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Essaouira

Essaouira

Essaouira is a port city on Morocco’s Atlantic coast, known for its UNESCO-listed medina, historic fortifications, artisan workshops and sandy beach.

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Essaouira is a port city on Morocco’s Atlantic coast, with about 82,962 inhabitants in 2024. The medina has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001. Its old streets contain small workshops, including cabinet makers and craftspeople who carve thuya wood from the roots of the Tetraclinis tree. The fishing harbour remains one of Morocco’s major fishing ports, known for sardines and conger eels.

Sultan Mohammed III founded the city in the 1760s as a port for foreign merchants and a sea outlet for Marrakesh. In the medina, visit the fortifications and the Mellah, the old Jewish quarter, which has historic synagogues and a large cemetery. Tagart beach stretches south from the harbour, with sand dunes along its broad shore. Essaouira suits a trip focused on history, crafts and the coast. Its semi-arid climate brings mild winters and warm summers; annual rainfall is usually 300 to 500 millimetres.

Essaouira in five

  1. Expect wind, especially in summerStrong trade winds blow for much of the year. Good for kitesurfing and windsurfing, less so for lying on the beach.
  2. Eat grilled fish at the harborStalls by the port grill the morning's catch. Agree the price by weight before they cook.
  3. Take the bus from MarrakechSupratours and CTM buses take about three hours. Book a day ahead in holiday periods.
  4. Walk the ramparts at sunsetThe Skala de la Ville sea walls face west over the Atlantic.

Things to do in Essaouira

See all attractions in Essaouira
Simon Attias SynagogueSight · EssaouiraSimon Attias Synagogue
a group of people walking along a beach next to the oceanSight · EssaouiraEssaouira Beach
Essaouira portSight · EssaouiraEssaouira port
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Need to know

Airport
Essaouira-Mogador (ESU), small; most fly into Marrakech
Getting there
About 3 hours by bus or car from Marrakech
Getting around
On foot in the medina; taxis to the beach and Sidi Kaouki
Best base
A riad in the medina, or near the beach for water sports
Time needed
2–3 days

Weather by month

  • Rainy days
  • Festival
  • Best
  • Good
  1. JanuaryClear3 rainy daysHigh19°Low12°Mild, calm
  2. FebruaryClear5 rainy daysHigh20°Low13°Mild
  3. MarchClear7 rainy daysHigh20°Low14°Mild
  4. AprilClear5 rainy daysHigh21°Low15°Breezy
  5. MayClear2 rainy daysHigh23°Low17°Windy
  6. JuneClear0 rainy daysHigh24°Low18°Very windy
  7. JulyClear0 rainy daysHigh27°Low20°Windy, busy
  8. AugustClear0 rainy daysHigh28°Low21°Windy, busy
  9. SeptemberClear0 rainy daysHigh26°Low20°Warm, calmer
  10. OctoberClear3 rainy daysHigh25°Low19°Mild
  11. NovemberClear4 rainy daysHigh22°Low16°Mild
  12. DecemberClear4 rainy daysHigh20°Low14°Mild

Average daily high and low in Essaouira, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Festivals: Jun Gnaoua World Music Festival

Right now in Essaouira

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Cloudy

20

Feels like
18°
Humidity
68%
Wind
16 km/h
Chance of rain
13%

Essaouira

11:25 PM

Monday, November 2

GMT+0

  1. Today24°18°13%Monday: Cloudy. High 24°, Low 18°. Chance of rain 13%.
  2. Tue24°17°10%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 24°, Low 17°. Chance of rain 10%.
  3. Wed24°18°10%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 24°, Low 18°. Chance of rain 10%.
  4. Thu24°17°1%Thursday: Cloudy. High 24°, Low 17°. Chance of rain 1%.
  5. Fri24°17°3%Friday: Cloudy. High 24°, Low 17°. Chance of rain 3%.
  6. Sat25°16°2%Saturday: Cloudy. High 25°, Low 16°. Chance of rain 2%.
  7. Sun27°20°29%Sunday: Cloudy. High 27°, Low 20°. Chance of rain 29%.

Updated 10:52 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 USD = 9.842 MAD

MAD · Moroccan Dirham

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

What's on in Essaouira

Concerts, festivals and big events in and around the city

Events calendar

Every year

  • JunGnaoua World Music FestivalEssaouira

Day trips by train

Before you go to Essaouira

Riads inside the rampartsSea views and rooftop terracesCheck availability
Surf and kite lessonsSidi Kaouki and the main bayCompare tours
eSIM for the Atlantic coastKeep maps live on the coast roadRead the guide
Insurance for water sportsCheck kite and surf lesson coverRead the guide

We may earn a commission. It never decides our picks.

Rules for Essaouira, checked

  • Check passport-specific entry requirements with a Moroccan embassy or consulate before travel.
  • Ask before photographing people, especially in the medina’s markets and streets.
  • Non-Muslims cannot enter most mosques in Morocco; admire Essaouira’s mosques from outside.
  • Tipping is customary for restaurant service; leave cash if you want to tip.

Plan around Essaouira

All of Morocco

Cities, coast and desert, with entry and money basics

Read the guideMarrakech

The usual gateway, about 3 hours by road

Read the guideBest time to visit Morocco

Wind and temperature month by month

Read the guideTransport planning

Buses, trains and flights in Morocco

Read the guideVisas and entry

Check your passport rules before you fly

Read the guideTravel insurance

Cover for water sports and road days

Read the guideSafi

Pottery port on the coast road north

Read the guideAgadir

Beach resort and surf coast to the south

Read the guide

Essaouira FAQ

Is Essaouira good for swimming?

The water is cool Atlantic and the wind is often strong. Calm days suit a swim; windy days suit kitesurfing.

How many days do I need in Essaouira?

Two or three days for the medina, the harbor and a beach day.

How do I get from Marrakech to Essaouira?

Supratours and CTM buses take about three hours. A private driver is faster and can stop at argan cooperatives.

Is Essaouira worth visiting?

Yes, for a calmer medina than Marrakech, fresh grilled fish and an Atlantic breeze. It suits a two or three day break more than a rushed day trip.

When is the best time to visit Essaouira?

April, May, September and October are mild, with a break from the strongest summer wind. Kitesurfers often prefer the windier months.

DestinationsWhere to go, when to go and how to get around in 221 countries. Every practical fact shows the date we checked it and who checked it.Where to stayNeighborhoods walked end to end: who each area suits, how far it is from the airport train, and the hotels we would book ourselves.PlanVisas and entry rules, travel insurance, eSIMs and rail passes, explained in plain words and rechecked when the rules change.EventsFestivals, concerts and tours with confirmed dates, rooms near the venue and the fastest way on to the next city.StoriesField reports and data stories from the road. We time the queues, count the costs and say what changed since last year.

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