This port city, a former fishing port and recent seaside resort, is certainly the most pleasant holiday resort on the Atlantic coast. Built on a peninsula, Essaouira has a mild climate in all seasons. The ramparts of the medina offer an unforgettable stroll that extends a splendid beach of fine sand. The city is small and its appearance is similar to that of the city of Saint-Malo. Indeed, the architect of Essaouira also participated in the reconstruction of the Breton city! Despite these similarities, if Essaouira is indeed twinned with a seaside town, it is with La Rochelle.

What to visit Essaouira?

When to go to Essaouira?

When to go to Essaouira ? On the Moroccan Atlantic coast, the high season is summer, from mid-June to mid-September: foreign tourists and Moroccan citizens come to enjoy the sea and the freshness of the spray. For economic and tranquility reasons, the best time to go to Essaouria is certainly the low season. At this time, hotels offer discounts of up to 50%. On the negative side, some services and activities may be cancelled. Also beware of the Ramadan period, during which the country lives in slow motion and eating becomes complicated. This sacred month for Muslims is advanced by about ten days each year. In short, the answer to the question of when to go to Essaouira is all year round, trying to target the spring and fall months if possible. Finally, the Gnaoua music festival attracts a huge crowd to Essaouira every year at the end of June.

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Weather at the moment

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Weather all year round

If the temperature differences are very important according to the regions of Morocco and according to the periods, the weather of Essaouira is perpetually good! The sun shines all year round, with a maximum of 4 days of rain in January and a mercury around 15°C. In summer, when Agadir is very hot, the temperature in Essaouira is on average 23 °C.

Budget

The currency in Essaouira is the dirham (DH). Although not an expensive country, Morocco is not a paradise for the poor. The government has promoted tourism for the wealthy in order to bring in foreign currency, hence the multitude of luxury hotels. Essaouira is nevertheless a destination that suits all budgets, both in terms of accommodation and food.

Procedures

No visa to go to Essaouira, a valid passport will be required at the Moroccan border. If you are travelling as part of a stay organised by a travel agency, your national identity card may be sufficient.

International driving license. In principle, you will not need it. However, you should know that you can obtain it in a few days, for a few euros, from the prefecture of your residence.

Registration document. The registration card of your vehicle is valid in Essaouira and Morocco, where it is mandatory.

Health

The health situation in Morocco is good. There are no mandatory vaccinations to visit Essaouira, but those against hepatitis A and B, and typhoid are recommended. The main rules of hygiene concern food. It is not advisable to drink tap water: it is not drinkable in Essaouira. Bottled water is preferable.

How to go to Essaouira? Our advice & tips

Morocco is a very tourist destination, and the phenomenon is growing. The specialists are consequently quite numerous and, knowing perfectly the ground, will be able to organize you a trip with the chart. You can also opt for a thematic tour: Moroccan culture and cuisine, water sports, and even combine them. As there are many offers at certain times of the year, it may be more interesting to go through an agency than to organize your trip yourself.

It is quite possible to prepare a trip to Essaouira by yourself. From France, the price of a round trip air ticket can vary greatly depending on the season, the airline used, and the reservation period: from 150 to 450 €. Concerning accommodation, you can find everything in Essaouira: from small cheap inns to luxury hotels, including comfortable but not expensive pensions. The same goes for food.

If you land in Casablanca or Marrakech, you will go to Essaouira by bus. Once there, the medina can be explored on foot and the various points of interest outside the city center can be reached easily on foot as well. For the more remote areas, you can take the bus, the micro-taxi, or rent a vehicle (two-wheeler or car), but be careful: driving in Morocco is quite sporty!

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Pictures and images Essaouira

Arganiers près d'Essaouira. Author's Image
Sqala du port, Essaouira. ugurhan
Ville d'Essaouira. Author's Image
La sqala du port et l'île de Mogador. Author's Image

Discover Essaouira

When to travel?

When to go to Essaouira ? On the Moroccan Atlantic coast, the high season is summer, from mid-June to mid-September:...
Read more about it

Weather forecast

If the temperature differences are very important according to the regions of Morocco and according to the periods, t...
Read more about it

Budget

The currency in Essaouira is the dirham (DH). Although not an expensive country, Morocco is not a paradise for the po...
Read more about it

Formalities

No visa to go to Essaouira, a valid passport will be required at the Moroccan border. If you are travelling as part...
Read more about it

Health

The health situation in Morocco is good. There are no mandatory vaccinations to visit Essaouira, but those against he...
Read more about it

How to travel by yourself?

It is quite possible to prepare a trip to Essaouira by yourself. From France, the price of a round trip air ticket ca...
Read more about it

How to get organized?

Morocco is a very tourist destination, and the phenomenon is growing. The specialists are consequently quite numerous...
Read more about it

Getting around

If you land in Casablanca or Marrakech, you will go to Essaouira by bus. Once there, the medina can be explored on fo...
Read more about it

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