PORT

Built at the foot of the ramparts and at the end of the long sandy beach that borders the city, the traditional fishing port of Essaouira was for many years the only port in the country open to foreign trade. In the 18th century, Mogador was the most important maritime center in the country. It was here that the English landed to introduce tea. If, in the shipyard, some trawlers are still built in teak and eucalyptus wood, according to the ancestral methods, essentially intended for fishing, it is however for its morning animation that the port is famous. You can get there by crossing the customs post. From the first hours of the day, when the wind awakens the sleeping city, the blue boats pile up in an indescribable disorder around the docks, and the fishmongers install their stalls. The hubbub will be at its peak a few hours later, when the baskets full of fish will be hoisted onto the dock and distributed among the stalls. The auction is the perfect time to stroll around, camera slung over your shoulder, and enjoy one of these fried sardines or mackerel, in the scent of freshly caught anchovies or saurels, amidst the chatter of women who repair the nets of sailors. Don't miss the siesta either, in the hot afternoon hours, when the fishermen fall asleep curled up in their nets. The welcome will always be warm if you take the time to share a tea. In the heart of the Souiris' life!