Essaouira, Coastal fortified medina in South Atlantic Morocco.
The coastal city sits behind stone walls with Portuguese cannons, containing narrow streets filled with art galleries, markets, and a busy fishing port.
Sultan Mohammed III established Essaouira in 1760 as a strategic trading port, employing European architects to design this fortified maritime center.
The city maintains an important woodworking tradition, particularly with thuja wood crafts, while local artisans produce intricate marquetry and furniture.
The strong winds that blow through Essaouira make it an excellent destination for windsurfing and kitesurfing activities throughout the year.
The port features rows of blue wooden fishing boats against white buildings, where fishermen repair nets and sell fresh catches daily.
Location: Essaouira Province
Elevation above the sea: 11 m
Part of: South Atlantic Coast (Morocco)
Address: Essaouira, Morocco Essaouira
Website: https://communeessaouira.ma/ar
GPS coordinates: 31.51302,-9.76870
Latest update: May 26, 2025 19:47
Morocco offers diverse photography subjects. Cities display Islamic architecture with mosques, palaces, and gardens. The landscape ranges from Sahara sand dunes to Atlas Mountain slopes. The medinas present traditional markets, while the coast features beaches and fortresses.
The UNESCO-protected Medina of Essaouira displays 18th-century Moroccan architecture. The fortification walls with Portuguese cannons enclose traditional souks, synagogues, and mosques. The fishing port with blue and white boats and the 3-kilometer beach define the maritime cityscape. The palaces, religious sites, and museum preserve the region's cultural heritage.
Riads are traditional Moroccan houses built around an interior courtyard or garden. In Essaouira, these accommodations are mainly located within the medina, the old town enclosed by 18th-century ramparts. The buildings often date from different periods and have been converted into guesthouses while preserving their original architecture with carved wooden doors, zellige tilework, and stone walls. The selection ranges from simple riads with a few rooms to larger properties with rooftop terraces offering views of the Atlantic Ocean or the medina. Some riads feature hammams, pools, or wellness facilities. The medina location provides direct access to the port, souks, and city walls. Many riads are situated in the narrow streets between Place Moulay Hassan and the ramparts, near the Skala de la Ville, or in the Mellah Jewish quarter.
Bab el-Marsa
571 m
Medina of Essaouira
156 m
Iles Purpuraires
2.6 km
Sqala of the port
638 m
Place Moulay Hassan
386 m
Bayt Dakira
235 m
Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah Museum
278 m
Sqala of Kasbah
419 m
Borj Al Baroud
2.8 km
Bab Doukkala
442 m
Chaim Pinto Synagogue
351 m
Our Lady of the Assumption Church of Essaouira
891 m
Plage d'Essaouira
1.6 km
Jewish cemeteries of Essaouira
641 m
Bab Sbaa
217 m
Bab Marrakech
344 m
Simon Attias Synagogue
307 m
Fish Market
167 m
Bab Sebaa
214 m
Kasbah Mosque
272 m
Slat Lkahal Synagogue
307 m
Ben Youssef Mosque
79 m
Sidi Megdoul Lighthouse
2.4 km
Azur Art & Spa
333 m
Sultan Rachids Palace
3.3 km
Tour de L`Horloge
214 m
Hammam Mounia / the Two Doors
236 m
Rempart Mogador
418 mReviews
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