocean and sky and all of their
combined shades of blue. The French attacked Mogador hundreds of years ago, and
their culture is still everywhere. Order a crepe as a light snack together with
a nouss-nouss (coffee with milk).
7. Walk through the souks of Essaouira
Take in the colour but also all the different smells especially
while you walk through the spice and through the vegetable souks. Inhale deeply
the smell of the freshly baked bread, walk on and dream how you would eat it
dipped in Argan Oil until you get hit by the engaging smell of fresh mint that
people buy from moveable carts. Eat bread from one of the stalls on the market
when it is still warm. The streets are narrow, there is hardly any motorised
traffic apart from a very few fast scooters, most wares are transported in hand
carts. Often you see people or cats napping in these carts, after the job is done or
until the next delivery. It can also happen that you will get run over by a
cart if you don’t respond quickly enough to the “balek” (a type of “careful,
get out of the way”) of a deliveryman.
The souks are an excellent place to buy a carpet … it
truly is if you need one. Most traders are happy to ship them to your home. It
is so very easy to fall in love with Kilims, and it is a great option to buy handmade
Kilim boots and a Kilim weekender ready to use on your next trip. You can only
win: you will have a souvenir, a piece of a Kilim and handmade shoes.
8. Look at street art in Essaouira
9. Essaouira - Make it all about the cats
Pet cats, count cats, watch cats play and take pictures
of cats. It is all about the cats, and they are everywhere and in most cases up
for a friendly cuddle.
10. Watch the sunset while sipping a freshly pressed orange juice
When the sun sets, find a place at the harbour wall just
outside the medina. It is a gathering place, where parents let their kids drive
around in miniature Porsches, young adults share secrets and teenagers take
selfies with a burning sky over the Atlantic as a background. Buy one of the
freshly prepared orange juices. Just another fantastic day in Essaouira.
What is missing? Looking forward to hearing from you.
From Berlin with love