Essaouira has, for many years, attracted travellers to its wild shores. This fortified town on the Atlantic coast is one of the most appealing places to visit in Morocco. The town gained a certain degree of international notoriety in the 1950s when Orson Welles' epic "Othello" was filmed in the town's medina, and then again in the late sixties when the place was a popular hangout on the international hippy trail. Marrakech, Tangiers and Essaouira were popular laidback, free-and-easy, haunts for the flower power generation. Although Essaouira still has a relaxed and slightly Bohemian feel, these days are largely gone, and it's now a destination that appeals to a wide range of travellers, from backpackers to top-end clientelle. Its (increasing) popularity is not difficult to explain when you consider what the place has to offer. Its film-set good looks make it something of a North African classic - faded, weather-beaten white-washed walls, mysterious winding alleyways and a well-preserved 18th century city wall complete with canons facing seaward. The town has a lively and picturesque port area where fresh catch can be barbecued in front of your very eyes and a wide sweeping bay which is ideal for windsurfing and kite surfing. The town has a number of excellent restarurants (with seafood a speciality), and numerous charming guest houses, from basic to five star luxury. Essaouira is also a very good place to shop, particularly for those who can't face the higher hassle factor of Marrakech. The town has always attracted those with an artictic bent and many of the shops sell artwork and antiques. The selection in this relatively small medina can't compare to the giant commercial centre of Marrakech, but the scene is laid back enough to make it an appealing alternative. Essaouira's surroundings contrast nicely with the plains around Marrakech and the High Atlas to the south. The landscape around the town has a much more Meditteranean feel to it, and for those with a car there are several small guest houses (many with swimming pools) hidden in the low hills of the coastal belt. A car is also a useful asset for accessing some of the best beaches in the area. The town's beach offers a pleasant strip of sand, but for drama and isolation the region's out-of-town beaches are recommended. To the north a small track off the Safi road takes you to one of the most impressive beaches on the Moroccan Atlantic.Composed of layer upon layer of the purest dunes, this virgin beach has the look of a mini Sahara. To the south, the beach at Sidi Kaouki has some accommodation as well as surfboard hire shops and a few places to eat. It can be accessed by a tarmac road off the Essaouira-Agadir road.
|
