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Essaouira sea breeze Essaouira is a friendly coastal town halfway between Casablanca and Agadir, where the sea breeze always blows. It’s a lovely spot for sun-worshippers, shopaholics, surfers and seafood lovers, who congregate with the cheerful musicians and artists that have made Essaouira their home. The lively souks are a warren of narrow streets filled with tiny shops and stalls. During this Essaouira tour, you’ll take a camel ride along the seafront and spend the night in a charming little riad hotel overlooking the ocean. Essaouira is probably one of the nicest spots to start, or end, your Morocco trip. |
| Duration |
3 days / 2 nights begins daily in Essaouira |
Accommodation |
Charming riad hotel. Comfort level 3/4 (see accommodation). |
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Price |
£150 per person - based on 2 people sharing |
Includes |
2 nights' accommodation with breakfast - guided camel ride through the dunes (horse riding on request) |
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Transport |
N/A (Hire car) |
Excludes |
Other meals |
Day 1: Arrival EssaouiraEssaouira is easy to get to by bus or hire car. The drive from Marrakech or Agadir takes about 3 ½ hours, and from Casablanca it takes around 5 hours. The bus stop is just outside the gate at the south side of the town. If you’re coming by car, you can leave your car at the car park at either the south side or the east side for about £5-£6 per 24 hours. It’s easy to find, but spare yourself the effort and ask one of the men with the blue pushcarts to take your bags to your riad hotel. This little luxury costs no more than £1.50.Just a couple of minutes walk along the narrow alleyways and you’ll find yourself at the door of one of our selected riads. The riads are centrally located in the medina within walking distance of the beach and the Place Moulay Hassan. The tastefully decorated riad is really an added touch to your Essaouira tour. Once you’ve freshened up you’ll have the rest of the afternoon to explore this authentic little coastal town. |
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If you want to hit the beach, then walk towards the harbour, turn left at the gate and you’ll see a beautiful wide sandy shore stretched out before you. You can rent a sunbed at the parasols for about £2 a day. It’s worth it, as there’s always a breeze blowing here. The eternal sea breeze attracts lots of windsurfers and kitesurfers and you can rent a surfboard if you fancy riding the waves during your Essaouira tour. If you don’t fancy getting sand between your teeth, then head into the town instead. The street scene here is an eclectic mix of locals buying their groceries in the souks, and foreign visitors wandering along the shops and stalls. You could lose yourself forever in the labyrinth of little streets and it’s a fantastic place for browsing around. Essaouira is also a centre for local arts and music, and you’ll find that the souvenirs on sale here are just a bit different to what you’ll find in Fes or Marrakech. |
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When you’re all shopped out, head to the Place Moulay Hassan to enjoy the sun and an ice cream at Gelateria Dolce Freddo. Across the square, you'll find the small harbour filled with little blue boats and the fresh fish market. On the other side of the square, the old kasbah has a fantastic view of the rocky coastline and it’s a good place to catch the beautiful sunset. For excellent fresh fish during your Essaouira tour, follow the narrow street back to the square. On your left you’ll see several white stalls with rickety wooden benches and tables out front. You can pick your own fish and have it prepared just the way you want, fried or grilled. A simple, but delicious meal of fresh fish, tomato salad and a basket of bread costs no more than £7. In the evening you can enjoy a drink at one of the outdoor cafes and enjoy the live music before strolling back to your lovely little riad. |
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Day 2: Essaouira camel tourThe next morning enjoy a lie-in and then breakfast out on the roof terrace. You’ll be picked up around 10am for a camel ride, but if you’d prefer to go horse-riding just let us know on your quote request form.Perched on the hump of your camel you’ll slowly plod along the beach for a unique Essaouira tour. After about 2-3 hours of wobbling about on your camel you’ll arrive back in Essaouira in time for lunch. |
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All the fish laid out in the harbour was still swimming about this morning, so you can’t get much fresher. You can choose whichever fish you like and if you tell them you want to eat it straight away they’ll clean it for you. Right in the corner, there's a restaurant where your fish will be put on the grill and a few minutes later you can tuck into your delicious meal among the smiling locals. You can spend the rest of the afternoon lazing on the beach or strolling through the souks - it's your Essaouira tour so you can do whatever you like. For something more active, rent a quad bike and go racing along the beach and through the dunes. Half a day costs around £47. You can book a quad bike through the hotel, or call Essaouira Quad Bike (072-15 32 95). Essaouira is the modern-day centre of art and sculpture and you can admire the works of contemporary artists at La Petite Galerie, Association Tilal and the Galerie dart Frederic Damgaard. For dinner, try La Licorne (26 Rue Scala). It’s a little more expensive than most other restaurants but the Moroccan and French food is out of this world. |
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Day 3: End of Essaouira tourAfter another leisurely breakfast it’s time to check out as your Essaouira tour draws to an end. We can recommend spending an extra night in Essaouira, as it’s nice to have two full days here, particularly at the end of your trip. If you’d like us to book an extra night, just let us know on your quote request form.From Essaouira, it’s 3 ½ hours by coach to Marrakech. If you haven’t been here yet during your stay in Morocco, we can certainly recommend it. Our Couscous in the souks tour will help you experience the real Marrakech and discover the aromatic secrets of Moroccan cuisine. |
Essaouira accommodation
