The beaches at Essaouira are beautiful. Golden sands lay under azure skies and beside blue Atlantic waters. Space isn’t a problem either, the beach stretches for miles in either direction. It’s a great place to be active – thanks to the reliably strong Atlantic winds you’ll always see kiteboarders and windsurfers that are harnessing these perfect conditions. It’s easy to join them too, with several schools and hire shops in the area who will be happy to provide training. If you don’t want to get your feet wet it’s still easy to enjoy the area, the beach also hosts football, Frisbee, and horse and camel riding.

The bustling city of Essaouira loves a good festival. Over the year it has events ranging from the traditional to the unexpected. Les Alizes is a classical musical festival which takes place in the spring, the Atlantic Andalusia Music Festival brings together a diverse range of cultures and religions, and the world renowned Gnaoua and World Music Festival is dubbed ‘Morocco’s Answer to Woodstock’. There’s even a Women’s Hadra and Trance Music Festival to enjoy.

Like most Moroccan cities, Essaouira also has its own Moussem which is a religious festival. Every April the Mousem Regraga – a 39 day pilgrimage – is celebrated in the city with a festival of music, dance and art.

The culture of Essaouira reflects the city’s tumultuous history. For a long time it was a Portuguese enclave called Mogador, and this Mediterranean influence can be seen in a culture that is part European, part African and completely its own.
One of the first places culture seekers should go is the Mogador Cultural Centre. Designed as a seagull flying over the town beach by Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer – described by the BBC as ‘one of the most innovative and daring architects of the last 60 years’, it’s home to regular musical and dramatic performances.
More music can be found at the Gnaoua festival which is held every June, and this special mix of Arab and sub-Saharan culture which combines music, dance and acrobatics is a spectacle you shouldn’t miss.

Take to two wheels when you visit Essauoira and ride through winding alleys, picturesque squares and past whitewashed houses. Africa’s ‘Windy City’ may resemble a French town on the outside, but is Moroccan to its heart, with sprawling souks, the aroma of spices and Gnaoua singing everywhere you go.

When you decide to pedal outside the city you can cycle across the seven artificial lakes at the seaside resort, or head to Essaouira’s outskirts and ride on well worn paths shaded by lines of almond trees.

Mountain bikers aren’t left out either; the nearby Atlas mountains provide you with all the tracks you could need, and if you’re really feeling up for a challenge then take on Djebel Hadid: the Mountain of Iron.

Morocco’s Windy City offers plenty of busy days out for your family to enjoy, whether it’s down by the sea, in the lively centre or exploring the city outskirts.

For a long time Essaouira was a fortified city, and children will love exploring the ramparts and abandoned cannons that can be found here. The beach is a launch point for kite surfers and wind surfers, as well as home to many cafés, often with their own play areas. Essaouira’s Medina is comparatively calm, and full of delights for your family to discover. Adventure a little further out and you’ll find wonderful walks, horse treks and quad biking.

To get a real taste of authentic Essaouira you need to make your way to the port. Every day local fishermen haul in their catch and then arrange it in glistening displays of sardines, lobsters, sole and more fruits of the ocean. Simply choose what you’d like to eat, and the fisherman will grill it for you and serve it up for a small price. You can then sit at a simple table enjoying both the fish and the atmosphere.
There are of course plenty of more formal restaurants in the Windy City – along the coastline where the windsurfers play, in the city centre, and also on the outskirts of the city including a restaurant run by the local vineyard.

Essaouira is a city rightly famous for the excellent watersports it offers, but it’s also excellent for golfing holidays. Golf De Mogador (taking the old Portuguese name for the city) was designed by Gary Player and is a fantastic mix of British links and American desert style. The course expertly uses the area’s natural elements to create hazards – it’s the dunes you have to watch out for rather than bunkers – and the overall shape follows the line of the coast, giving you spectacular views across the Atlantic. In 2015 an extra 13 holes were opened, again designed by Gary Player. They’re narrower than the old course, with steeper hollows and some blind shots to test your skills. Golf World Magazine rated Mogador Golf Course as one of the world’s top 20 most exciting golf courses and it’s easy to see why.

Golf De Mogador
Designer: Gary Player (2009)
Holes: 31
Par: 72 (6,558m)
· Clubhouse with restaurant and bar
· Locker room
· Buggy, trolley and club hire
· Driving range, putting green and short game practice area
· Conference room
Getting There: Mogador lies just to the south of Essaouira
WOW FACTOR: The coastal scenery

The hammams in the seaside city of Essaouira were traditionally used to refresh sailors after a long stint at sea, however they now welcome travellers and tourists in to rest and relax away from the famous winds of the city. The deep steaming detox can revitalises salty sun-beaten skin and leave you refreshed and glowing.
The traditional hammams can be easily found by following the streams of toiletry-laden locals or, alternatively, the larger hotels all accommodate luxurious hammams.

Essaouira is now famed as one of the world’s best windsurfing destinations, but the road to its current status has been long and varied.
The rugged fortifications that border the city speak of this seaport’s troubled past and the mix of European and Arabic architecture is the legacy of previous rulers.
The best place to find examples of the city’s heritage is in the Medina. It is one of Morocco’s nine UNESCO World Heritage sites and if you step through one of the many gates in the old walls you’ll be transported back in time. Seek out the imposing kasbah with its nineteen bronze cannons, take in the ornate carvings on the doors and walls of every street, see the synagogues and church or visit the souk; it’s the best place for you to learn all about Essaouira’s heritage.

Eassaouira is the established kitesurfing capital of Morocco. Blessed with a perfect location on the Atlantic coast, Morocco’s windy city is world famous when it comes to kitesurfing and has hosted the World Cup on several occasions.

The trade winds blowing from the North East and the Canary Current around Essaouira makes this the ideal place for kitesurfing. The consistent weather conditions provide the power you need to fill your kite and skim along the water. There’s also a huge beach, giving you plenty of room to set up your gear and launch.

The locals haven’t been slow to make the most of Essaouira’s growing fame: a thriving industry has grown up around kitesurfing, so you’ll not be short of somewhere to take lessons or rent or buy equipment. Many kite schools will even arrange an entire holiday for you, including airport transfers from Marrakech or Agadir if you’re not flying direct from London Luton.

While it may have been a bit of a hippy hangout in the 1960s, 21st century Essaouira is a town that can also offer you a higher class of stay. Good five star hotels are commonplace, and many riads have been upgraded, allowing you to enjoy their traditional Moroccan surroundings in the greatest of comfort. There’s still a calming atmosphere about the place, and this is enhanced by the numerous hammams and spas in the town, the vast beaches and predominantly white buildings which give Essaouira its nickname. It’s an oasis of luxury in the Moroccan south-west.

Essaouira is a fascinating part of Morocco to explore by motorbike. As well as the many treasures that exist inside this walled town there is plenty to see out and about in the surrounding area – and a motorbike is an ideal way to get to them. Ride north of the city and you’ll soon find some fantastic dunes which provide incredible off-road riding. To the east are the mighty Atlas mountains, which are brilliant for both on- and off-roading, while taking the south road from Essaouira will take you through the rural communities and into the real heart of traditional Moroccan village life.

The seaside city of Essaouira offers not just one but three great music festivals. Every spring 500,000 people attend the Gnaoua World Music Festival. Over the four days of the event Essaouira is filled with the sounds of this traditional style of music which incorporates Berber, African and Islamic spiritual songs and rhythms.

The annual Printemps Musical des Alizes Festival is an event for lovers of the classical genre. Chamber music, symphonies, sonatas and opera fill the air over the course of this four-day festival. Morning performances are reserved for unknown musicians, giving you a chance to discover the next big thing, while later in the day you can see top artists from around the world.

The third festival in Essaouira is the autumnal Atlantic Andalusia Festival, a real Moroccan-Spanish celebration with Mediterranean and Latin American influences thrown into the mix.

Essaouira’s natural harbour has made the area desirable for thousands of years and there have been people here since prehistoric times. Over the years it has been occupied by Amazighs, Carthaginians, Romans, Portuguese, Moroccan Jews, Arabs and French. As with many port cities, the people of Essaouira are used to visitors and holidaymakers will receive a warm welcome when they arrive. Weatherbeaten fishermen still push their boats out to sea every morning, but increasingly the city is focusing on tourism and as well as French, many Essaouirans speak English fluently. It’s a city that still has links to its Hippy Trail past, and is embracing the new kite-surfing culture that is growing every day.

Head to coastal Essaouira and you’ll find a city that has beguiled countless visitors over the decades with its beautiful seaside location and exotic buildings.
It’s a place where you can withdraw from the trials and tribulations of everyday life, putting them aside while you indulge yourself in some restful treatments. Breathe in the sea air as you practise yoga on the long sandy beach, feel yourself completely relaxed after a session in a traditional hammam, meditate to the striking sound of the call to prayer, or just lose yourself in the peace and tranquillity of the ocean view from one of the charming riads near the seafront.

The brisk sea breeze that sweeps down the streets of Essaouria carries with it the scents which create the city. Light fragrances of salt, spices and fish tell of the trades that underpin this bustling city. The local craftsmen are famed for their delicate carvings and these can be discovered at the many souks which can be found throughout the city.

The wind is often drowned out by the enticing sound of drums and Gnaoua singing that drifts invitingly from the tiny shops that have been passed down through the generations. There is also a fabulous range of finely crafted silverware available, and be sure to enquire after the piece’s origin as there is often an interesting tale attached.

Essaouira is a resort famous throughout the world for the wind that gives it great windsurfing and kitesurfing. This does make surfing the waves here difficult at times, but the wind doesn’t blow all the time and most mornings and evenings the air is still enough to allow some lovely peaky barrels to roll in. The winter season is also a good time to visit; swell is noticeably larger and the beaches tend to be emptier. And don’t miss a trip to Sidi Kaouki, just a few miles along the coast – it’s Essaouira’s big surfing secret.

Anyone looking for a trekking holiday on Morocco’s Atlantic Coast should strongly consider starting from Essaouira. A fine city in itself with plenty to explore, it’s also well positioned for people to visit the surrounding countryside.
There are several Essaouiran companies who arrange guided tours in the area. Their local knowledge is invaluable and you don’t have to worry about organising equipment, planning itineraries or finding out where to go. Instead, all you have to do is enjoy yourself as you encounter secluded sandy beaches and traditional Amazigh villages untouched by tourism. Whether you want to explore on foot or from the back of a camel, for as little as half a day to a whole week, there is something in Essaouira for you.