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  • Essaouira
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Essaouira holidays

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One of the most beautiful Atlantic coastal towns, Essaouira is famous for its laidback atmosphere and long, sandy beach. Intimate and romantic, this seaside resort is ideal for a relaxing break.

The town has enjoyed agreat love affair with the film industry having been the setting of Orson Welles’ Othello and Ridley Scott’s Kingdom of Heaven. Frequented by the likes of Hendrix and Jefferson Airplane, Essaouira has became a ‘hip’ place to stay.

Today, going through a great revival Essaouira is now home to a number of chic boutique hotels, maison d'hotes and riads, quickly becoming Morocco’s sought after beach destination.

Frequented by photographers, artists, the rich and famous the cooling winds of the Atlantic, its proximity to Marrakech, and the great atmosphere amongst the many medina cafes have helped put Essaouira on the map.

Time difference / local time

GMT +0 hours
Language

Arabic and French. English is widely understood.

Currency

Moroccan Dirham
Safety

As with most tourist destinations, beware of pickpockets in the markets and take reasonable care when travelling alone or at night.

Highlights

Medina
The main medina sits in a cross with a small square at the centre. Shops sell pottery, paintings, spices, thuya wood handicrafts and silver, and no one hassles you to go into the shops so you can browse in peace.

Harbour
Bustling with activity, you can see the local fishermen at work as they unload their catches and auction off fish. Pick out some seafood from one of the stalls and watch as it’s cooked on a sizzling grill before you.

Beach
The beautiful seafront here is perfect for watersports like windsurfing and surfing.

Ile de Mogador
These two uninhabited islands are a sanctuary for Eleanora’s falcons, who breed there between April and October every year. You can see these majestic birds through binoculars on the beach.

Museum
Wander around this small collection of jewellery, weapons, costumes and musical instruments.

Events and festivals

April
Essaouira Alizes Festival
Experience Moroccan music as classic and contemporary artists showcase their sounds.

June

Gnaoua & World Music Festival
Join in as local and international musicians come together for music, dancing and culture.

Flying time to destination

4½ hours

Activities

Beach, Eat & Drink, Shopping, Night life, Culture, Events & Festivals
Eating/Drinking

Food
• Harina is a delicious a chickpea soup, often with meat, pumpkin, onions and tomatoes.
• A tajine is mutton, veal, chicken or beef stew cooked with potato and lemon and seasoned with herbs and spices.
• Morocco’s most famous dish is couscous perfectly steamed with lamb, chicken or fish, a spicy sauce and potatoes.
• The traditional pastilla is flaky pastry coated with sugar, cinnamon and egg yolk, layered with pigeon or chicken meat. It’s also served as a desert without the meat.
• Moroccan deserts are very sweet, dripping with sugar and/or honey.

Drink
• Stick to bottled water for drinking and cleaning your teeth.

Good to know

Religion
Islam

Dialling code
+212 47

Tipping

A 15-18% service charge is usually added to the bill.

Climate data for this region

Best time to visit

From March to May and September to November.

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