Excursion : Essaouira & Atlantic coast

The name of the city of Essaouira was formerly “Amogdul”, which means “well guarded” and comes from the name of the patron saint of the Berber city Sidi Mogdul. It was then named “Mogdoura” by the Portuguese, then “Mogadur” by the Spanish and “Mogador” by the French. It finally became “Es-Saouira” (Arabic: “fortified place”).

This fortified city, marked by its history, invites you to stroll through the narrow streets with the many small colourful shops and old houses, the numerous painters’ galleries, the small but strange souks, the market stalls with their colourful spices….. Besides the beach and the sea, the “Pearl of the Atlantic” offers a quiet medina with traditional handicrafts. The charming old town (listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004) with its long and powerful fortress partially protecting it from the Atlantic, the Sqala with its old bronze cannons (with a breathtaking view of the Atlantic) and its craft shops where the famous thuja or lemon wood inlays are made, as well as the port and its protective bastion will delight you. Essaouira is also a meeting place for musicians and artists. An arched passageway leads directly to the best craftsmen in Morocco. More than 150 of them work exclusively with Thuja wood. These traditional and highly respected artists will amaze you.

Another speciality of Essaouira is the oil made from the fruits of the argan trees, which grow only in this region.

Lunch at the port or in a typical restaurant in the medina.

On the way back, about 15 km before Marrakech, you can visit the potters. Discover this traditional craft, a Moroccan speciality: the tadelakt made of lime with extraordinary colours.