Essaouira.

Quick facts

Currency

Moroccan dirham (MAD).

Language

Moroccan Arabic (Darija) day to day; French is widely used.

Time

GMT (UTC+0) all year.

Plugs

Type C and E (European two-pin), 230 V.

Best time to visit

Any time of year, as the climate is mild; Morocco’s tourism site calls spring and autumn ideal, with summer livelier. Essaouira is known for its wind, and the Gnaoua music festival is usually held in June.

About Essaouira

• Sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah began building the present town, then known as Mogador, in the 1760s; the French engineer Théodore Cornut was among its designers.
• The medina has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001.
• The harbour fortifications, including the Skala du Port, date from around 1770; the port gate carries the date 1184 in the Islamic calendar.
• Around the turn of the 1st century, King Juba II set up a works on the Mogador islands making the purple dye used for the stripe on Roman senators’ togas.

Getting around

Taxis

Cars cannot enter the medina’s lanes, so you walk in from the nearest gate. For petit taxis outside the walls, ask for the meter or agree the fare first.

From the airport

Essaouira-Mogador Airport (ESU) is about 15 km from the centre. Taxis charge a set fare of about 150 dirhams, with a 50% supplement after 8 pm. An airport bus runs to the town several times a day for a few dirhams; check the times locally.

By coach

CTM and Supratours run direct coaches between Marrakech and Essaouira, taking about three hours.

Staying safe

The UK government’s advice for Morocco applies in Essaouira too: a threat of terrorism in busy tourist places, and petty theft in medinas and on beaches. It has no separate warnings for the town.

• Official guides carry a badge; ask to see it if someone offers to show you around.
• Keep your card in sight when paying, and check goods before you leave a shop.
• Avoid quiet streets and empty beaches after dark.
• Many beaches have few or no lifeguards, and currents can be strong.
• Activity providers may not meet UK safety standards; check that your insurance covers what you plan to do.
• Moroccan sources also give 19 for police and 15 for fire and rescue.

Emergency numbers

Police

190

Ambulance and fire

150

Gendarmerie (outside cities)

177

Places to eat nearby

Well-known restaurants near the sights, listed for convenience. Apollonaut has no connection with them and takes no bookings. Price levels (€ to €€€) are a rough guide; check opening times before you go.

• La Table by Madada Medina, by Place Moulay Hassan and the port · Seafood, Moroccan and French €€€
• Umia Rue de la Skala, by the ramparts · Modern, seafood-led small plates €€€
• The Loft Medina, off Place Moulay Hassan · Seafood with a Moroccan twist (no alcohol) €€
• Restaurant Safran Citron Medina, Rue Laalouj · Traditional Moroccan and fish, set menus €
• Restaurant Sayef Medina, Rue d’Agadir · Lebanese and Moroccan, fish €