Essaouira is located on the Atlantic coast of Morocco, between North Africa and the Mediterranean Sea. Surrounded by golden stone walls, it mixes bright blues and dazzling whites with the smell of flowing djellabas and spices. Arab, African, Roman and French influences blend together to create a mellow, relaxed seaside town.
Add to that 300 days of sunshine and warm but not muggy temperatures and you have the perfect short-haul destination. While there aren’t many must-sees in Essaouira, it’s a great place to easily spend a few relaxing days, either as a weekend getaway or as part of a longer Morocco itinerary. So this is my favorite thing to do in Essaouira.
Best things to do in Essaouira, Morocco
Essaouira BluesClimbing the ramparts of EssaouiraThe seaside walls of Essaouira are where the medina meets the Atlantic Ocean. Built by French military architect Theodore Cornut in the 1760s to protect the port from attack, these walls were inspired by the French town of St. Malo.If you are a fan of old movies, you may recognize them from the beginning of the 1952 Orson Welles film “Othello”. The movie opens with a shot of Iago hanging in a cage above the rocks, which were filmed here. Or more recently, they were the location of the third season of Game of Thrones, as the slave-trading city of Astapor.
Skala de la Ville seaside fortressAt the end of the city walls is the impressive Skala, a kind of fortified fortress. At one end is the Skala du Port (also featured in Game of Thrones), the gateway to the fishing port. At the other end is Skala du Ville, with 19 bronze cannons lined up along the seawall, a great place to watch the sunset.There are great views of the medina and the sea from the ramparts, and you’ll usually find artist and craft stalls set up along the waterfront or in the arches below.
