#08 Essaouira (Morocco Travel Guide)

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• published: 05 Jun 2016
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Visiting Morocco is a once in a lifetime experience! Perched on the edge of Morocco’s Atlantic coast, Essaouira looks like a cross between North Africa and the Mediterranean. Surrounded by golden-stone city walls, it mixes bright blues and dazzling whitewash with flowing djellabas and the smell of spices. And this mixture all makes sense when you look at the town’s history – over the years it’s been inhabited by a whole range of different cultural and ethnic groups, from the Arabs and Africans to the Romans and French. The influences from them all have blended together over the years to create this mellow, relaxed coastal town. Add into that 300 days of sunshine a year and constant warm but not baking temperatures, and you’ve pretty much got the perfect short break destination. Although Essaouira hasn’t got much in the way of big ‘must-see’ sights, it’s an easy place to spend a few days. With summer temperatures which regularly soar well over the 40C mark, it is no surprise that the good citizens of Marrakech are keen for access to a cool breeze – and the place they head for to get that is the historic, coastal town of Essaouira. Located on the Atlantic coast in western Morocca, Essaouira is easily accessible by car, bus or train from Marrakech. With less than a week in the region, we wanted to get a taste of more than just Marrakech so we booked a driver and headed off on a drive that took just over two hours, but offered plenty of distractions. With just 10 percent of the population of Marrakech, the smaller city is far easier to navigate and explore. It’s distinctly Moroccan, with its walled medina, narrow alleyways, souks and Berber influence; yet it’s also a place with a young, vibrant, artistic vibe. Small Art galleries and studios are found all over town; one of the best ways to begin a stay in Essaouira is to simply walk through the main squares to get a feel for the creative scene. You will find not only established galleries, but also the work of plenty of street artists, photo-worthy graffiti and murals on the sides of buildings, as well as colourful creations made of pottery and wood displayed along walls and sidewalks. Visit the Galerie d’Art Frederic Damgaard (Avenue Okba Ibn Nafia; free entrance) for a nice introduction to local artists, along with a decent book selection and pieces for sale. The Association Tilal (2 Rue du Caire) exhibits the work of half a dozen or so local painters with distinctive styles. Espace Othello (9 Rue Mohammed Layachi) began from the overflow of artwork the owner had on exhibit in his nearby restaurant, and has grown into its own gallery with paintings and sculptures by local artists. The name is derived from Orson Welles’s 1952 film, Othello, which he filmed here. Along with painting, sculpture and other fine art, Essaouira is famed for its handicrafts — particularly woodcarving, cabinetmaking and intricate marquetry inlays. Along the Skala de la Ville is a string of workshops that specialize in these traditional craft arts, where you can not only buy items, but often watch the artisans at work. An important thing to know is that the traditional woodcarving was done with local thuya wood, which is now endangered. Therefore, you will generally find such other types of wood as ebony or walnut in the carvings. But if you do see anything of real thuya, be aware that buying this wood threatens the last remaining trees and encourages illegal logging. Other places to shop for local artisan crafts include Rafia Craft(82 Rue d’Agadir), which showcases shoes woven from doum palm fibres; Boutique Kif Kif (204 Place du Marché aux Grains) with locally made linens, towels, home décor and bags; andGalerie Jama (22 Rue Ibnou Rochd) for high-quality Moroccan rugs from Mustapha el Boussaidi, who has been making tribal carpets since age 11. The multilevelled Jama, which is located in an old house, also has a nice selection of silk, pottery and other objets d’arts. Like most cultural hotspots, Essaouira also has a musical side, from traditional styles such as the mystical Gnaoua and Sufi, to classically based Alizés and Printemps, to modern jazz, dance and reggae tunes. Caravane Café (2 bis Rue Qadi Ayad) is a trendy spot with a cosmopolitan-cool vibe, which is frequented by musicians. Essaouira’s most famous music event is the Gnaoua World Music Festival, held every year in May or June and attracting musical artists from all over the world. Dubbed the "Moroccan Woodstock," the festival is a melting pot of Gnaoua masters alongside foreign rock, jazz and reggae musicians. It lasts four days and attracts around half-a-million visitors each year. One- and four-day passes are for sale, but many of the performances are also available to attend for free. For more info on Essouira, please check here http://www.safiriz.com/mesmerising-morocco/