Day trip to Essaouira from Marrakech

Essaouira lies about 170 km from Marrakech, right on the Atlantic coast. Its history goes back to Phoenician times, and later the Portuguese built a fortress here which they called Mogador. The present town was founded in the 18th century by order of Sultan Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah, who commissioned the French architect Théodore Cornut to design its walls; hence its mix of Moroccan and European architecture. In the 19th century it was one of Morocco’s main ports open to European trade, attracting British merchants and a large Jewish community. Today, thanks to tourism, its famous Gnaoua Festival and its picturesque fishing port, Essaouira is enjoying a new golden age. Its name means «the well designed», referring to its walls and layout. Its unmistakable sea air, the cry of the seagulls, the comings and goings of the fishermen, its woodwork workshops, art galleries and musicians, and its small-town calm give it a special charm. After exploring the medina and the ramparts (the Skala of the Kasbah and the Skala of the Port), you can walk along its wide beach and eat fresh grilled fish and seafood at the stalls in the port. After a pleasant day in Essaouira, we will return to Marrakech.