Things to do in Essaouira

I love a good beachy holiday, but maybe not one that involves packed beaches, towel reserved loungers and holiday reps. Essaouira is none of that. I can totally recommend a chilled out week in this Moroccan seaside town and if you need a bit of inspiration here are some things to do in Essaouira.

Beach

First of all there is the beach. It stretches as far as the eye can see with colourful kites flying above it. You see it gets pretty windy in Essaouira so it's an all time favourite among surfers. Maybe not so much among sun lovers, but feet not. There are quite a few beach clubs that offer shelter from the blustering and sandy winds. And men trying to get you to ride a camel.

Walk around the Harbour

A very interesting place this is, especially when the fisherman have come in to sell their catches of the day. It does get a bit messy and muddy, but if you walk on the walls, you'll get a bird's eye view of all the goings-on below you. You'll also get a good view of the centuries old city walls and fortifications that feature as the backdrop of all the hustle and bustle.

Shop in the medina 

The old part of town is a labyrinth of little squares and narrow alleys, lined with shops selling spices, leather goods and local ceramics. I was surprised to see these interspersed with modern design shops offering clothing, art and other bits from local designers. Two shops not to miss were L'histoir des Filles and Le Comptoir Oriental by Madada which was an apartment disguised as a design store. Or maybe it was the other way around?

Of course don't miss out on a walk around the souk. There are different parts; a corner full of jewelry, a corner where they sell meats and fish and one with more spices and herb that can cure all kinds of interesting ailments.

Eat 

Moroccan food is deliciously spiced. Not in the my mouth is on fire kind of way, but more in the burst with flavour kind of way. There are the tagines that come with different meats, kebabs or kofte which are meatballs and the chicken wrapped in puff pastry, which you must absolutely try. Of course, Essaouira being a seaside town, there are plenty of restaurants offering freshly caught seafood. I loved the Moroccan salads which were mashed up veggies and delicious.

 Essaouira offers a wide range of dining options for every wallet size. I will round them up in a separate blog post, but do try Caravane Cafe for amazing, albeit a bit pricey food and Taros for seafood and sea views.

Be Pampered at a Hammam

For me, no holiday is complete without a massage or any sort of pamper treatment. We went to a hammam for a massage and then another one for a traditional hammam scrub. Although the latter was more painful than relaxing, you come out felling utterly relaxed. And that is the point of a holiday, right?