Full-Day Essaouira Tour from Marrakech with Medina and Port

The journey

Trip highlights

• 01 Visit Place Joutiya to watch locals auction everything from teapots to trousers
• 02 Marvel at the architecture of the Portuguese fortress
• 03 Sample super-fresh grilled fish or shellfish at one of the seafood stalls
• 04 Walk 2 miles along the beach at low tide to see the romantic fort of Borj El Barod
• 05 Discover the craftsmanship and exquisite carpentry in the little thuya wood workshops

Essaouira is an exceptional example of a late-18th-century fortified town, built according to the principles of contemporary European military architecture in a North African context. Since its foundation, it has been a major international trading seaport, linking Morocco and its Saharan hinterland with Europe and the rest of the world. Explore the souks of leatherwork, metalwork, glazed pottery, jewellery, brightly coloured carpets, original art, olives, spices, and rare argan oil, then visit the port to watch fishermen land their catch or see how boats are crafted using centuries-old techniques.

Meet your tour guide and visit Essaouira, an exceptional example of a late-18th-century fortified town built according to contemporary European military architecture principles in a North African context.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 1 Day

Tour type Private

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Not included

Transport Included

Wheelchair access Yes

Cities Marrakech, Essaouira

Languages English, French, Spanish

Day by day

The itinerary

1

Day 01

Explore Essaouira's Medina, Port, and Seaside Ramparts

• Meet your tour guide and visit Essaouira, an exceptional example of a late-18th-century fortified town built according to contemporary European military architecture principles in a North African context. Since its foundation, it has been a major international trading seaport, linking Morocco and its Saharan hinterland with Europe and the rest of the world.
• Visit the souks of leatherwork, metalwork, glazed pottery, jewellery, brightly coloured carpets, original art, olives, spices, and rare argan oil.
• See the port and watch fishermen land their catch, or learn how boats are crafted using centuries-old techniques, then eat super-fresh grilled fish or shellfish at one of the seafood stalls.
• Head to Place Joutiya to watch locals auction everything from teapots to trousers.
• Explore the Portuguese fortress.
• Walk 2 miles along the beach at low tide to see the romantic fort of Borj El Barod crumbling into the sea.
• Relax and watch the world go by with coffee or mint tea, and maybe a Moroccan pastry, in one of the cafés on Place Moulay Hassan.
• Discover the craftsmanship and exquisite carpentry in the little thuya wood workshops under the ramparts.

The route

Where you'll travel

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

• Private air-conditioned transportation
• Visit of the Argan cooperative
• Bottled water
• Moroccan tour guide

What's Not Included

• Lunch

Know before you go

• The Medina of Essaouira, formerly named Mogador, takes its name from the Phoenician word Migdol, meaning "small fortress." It is an outstanding example of a fortified town from the mid-eighteenth century, surrounded by walls influenced by the Vauban model.
• It was constructed according to contemporary European military architecture principles in a North African context, in perfect harmony with Arabo-Muslim architecture and town-planning precepts. Over the centuries, it has played a major role as an international trading seaport, linking Morocco and sub-Saharan Africa with Europe and the rest of the world.
• The town is also an example of a multicultural centre, as proven by the coexistence since its foundation of diverse ethnic groups, such as Amazighs, Arabs, Africans, and Europeans, as well as multiple faith communities, including Muslim, Christian, and Jewish communities.
• Indissociable from the Medina, the Mogador archipelago comprises many cultural and natural sites of Outstanding Universal Value. Its relatively late foundation compared to other medinas of North Africa was the work of the Alaouite Sultan Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdallah (1757-1790), who wished to make this small Atlantic town a royal port and Morocco's chief commercial centre open to the outside world.
• Known for a long time as the Port of Timbuktu, Essaouira became one of the major Atlantic commercial centres between Africa and Europe at the end of the 18th century and during the 19th century.
• Essaouira is fortunate to have an excellent climate, with cooling sea breezes in summer, also suitable for water sports, and warming lowland air in winter. This lovely climate, together with its beautiful Portuguese architecture, has always attracted artists and poets, while it continues to be a traditional fishing port at its heart to this day.

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point

Marrakech, Maroc

Tour start

Essaouira, Maroc

Tour ends at the same location as the start point.