Essaouira Day Trip from Marrakech: What to See, Eat and Skip

Why go to Essaouira?

Essaouira is a UNESCO World Heritage site, listed for its well preserved medina, laid out in the eighteenth century by a Moroccan sultan with the help of European architects. The walls and bastions facing the sea give the town a character that is quite unlike the red cities of the interior. The streets are straight, and the buildings are white with blue doors and shutters.

It is also a living town. Fishermen sell their catch at the port, artists and craftsmen work in small shops, and musicians play on the streets. The town is known for woodwork in thuya wood and for its music festivals. Compared with Marrakech, it is calmer, and sellers are less insistent.

How far is it, and how long does it take?

The distance from Marrakech is around 175 to 190 km, depending on the route, and the drive takes roughly two and a half to three hours each way. The road is good and passes through dry plains and argan forests. If you are lucky, you will see goats climbing in the argan trees, which is a real thing and not a tourist trick, although some goats are placed there for photos. If you stop to photograph them, a small tip is usual.

A day trip typically leaves Marrakech in the early morning and returns in the evening. You will have around four to five hours in Essaouira, which is enough to walk through the medina, visit the port, have lunch and walk on the ramparts. If you want to enjoy the beach or the sunset, consider staying overnight.

A good plan for your hours in Essaouira

1. Arrive, and walk through the Bab Doukkala gate or the Bab Marrakech gate into the medina. Leave your bag in the vehicle.
2. Walk to the Skala de la Ville, the rampart with old cannons facing the sea. This is where many photographs of Essaouira are taken. The view along the coast is impressive.
3. Go down to the port. See the blue fishing boats, the nets, the seagulls and the fish auctions. The fish market is lively, and you can choose fresh fish and have it grilled at a stall nearby.
4. Spend an hour in the medina streets. Look at the woodwork shops, the art galleries, the spice stalls, the cooperatives selling argan oil.
5. Have lunch, ideally seafood.
6. Walk along the beach or the promenade in the afternoon, and have a coffee on a terrace with a view of the sea.
7. Leave around late afternoon to return before dark.

What to see

The ramparts and the Skala

The fortifications are the best viewpoint over the town and the sea. The Skala de la Ville has a row of cannons and a view of the island of Mogador. The Skala du Port, at the harbour, is another good place to see the boats and the sea.

The port

The fishing port is working and busy. The small blue boats, the cries of the gulls, the smell of the sea and the market create a lively picture. Watch where you walk, because the ground is wet and slippery, and the gulls are bold.

The medina

The streets are straight, easy to follow and car-free. Look for the thuya wood workshops, where craftsmen make boxes, chess boards and small furniture from the root of a local tree. The wood has a deep colour and a lovely smell. Ask for the origin of the wood, as the trade in thuya is regulated.

Galleries and music

Essaouira has a strong artistic life. Small galleries show paintings and photographs by local artists. The Gnaoua music, which has roots in sub-Saharan Africa and in spiritual practice, is played in the streets and celebrated in a large festival, usually held in the summer. Check the dates if you plan to attend.

The beach

The long beach next to the town is wide and pleasant for walking, but the wind is often strong, and the water cold. It is more a place for kites, camels, horses and football than for sunbathing. In summer, some beach cafés offer shelter.

What to eat

Fish and seafood are the stars. At the port, you can choose from sardines, sea bream, sole, squid, prawns and crab, and have them grilled at a simple stall. Prices are set by weight, so ask before ordering.

In restaurants, look for fish tagine, seafood pastilla and grilled fish with salad. For vegetarians, vegetable couscous and tagines are always available. Finish with mint tea and a pastry, or an argan and almond sweet.

The wind and the weather

Essaouira is known as the windy city of Africa. The wind, which blows most strongly in the afternoon in spring and summer, is why the town has become a centre for windsurfing and kitesurfing. For visitors, it means cool air, even in the middle of summer, and a sea that is rarely calm.

Bring a light jacket or sweater, even in July. In winter, it can be cold, rainy and grey. In spring and autumn, the weather is generally pleasant. If you want to go for the beach and sun, the best months are June to September, but expect the wind.

Shopping in Essaouira

• Thuya wood boxes, bowls and chess boards. Look for fine finish and the natural scent.
• Argan oil, for cooking or cosmetics, ideally bought from a women's cooperative.
• Paintings and prints from local artists.
• Silver jewellery, spices, scarves and leather goods.
• Mint tea sets and ceramics.

Prices are usually more relaxed than in Marrakech, and sellers are less insistent. Bargaining is still normal, but be friendly and moderate.

Day trip or overnight?

A day trip is a good choice if you have limited time. It gives you the town, the port and a good lunch. The drive is long, but comfortable, and you will see the Atlantic.

An overnight stay lets you see Essaouira in the quiet hours, at sunrise and sunset, and gives you time for the beach, a hammam, a horse ride or just a long dinner by the sea. If you can add one night, do. Many riads in the medina are charming and good value.

A short history, so the walls make sense

The area was used as a port in ancient times, and the Portuguese built a fortress here in the sixteenth century, calling it Mogador. The town you see today was planned in the eighteenth century under Sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah, who wanted a trading port on the Atlantic coast that could rival the ports controlled by foreign powers. European engineers helped to design the straight streets and the sea walls, which is why the medina feels more orderly than the medina of Marrakech.

For a long time Essaouira was an important trading town, with Jewish merchants, Muslim families and European traders living and working side by side. Traces of that mix are still visible in the old quarters, the mellah, and the cultural life of the town. Today it is known for art, music, crafts and fishing.

The island facing the port, the Iles Purpuraires, was used in antiquity to produce a purple dye, and is now a bird reserve. You may see its birds from the ramparts, but visits are limited.

Walking route: a loop of about three hours

1. Start at Bab Doukkala or Bab Marrakech and walk down the main street, Avenue de l'Istiqlal, towards the sea.
2. Turn into the souks, where metal workers, tailors and spice sellers have small shops, and see the thuya craftsmen.
3. Reach the Place Moulay Hassan, the main square next to the port, with cafés and a view of the Skala du Port.
4. Climb the Skala du Port for the view over the harbour, the boats and the sea.
5. Walk through the fish market and the port, ending at the grilled fish stalls.
6. Return through the Skala de la Ville, along the old cannons, and finish in the art galleries around the Rue de la Skala.

The medina is small, and it is hard to get lost for long. The main streets lead to the sea or to the gates, so you can always find your way.

Beyond the town: beaches, dunes and argan

Sidi Kaouki

A wide beach about 25 km south of Essaouira, with a white saint's tomb at the shore. It is popular for surfing and kitesurfing, and for horse and camel rides along the sand. It is quieter than the town beach, but also windier.

Diabat

A village just south of the town, with dunes and the ruins of an old palace near the shore. It is a pleasant walk or a short drive from the town.

Argan cooperatives

The argan tree grows only in south-west Morocco, and the oil made from its nuts has become famous in cosmetics and cooking. Women's cooperatives crack the nuts by hand, grind them and press the oil. A visit shows you how the work is done, and you can buy oil directly. Ask for pure oil without added perfume, and compare the culinary oil, which is roasted, with the cosmetic oil, which is not.

Music, art and festivals

Essaouira has a long tradition of music, and in particular Gnaoua music, a spiritual and festive tradition that mixes Amazigh, Arab and sub-Saharan African influences. The Gnaoua and World Music Festival brings thousands of visitors to the town for several days, usually in the early summer. Hotels fill up, so check the date and book well in advance if you want to attend, or avoid it if you prefer calm.

Outside the festival, you can hear musicians in cafés and in the streets. Many small galleries show paintings by local artists. Wood marquetry, silver work, and painted frames are other crafts to see.

Eating well in Essaouira

At the port

The classic experience is to walk to the stalls near the harbour, choose fish and shellfish from the display, and have it grilled while you wait. Sardines, sole, bream, squid, prawns and crab are common. Ask the price per kilo, agree on what you are taking, and check the cooking fee, if there is one.

In a restaurant

For a calmer meal, look for restaurants inside the medina or along the ramparts, with a terrace facing the sea. Order the catch of the day, a fish tagine, or a seafood pastilla. Vegetarians can have vegetable tagines and salads.

For a snack

Try fresh bread with sardines, almond pastries, ice cream on the main square, and mint tea or coffee at a café with a view. In the morning, local breakfast cafes serve pancakes and olives.

Practical advice for the day

• Wear comfortable shoes. Streets are paved but uneven in places, and the port is slippery.
• Bring a light jacket or scarf. The wind is stronger than you expect.
• Keep your bag closed near the port. Gulls will steal food from your hand.
• Carry cash in small notes for the stalls and the shops.
• Use the toilets in a café or restaurant before you leave, because public ones are few.
• If you go in summer, put on sunscreen even if the air feels cool.
• Leave enough time for the drive back. Traffic near Marrakech in the late afternoon can be slow.

Essaouira or somewhere else on the coast?

Other coastal places exist, but for a day trip from Marrakech, Essaouira is the best combination of distance, character and variety. Casablanca is large, modern and mostly interesting for its great mosque. Agadir is a beach resort, further away. El Jadida has a historic Portuguese cistern and a long beach, but is less visited. Oualidia is known for oysters and a calm lagoon, but is further away for a day trip.

If you can spend a night, Essaouira is also a good base for a few days of quiet, with wind sports, long walks and good food.

Essaouira for different travellers

Families

The medina is flat, the beach is wide, and children enjoy the boats, the gulls and the cannons. Plan an early lunch, a play on the sand, and an ice cream in the square.

Couples

Walk the ramparts at sunset, have dinner on a terrace facing the sea, and stay a night in a riad if you can.

Photographers

The port at sunrise, the blue boats with the fort behind them, the white and blue alleys, and the ramparts at sunset make the best images. A wide lens helps in narrow streets.

Art and music lovers

Visit the galleries, talk to the artists, and listen for live music in the cafés. If you can, plan around a festival.

Booking your Essaouira day trip

Our Essaouira day trip includes hotel pickup in Marrakech, the transport, a local driver and guide, and free time in the medina and port. Lunch is paid separately, so you can choose what you like. You pay in cash on the day, and you can cancel for free up to 24 hours before the start.

If you would rather stay in Marrakech and see the city with a guide, our city tour and history tour are good alternatives. Send us an email with your dates and interests, and we will suggest the best option.

Frequently asked questions