Essaouira Tours & Tickets

Essaouira's distinctive blue-and-white medina architecture was largely rebuilt by the French in the 18th century, replacing an earlier Portuguese fortification called Mogador.

The city is known as Morocco's windsurfing capital due to powerful Atlantic trade winds that blow year-round, making it ideal for water sports but occasionally challenging for beach relaxation.

Essaouira's historic port still operates as a working fishing harbour, and fresh sardines grilled on the waterfront remain the city's most iconic street food.

The Skala du Port, a 18th-century seafront fortress with intact cannons, was used as a filming location for Game of Thrones (Astapor scenes).

Essaouira sits on the Atlantic coast roughly 170km west of Marrakech and serves as Morocco's main westerly gateway, historically a crucial trade hub between Europe and sub-Saharan Africa.