8 min read
Essaouira or Agadir
Two Atlantic coast towns three hours apart with almost nothing in common: climate, beach, days, prices and children, compared without the sales pitch.
Read the guideWritten in Essaouira
Essaouira guides.
Long-form, practical guides to the town: how many days you need, where to eat, what the wind does to your plans, and how to get here without overpaying.
- 17
- in-depth guides
- EN · FR
- every guide in English and French
- Sept 2026
- last updated
Plan your stay
7 min read
Is Essaouira worth it?
Who Essaouira is right for, who it is wrong for, and how it compares to Marrakech, Taghazout and Agadir — written by people who live here and have no interest in overselling it.
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7 min read
Essaouira with kids
A traffic-free medina, a huge flat beach, camels, and food children will actually eat. What works, what does not, and how to handle the wind with small people.
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9 min read
2 days in Essaouira
A realistic two-day Essaouira itinerary built around the one thing most guides ignore: the wind picks up every afternoon, so mornings and afternoons are not interchangeable.
Read the guideGetting here & around
6 min read
Taxis
How the taxis actually work here: petits taxis on the meter, grands taxis by the seat or by the car, the fares, the useful routes and the two phrases worth knowing.
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7 min read
Marrakech to Essaouira
Coach, grand taxi, private transfer or hire car: the four ways from Marrakech to Essaouira, with the distance, journey times and real prices, from people who make the trip all year.
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6 min read
Essaouira airport
What actually lands at Essaouira-Mogador, how long it takes to reach the medina, what the taxi costs, and when you are better off flying into Marrakech or Agadir.
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7 min read
Casablanca to Essaouira
The four ways to reach Essaouira from Casablanca or Rabat: train plus coach, direct coach, the one domestic flight, or the coast road through El Jadida, Oualidia and Safi.
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7 min read
Car hire
When a car earns its keep in Essaouira and when it just costs money: where to hire, the paperwork, the deposit, where to park outside the walls, and what to know before you drive here.
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7 min read
Agadir to Essaouira
The 175 km between Agadir and Essaouira: coach, grand taxi, private transfer or hire car, with journey times, real prices and the stops on the coast road that are worth the detour.
Read the guideWhere to stay
7 min read
Where to stay in Essaouira
Medina, seafront, Diabat, countryside or Sidi Kaouki: which area to pick, the riads and hotels we recommend, and the traps to avoid, from people who live here.
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8 min read
Riads in Essaouira
What a riad here actually is, why it is nothing like a Marrakech one, the questions to ask before you book, the truth about pools, what it costs, and the houses we would send a friend to.
Read the guideWeather & seasons
10 min read
Wind & weather, month by month
Essaouira's wind is the single biggest factor in whether you enjoy your trip. Here is what it does each month, what that means for surfing, kiting and beach days, and when to book.
Read the guideSurf, kite & activities
8 min read
Surfing in Essaouira
The spots from the bay to Sidi Kaouki, the right season for your level, what lessons and board hire cost, and the mistakes to avoid: the Essaouira surf guide, written by locals.
Read the guideBeaches & places
9 min read
Day trips from Essaouira
Sidi Kaouki, Diabat, the argan cooperatives, Marrakech and the coast road south — how long each takes, what it costs, and an honest verdict on whether to bother.
Read the guideFood & drink
10 min read
Where to eat
How eating works in Essaouira — the fish grills at the port, our addresses by occasion, what a meal actually costs, and the everyday places that never make guidebooks.
Read the guideCulture & history
8 min read
Self-guided walking tour
A two-hour route through the medina, the mellah, the ramparts and the port, in an order that makes historical sense — with no ebook to buy and no guide to tip.
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