The wind city, atlantic's bride... I've heard a few names for this beautiful costal city. Essaouira, former Mogador, was where I chose to spend the last few days of my Moroccan vacations. In retrospect, I should have done some "homework" beforehand: I wanted to surf, and it turned out that I went at the exact time of the year where there are no surfing waves! Nor was I able to enjoy some warm beach days, since the wind was crazy; but no regrets, since this city definitely deserves a visit!
Essaouira is located on the moroccan western coast, almost a straight line from Marrakesh. It was recommended to my by a moroccan friend as having a laid back vibe, so seemed a perfect place to some days to relax after Marrakesh, and it surely was!
Although the city streches along the coast, its charm resides on the old city, the Medina: Medina is what's called to the old part of a city, and Essaouira's medina is walled, with several points of entrance. And inside, you'll find everything you expect to find in any moroccan city: street vendors, friendly locals, and beautiful sights - and smells!
I stayed in a Riad near one of the main streets; riads are the typical moroccan houses, with an inside garden or courtyard. They're the perfect places to stay, and for me it seems a much more authentic experience than staying in a hotel. Besides, and I do believe this comes from the way they are built, the inside seems a lot more cooler than the outside, which comes in handy in the hot moroccan cities!
One of the things I noticed here, there seemed to be a lot less foreign tourism! It seemed most of the people walking the streets were either locals, or local tourists.
And what can you do in Essaouira? A lot. There are a couple of museums and a few religious sites, but I enjoy a lot more just getting lost in the city streets and enjoy the views. The medina is not that big, but it's not difficult to get lost in all the little streets.
If you want to take some souvenirs or try local products, there definitely won't be a shortage of places to buy local products. One suggestion: try the Amlou! It's a paste made with almond, argan oil, and honey, and it's delicious! You'll find it all over the place, and some shops are even grinding the almonds in front of you.
It's funny to see how some of the local trade is still being done as in the old days: this guy was selling shrimps to the local restaurants, roaming the streets with his car and being called by the restaurant owners if they wanted some of it!
Get lost in the streets, talk to the vendors, take a look around all the little squares (and big squares): this truly is a charming city!
And as the day fades, don't miss what for me is the bigest pearl of the city: the ramparts at the golden hour!
Facing the atlantic ocean, the ramparts encompass a defense bastion, with 19 copper cannons facing the sea. It's a must go place to explore at any time, but especially at the sunset. Every days, a sea of people rushes to this place, Skalla de la Ville, to watch the sunset. And if you visit, you don't want to miss it either!
Up this ramp, you reach the magical place. It's not hard to find, since if you follow along the ramparts facing the sea you'll end up here.
One thing different than what I'm used to see: while in Portugal everything would be surrounded by some kind of barrier... here everyone was climbing the walls and the cannons, enjoying the view and snapping photos! Probably not the best idea, conservation-wise, but still fun to see how different the approach is here. As for the views, judge by yourself:
How cool is the golden hour here? :)
Unfortunately, as soon as the last bit of sun goes past the horizon line, you can't linger here for longer: whistles will be heard, and the local police will appear, rushing everyone away from the ramparts! It seems strange the contrast with everyone sitting in the cannons enjoying the sunset, and the strict closing time immediatly after. Oh well, it is what it is. Besides, there are a few restaurants nrear the rampart facing the sea, so you can still enjoy the view from there.
All this alone would be enough to recommend a stop here if you visit Morocco, but nearby the medina, Essaouira's port and the surrounding beaches are also a couple more gems to add to the citie's charm! I'll leave them to a future post, but here's a sneak peak!
Safe travels, everyone!
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