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    Essaouira

    Morocco

    Essaouira

    City

    Essaouira is a fortified port city on the Atlantic coast west of Marrakesh. Sultan Mohammed III.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. Morocco
    7. Essaouira & Souss
    9. Essaouira
    Essaouira is a fortified port city on the Atlantic coast west of Marrakesh. Sultan Mohammed III. had it built in the 1760s according to the plans of French engineer Théodore Cornut; its Medina has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2001. Wind, the fishing port, and the Gnaoua Festival define the town.

    Sights in Essaouira

    Discover the most important sights and attractions

    Skala de la Ville
    Attraction

    1Skala de la Ville

    The 18th-century bastion protected the Medina from sea attacks with a series of bronze cannons. The wall and north bastion were featured as the setting for the city of Astapor in Game of Thrones.
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    Fishing port

    2Fishing port

    In the small harbor, fishermen primarily land sardines and conger eel. Behind the Bab al-Mersa harbor gate are the fish market and grill stalls.
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    Bayt Dakira

    3Bayt Dakira

    The House of Memory, opened in 2020 in the former Jewish Quarter, comprises the Simon Attias Synagogue and a research center on the city's Jewish-Moroccan history.
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    Skala du Port

    4Skala du Port

    The Harbor Bastion guards the fishing harbor, also an Astapor set in Game of Thrones. From above, you look upon the blue boats and the Medina.
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    City walks in Essaouira

    Curated walking tours through the city's highlights, handpicked by experienced travel journalists.

    Von Bab Doukkala zum Strand

    A good three kilometers and two and a half hours through the Medina, over the bastions to the port and on to the beach.

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    Stops (7)

    Restaurants in Essaouira

    1

    Loft

    Small restaurant with a daily changing, mostly Mediterranean menu, plus Tajines and Couscous. No alcohol.
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    2

    Les Alizés Mogador

    Traditional Moroccan three-course meal at a reasonable price.
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    3

    Umia

    Tapas from market ingredients.
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    4

    La Table by Madada

    Upscale restaurant in the Medina specializing in fish.
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    Food and Drink

    Harbour-side grilled fish

    At the fish market behind the harbor gate, pick your fish, haggle over the price, and have it grilled at the stalls.

    Arganoil

    Practices related to the argan tree have been on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list since 2014, with women's cooperatives in the region producing the oil.

    Culture & History

    Planned City by the SeaThe Skala de la Ville bastion, with its bronze cannons, served as the backdrop for the city of Astapor in Game of Thrones.Gnaoua FestivalHeld since 1998, usually in late June, the Gnaoua Festival attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. The region is also a center for argan oil production.

    Traveling locally

    Getting ThereEssaouira has no train station; for Marrakesh, take an intercity bus or rental car.Explore the Medina on foot.At the fishing port, you can eat fresh fish at grill stalls.

    Accommodations in Essaouira

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    Plan your trip to Essaouira

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      Trip to Essaouira

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      • 1Skala de la Ville3 days
      • 2Fishing port4 days
      • 3Bayt Dakira5 days
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      Essaouira
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    Nearby

    Essaouira & Souss

    Essaouira & Souss

    The southern Atlantic extends from the port city Essaouira, whose medina is a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2001, to the seaside resort Agadir and the surf beaches around Taghazout. Inland lies the walled city Taroudant in the Souss Plain.
    Taghazout

    Taghazout

    Taghazout is a former fishing village approximately 20 kilometers north of Agadir and one of Morocco's best-known surf spots. The right-hand wave at Anchor Point breaks three kilometers north of the village, with beginner spots directly at the village. In the hinterland lies the Paradise Valley with natural rock pools.
    Agadir

    Agadir

    Agadir, with around 500,000 inhabitants, is the largest city in the Souss-Region and a well-known seaside resort. After the earthquake on February 29, 1960, which killed approximately 12,000 to 15,000 people, the city was rebuilt. Beach, marina, and the Kasbah Agadir Oufella on the hill define its image.
    Taroudant

    Taroudant

    Taroudant lies around 80 kilometers east of Agadir in the Souss Plain and is considered the region's historic capital. Mud walls about six kilometers long with around 130 towers enclose the old town. For its souks and walls, Lonely Planet calls the town a Mini-Marrakech.
    Marrakech

    Marrakech

    Marrakech, nestled at the foot of the High Atlas, will be Morocco’s top destination in 2025, expecting over ten million passengers. Founded by the Almoravids around 1070, its approximately nine-kilometre-long red clay walls still enclose the Medina, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1985. Its heart is Jemaa el-Fna Square, surrounded by souks, palaces, and gardens.

    Sources & method

    • Photos: Wikimedia Commons, Pexels, Google Maps. Each photo carries its credit.
    • Place data such as addresses and ratings comes from Google Maps.
    • The content is based on web research from public, traceable sources. How the content is made · The role of AI