Packed with iconic museums and monuments, together with low-key treasures cherished by locals, Paris is a city that emanates "la belle vie" (the good life).
21.07.2023 - 08:09 / roughguides.com
Essaouira is situated on Morocco’s Atlantic west coast and feels a world away from its frenetic neighbour, Marrakech. There’s a bohemian feel to this walled town, its souks selling musical instruments and proud owners sitting outside their small art galleries. Whether you want to make the most of the waves, wander around local art galleries or navigate the medina, there are plenty of interesting things to do in Essaouira, Morocco.
The information in this article is inspired by The Rough Guide to Morocco , your essential guide for visiting Morocco .
We took left and right turns past cats and carts, down lanes where wicker baskets were pinned against the half-white, -blue and -pink walls. Simply wandering around the UNESCO-listed medina made up the bulk of our visit, where we lingered at souks selling terracotta tagine pots, baskets of small woodcrafts, cones of colourful spices and punnets of fat, waxy-red strawberries.
A few women sat outside the souks and churned argan oil from horizontal wheels; while it isn’t cheap, it’s certainly an interesting way to watch an authentic souvenir made before your eyes.
But just as we thought we’d seen it all, we heard a commotion coming from one of the courtyards. Towards the heart of the medina was a lively fish market, where huge tuna and smaller fish were displayed on great chunks of ice and decorated with colourful bell peppers, with shoppers (and a few cats) surrounding the courtyard. The adjacent restaurant made for a well-timed lunch break.
Essaouira © Pixabay
Urged on by the sound of the waves, we dwindled down one of the lanes which led onto an uphill slope, at the top of which was Skala de la Ville. This sand-coloured bastion once protected the city from both invasion and the elements, but thankfully today it’s just the latter. Walking along the ramparts, we caught glimpses of the sea between the square-set crenels where a few old bronze cannons were positioned.
At one end was the North Bastion, a sort of open-plan turret, which offered more sweeping views of the sea. Heads rested on shoulders, feet stood on tiptoes and necks craned to get the best view of the waves pulling back, before catapulting into white curls that broke against the rocks.
Seagulls guard the fortress of Essaouira, Morocco © Ryzhkov Oleksandr/Shutterstock
On every corner we turned, there was an art to be found: Hokusai-style waves and fishermen painted on the walls, local galleries brimming with distinctive art styles and stalls spread out with local paintings of local scenes. Before dinner one evening, we stumbled down Rue Tetouan and into Galerie la Kasbah, an art gallery housed in a building which is a treasure in itself.
The converted riad is spread over three floors
Packed with iconic museums and monuments, together with low-key treasures cherished by locals, Paris is a city that emanates "la belle vie" (the good life).
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