Travel Guide Essaouira
Populated by some 70,000 inhabitants, the ancient fishing port is today a seaside city whose medina (old town), listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, spreads out, as in Saint-Malo, on an isthmus running towards the ocean. Essaouira is certainly one of the most pleasant cities in Morocco, for its human dimensions, its mild climate all year round, but also for its authenticity, which can sometimes be lacking in the country's other major tourist cities such as Marrakech, Tangier or Casablanca. The Essaouira tourist guide will allow the traveler to make the most of his stay under the trade winds of the Atlantic. The kingdom, since the accession of His Majesty Mohammed VI to the head of the country, is determined to develop tourism, a cultural and upscale tourism. The big hotels do not cease to flourish. The same goes for restaurants, a category in which one can find European addresses as well as elegant Moroccan tables, without forgetting the port and its fish specialists, where Orson Welles himself once came to indulge himself around a plate of sardines. But Essaouira is also a very poetic city: the warm lights as well as the sky blue colors of the windows mixed with the past ochre of the ramparts provoke emotion. Finally, the fine sandy beaches on the outskirts of the city are constantly receiving strong winds, creating ideal conditions for surfing, kitesurfing and windsurfing. Let yourself be tempted by this ideal destination.
What to visit Essaouira?
Suggested addresses Essaouira
When to go to Essaouira?
When to go to Essaouira ? On the Moroccan Atlantic coast, the high season is summer, from mid-June to mid-September: foreign tourists and Moroccan citizens come to enjoy the sea and the freshness of the spray. For economic and tranquility reasons, the best time to go to Essaouria is certainly the low season. At this time, hotels offer discounts of up to 50%. On the negative side, some services and activities may be cancelled. Also beware of the Ramadan period, during which the country lives in slow motion and eating becomes complicated. This sacred month for Muslims is advanced by about ten days each year. In short, the answer to the question of when to go to Essaouira is all year round, trying to target the spring and fall months if possible. Finally, the Gnaoua music festival attracts a huge crowd to Essaouira every year at the end of June.
Weather at the moment
If the temperature differences are very important according to the regions of Morocco and according to the periods, the weather of Essaouira is perpetually good! The sun shines all year round, with a maximum of 4 days of rain in January and a mercury around 15°C. In summer, when Agadir is very hot, the temperature in Essaouira is on average 23 °C.
The currency in Essaouira is the dirham (DH). Although not an expensive country, Morocco is not a paradise for the poor. The government has promoted tourism for the wealthy in order to bring in foreign currency, hence the multitude of luxury hotels. Essaouira is nevertheless a destination that suits all budgets, both in terms of accommodation and food.
No visa to go to Essaouira, a valid passport will be required at the Moroccan border. If you are travelling as part of a stay organised by a travel agency, your national identity card may be sufficient.
International driving license. In principle, you will not need it. However, you should know that you can obtain it in a few days, for a few euros, from the prefecture of your residence.
Registration document. The registration card of your vehicle is valid in Essaouira and Morocco, where it is mandatory.
The health situation in Morocco is good. There are no mandatory vaccinations to visit Essaouira, but those against hepatitis A and B, and typhoid are recommended. The main rules of hygiene concern food. It is not advisable to drink tap water: it is not drinkable in Essaouira. Bottled water is preferable.
Practical information
- When to travel?
- Weather forecast
- Budget
- Formalities
- Health
- How to travel by yourself?
- How to get organized?
- Getting around
Media
How to go to Essaouira? Our advice & tips
Morocco is a very tourist destination, and the phenomenon is growing. The specialists are consequently quite numerous and, knowing perfectly the ground, will be able to organize you a trip with the chart. You can also opt for a thematic tour: Moroccan culture and cuisine, water sports, and even combine them. As there are many offers at certain times of the year, it may be more interesting to go through an agency than to organize your trip yourself.
It is quite possible to prepare a trip to Essaouira by yourself. From France, the price of a round trip air ticket can vary greatly depending on the season, the airline used, and the reservation period: from 150 to 450 €. Concerning accommodation, you can find everything in Essaouira: from small cheap inns to luxury hotels, including comfortable but not expensive pensions. The same goes for food.
If you land in Casablanca or Marrakech, you will go to Essaouira by bus. Once there, the medina can be explored on foot and the various points of interest outside the city center can be reached easily on foot as well. For the more remote areas, you can take the bus, the micro-taxi, or rent a vehicle (two-wheeler or car), but be careful: driving in Morocco is quite sporty!
