If you’ve read our candid behind-the-scenes thoughts on traveling in Morocco, you’ll know already that we thought Essaouira was a great place to visit! There are so many awesome things to do in Essaouira – with kids or without – and you can get a real flavor for Morocco without some of the challenges of the bigger cities like Marrakech and Fez. Indeed, for those coming from Europe looking for a short break in Morocco we might dare to suggest that a trip to Essaouira be your top priority! Read on to find out why we loved this little coastal surfers’ haven and our favorite things to do there.
Layers of history in Essaouira
The history of Essaouira is an interesting one – involving more cultural influences than you can probably keep track of and spanning more than two thousand years of habitation. In fact, Roman ruins have been found on the nearby island that now serves as a bird sanctuary. The city’s Jewish community dates back about 2,500 years and peaked at 40% of local inhabitants. Essaouira is sometimes interchangeably called Mogador, the name given to it by the Portuguese in the early 16th century – and that name stuck for over 400 years, even though the Portuguese conquerors only lasted four years. Go figure. Over the next hundred years, several other European nations tried to win Mogador, but the locals held strong.
Around 1760, Morocco’s king put his full force into developing Essaouira into a major port to link landlocked Marrakech with various European trading partners. The plan succeeded, and within a few decades Essaouira was one of Morocco’s leading centers of both trade and diplomacy. The subsequent relationship with France was… turbulent. In 1844 much of the city was destroyed by the French in the First Franco-Moroccan War, but then just 68 years later the country became a French protectorate – a relationship that lasted until 1956.
The best things to do in Essaouira – and why it should be your first stop in Morocco
Essaouira: a gentle introduction to Morocco
Essaouira isn’t perfect, but it’s an extremely inviting seaside town of 80,000 people. It’s such a welcoming place that many Europeans (especially water-loving ones) have chosen to call it home, and its use as the setting for Game of Thrones season 3 has cemented its place on Morocco’s tourism map.What makes Essaouira such a great place to start your travels in Morocco? It’s all about the vibe.
The medina was never crowded during our visit, but even if it was we could have gone for a peaceful stroll on the beach promenade. We encountered very few hustlers in town (apart from one jerk). There were plenty of tourists around, but mostly just everyday Moroccans living their lives – especially in the locals-only neighborhood where our HomeExchange apartment was located. It’s a small town and completely walkable.
All in all, it makes for a great vacation spot. But what is there to do in Essaouira? Almost everything tourists think of doing on a classic Moroccan vacation!
The best things to do in Essaouira – and why it should be your first stop in Morocco
Where to stay in Essaouira
We stayed in a Home Exchange about 10 minutes walk from the medina. While that was an interesting experience in cultural immersion, Essaouira is one of the best places in Morocco to .
While the medinas of Fes and Marrakech are frenetic and maze-like, the Essaouira medina is much more laid back and pleasant. Take the opportunity to stay in a to enjoy a classic Morocco experience.
Use the interactive map to find vacation rentals and hotels in Essaouira
Our top things to do in Essaouira, Morocco
Stroll the laid-back Essaouira medina
One of the best things to do in Morocco as a tourist is take in the sights, sounds and smells of the medinas. These are the historical centers of town and are still the heartbeat of many Moroccan cities, for both residents and visitors. But while the famous Marrakech medina is clogged with reckless motorbikes spewing nasty exhaust at every corner and the Fez medina epitomizes both the crush of humanity and the famous pushiness of Moroccan shopkeepers, Essaouira’s medina is more like a chill, open-air pedestrian shopping area. Yes, the odd car, motorbike or delivery truck sneaks in sometimes. But for the most part you can focus much more on enjoying the atmosphere without worrying about your physical well-being or struggling to stay with your travel companions or tour guide.
The best things to do in Essaouira – and why it should be your first stop in Morocco
If you want to do any souvenir shopping in Morocco, Essaouira is a great place to do it. The salesmen were rarely pushy and prices were generally cheaper than other cities for the same items – with less negotiating hassle. Many of the products are made locally as well, so you can even…
The best things to do in Essaouira – and why it should be your first stop in Morocco
Visit the craft workshops in Essaouira
Right near Bab Marrakech, you’ll find a lovely courtyard filled with master artisans performing their crafts and co-ops selling wares from multiple designers. We spent over an hour wandering from shop to shop watching these welcoming experts at work – it’s the woodworking center of Morocco. Obviously they hope you’ll buy something (and we did from some), but they were very generous with their time no matter what and many even gave the kids little “treasures” like beads and wooden flowers! It’s an absolutely lovely place to visit in Essaouira.
The best things to do in Essaouira – and why it should be your first stop in Morocco
Ride a camel
You can’t visit Morocco without riding a camel, right? We weren’t sure about doing a long trip through the mountains and into the Sahara, so we booked a lovely, affordable afternoon camel ride with TripAdvisor-famous Mustafa of Ranch de Diabat. It was a great experience! We rode by one of the Game of Thrones filming locations, traveled along the beach and went over wind-swept dunes. Pro tip: When they say windy, they mean windy. Sunglasses and bandanas or scarves for everyone!
As for the logistics of riding a camel with kids, it wasn’t very challenging. The saddle is big enough for two adults, so riding tandem with a young child in front is fairly easy. Be mindful of chin bumps on the handlebar when the camel is going up and down, but otherwise they’ll be fine. Because the kids shared with us, there was no additional charge for them – and even at 6yo, Jacob preferred to ride with an adult. I suspect that kids are ready to ride solo when they’re closer to 8 or 9yo.
There are so many things to do in Essaouira, and it’s much more pleasant than Morocco’s other cities!© Provided by The Family Voyage
Take a Moroccan cooking class
If there’s one thing you should do on a trip to Morocco, it’s to at least try to learn some of the cooking techniques. No, you’ll probably never be as good as any woman walking through the streets of the medina. But at least you’ll gain an appreciation for the daily process that is a huge part of their lives, get some ideas for how to bring some of their methods back home with you and eat some delicious food in the process. Our in-home Essaouira cooking class was a great relaxed opportunity to see both cooking and culture up close, in a country where it can sometimes be difficult to connect with locals outside of very manufactured setting.
The best things to do in Essaouira – and why it should be your first stop in Morocco
Stroll by the beach – or get more adventurous in the water
Essaouira is a relaxed meeting of traditional Moroccan culture with funky (often expat) surfers. The beach is beautiful for a stroll and there’s a lovely promenade, complete with cafes at a range of prices and a playground for the kids, but the fierce, almost year-round winds keep all but the most dedicated beachgoers off the sand. If you’re feeling up for an adventure, there are some great water sports available! Essaouira is one of the best places in Morocco for surfing, kite surfing and other activities.
Check out Game of Thrones season 3 filming locations
I’ll be honest: we’ve never watched Game of Thrones. We’re the parents of two young children, and even before traveling full-time we rarely had an evening free to sit down and watch TV (plus we long ago ditched paid TV services to save money for better things, like travel). That said, as soon as we got to Essaouira we realized that we were in yet another filming location for the hugely popular show (having previously visited both Croatia and Spain). Most of the filming occurred in the port area of the medina, so be sure to take a stroll over there if you’re a fan of the show. If you’re mostly staying in Marrakech, check out this tour that will take you straight to the GoT filming spots!
The best things to do in Essaouira – and why it should be your first stop in Morocco
Enjoy the views from the harbor at sunset
Want to find literally every person in Essaouira at sunset? Head to the port, where you’ll see fishermen preparing the day’s catch and tourists clicking away as the sun melts into the Atlantic Ocean. Just beware the seagulls!
The best things to do in Essaouira – and why it should be your first stop in Morocco