QUICK LOOK:
Location: Medina
Main Attractions: Medina, Plage d’Essaouira, Plage Rocheuse d'Essaouira, Sqala de la Kasbah, Sqala du port d’Essaouira, Place Moulay Hassan
Transportation: Walking
ESSAOUIRA - Essaouira, formerly known as Mogador, is a charming coastal city in Morocco. Also known as the “Windy City” (for very obvious reasons), Essaouira boasts of white sand beaches, blue and white buildings, sand-colored ramparts, a laidback lifestyle, and friendly neighbors. I think the best way to describe Essaouira is to paint you a picture of a typical day:
The sun is out, the wind is strong. We enjoy a slow morning of freshly-baked bread, almond butter, fresh fruits, yogurt, and cereals. As we step out our door right into the Medina, we pass by the first of several cats we will encounter along our walk. Apparently, we are attracted to cat-loving cities (if you recall our stays in Budva and Athens) . We head through the narrow pathways lined with neighborhood shops and friendly faces to the main market street. We take a few more turns through narrow streets to our favorite local coffee shop, Brotherhood (we were regulars by the end of our trip). Brad orders a spiced latte and smoothie. The owners (who now recognize us) surprise our girls with a free smoothie. The Brotherhood is loved for their hot and cold beverages but even more so for their kind and generous hearts. We say our goodbyes before heading to Plage d’Essaouira (Essaouira Beach). The beach is windy (not surprisingly), but it doesn’t stop the kids from playing in the water and digging in the sand. Plus, it’s always more enjoyable when you’re with dear friends (we are still with the Wallace’s).
After working up an appetite, we head to our new go-to local eat, Snack Atlas. Good food, good prices. But, most of all, kind and generous people that make you feel at home. After our bellies and hearts are full, we wander back through the colorful and lively streets to our dar (you might recall the difference between a riad and a dar from my previous Marrakech post) to relax from a fun-filled day. For dinner, we wander back out to pick up maakouda (Moroccan potato cakes) with parsley garlic sauce and vegetable briwats or pastillas for a light, yet delicious, meal. We end our night relaxing with friends in our dar and remembering all the new friends we made throughout the day.
Most of our days in Essaouira were similar to the one mentioned above in that they were relaxing, calm, laid back (think Jimi Hendrix, a beloved icon in Essaouira), and full of warm connections with people. Don’t get me wrong, those who want adventure can find it. There’s opportunity for kite surfing, wind surfing, ATV riding, camel riding, and more. Although we didn’t choose to do any of these, the option is absolutely there. For us, enjoying the beaches, eating delicious food, discovering local gems, connecting with neighborhood shop owners, and just exploring the town with friends was enough. Let me explain further:
Beaches: we enjoyed three different beach areas—Plage d’Essaouira, Plage Rocheuse d'Essaouira, and a nameless rocky port connected to Place Moulay Hassan. The rocky port, although not an official sunbathing type beach, had beautiful views of the fortress walls and Atlantic Ocean. Plage Rocheuse d’Essaouira was a small sand beach scattered with broken (but still beautiful) tile pieces and glass, which the kids quickly began collecting. It also had sand mounds perfect for sliding down. Of note, this was the beach where Vienna calmly approached me with something round and jelly-like in her hands. When she asked me what it was, I calmly (but quickly) asked her to set it down before telling her it was a jellyfish. Thankfully, it was dead and the tentacles were no longer attached. But, it definitely caught us both by surprise and left us with a good story to tell. The final beach and the one we went to most was Plage d’Essaouira, the main beach of the city. It extends along the coast and attracts locals and visitors alike. While our kids enjoyed playing in the water and digging torrential holes, we enjoyed watching the kite surfers, wind surfers, and soccer games.
Food: Oh, the food. Moroccan cuisine is easily near the top of my list when it comes to flavors and spices. On one of our first nights, Brad found a small restaurant called Cafe Restaurant Berbere. We had their omelette (which comes in a burning hot skillet), Moroccan soup (one of my favorites), chicken and preserved lemon tajine (one of Brad’s favorites), and Moroccan mint tea (of course). It was here that the girls fell in love with Moroccan mint tea. They had it several times throughout the trip.
The next day, we went to Brunch&Co for brunch (another great find by Brad) and had a delicious meal. Once again, the girls got omelettes (they would have a lot throughout our stay). I got a Moroccan pancake (msemen) with various toppings, mint tea, and fresh-squeezed orange juice. This would have been $12+ back in the US, but it was about $5 in Essaouira. It still surprises me every time. On top of that, there was a very friendly waiter (he seemed to know everyone) that brought the girls their own steamed milk so it could match Brad’s cappuccino. They loved it! Plus, I think we were there the day they filmed for one of their social media videos (check them out!).
On one of our beach days, we stumbled upon Snack Atlas on the main strip of the Medina. To be honest, it looked like several of the other nearby restaurants, but we took a chance and chose them. The restaurant quickly became our go-to restaurant for simple falafel and omelette wraps (they call them “tacos” in Morocco). One day, when we made a large take away order, they handed me and Brad a Moroccan potato cake (maakouda) with garlic parsley sauce. We had had them before at a different location, but we were surprised with how delicious these particular ones were, especially with the sauce. They gave us this one for free, but we purchased more on other days. Actually, one of the days when we stopped by just for the maakouda, they gave each of our kids free individual-sized fries. And, when we would walk by in the streets, they would be sure to say hi.
On a family date night, we ventured to Place Moulay Hassan and discovered the Grand Cafe. A bit more contemporary, the Grand Cafe had some more traditional foods but with a twist. On two separate occasions (yes - went twice), we got ravioli, a mushroom crepe, spinach and chèvre cigars (deep fried rolls), and more Moroccan mint tea. The mushroom crepe and cigars were absolutely delicious. Plus, there was a fun lit up “Hello Gorgeous” sign in the restaurant that made for a great photo opportunity (see photo).
Almond butter: oh my goodness. Out of all nut butters, almond is my favorite. Little did I know that we would find almond butter being churned with argan oil and honey on nearly every corner and road of the Medina. We purchased ours (our two families went through three large containers in two weeks) at the same place we got our argan oil—Cooperative Des Femmes Berberes, Huile d’Argan Cosmetique & Alimentaire. The owner was so sweet always waving and hugging our girls as we walked by, giving them free almonds to try, giving us great prices on argan oil and almond butter, and even gifting us argan oil soap and lip balm. She really made us feel so warm and welcomed.
Hammam: Hammam is a traditional Moroccan bath house meant for relaxation and purification. I hadn’t intended to go to one, but Larissa inspired our girls’ date and I am so grateful she did because it was one of the best spa experiences I have had. We went to Arab Spa right outside the Medina where the prices were great and the staff was extremely friendly. We opted for the package that included a 30-minute hammam bath and scrub with a 40-minute massage following, and it was perfect. We left the luxurious experience feeling clean, refreshed, and relaxed. Thank you, Arab Spa, for reminding us of how important it is to care for our body, mind, and soul.
Sites: In addition to going to the beach and wondering the Medina, we enjoyed walking the ramparts (city walls) where the children could climb the canons and be outside. Compared to other places we had been to during these travels, the walls are not as ancient dating back to the 18th century A.D. That being said, it is still so rich in history with the architecture being that of North African influences and the city being a major international seaport. It was even recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001.
Our time in Essaouira was very special. Essaouira is a calm and beautiful city, but it’s the people that make it more beautiful. The kind smiles, the warm greetings, the trust and loyalty among neighbors—we need more of that in our world. And to experience all this with close friends and see the children get along (and sometimes not get along) like close siblings just warmed my heart. Thank you, Essaouira, for a very memorable experience.
سلام
(Salam)
You always find beautiful locations with delicious food that do not break the bank.
I look forward to your next adventure! Blessings