LOTUS EATERS TRAVEL

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15 BEST THINGS TO DO IN ESSAOUIRA.

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After four days in Essaouira, I had around 1,000 photos of cats on my camera roll. They were everywhere – poised on every corner, patiently waiting to be photographed. Curled up in rugs, lined up on benches, I even caught one sprawled across the back of a bicycle, practically begging me to “paint me like one of your French girls.”

The cats in this city truly seem to live their best lives, and honestly, I’m here for it. If someone asked me, “Is Essaouira worth visiting?” my answer would be yes… but only if you love cats.

In the nicest possible way, you quickly learn which alleyways are the “nice ones” and which ones smell suspiciously like a giant litter tray. But there’s a lot more to Essaouira than just cats. It’s a compact, charming coastal town that’s perfect for a few days of slow wandering, mint tea, and getting pleasantly lost.

After more than two weeks travelling around Morocco, we can safely say that Essaouira was our favourite place to explore. Fittingly, Essaouira was previously called “Mugadur” which means “safe guarded”– and that’s exactly how it feels.

From the layout of the medina, and the protection afforded by the city walls, to the laid-back atmosphere, it’s a town that asks you to switch into full vacation mode and just…waft around feeling exotic.

15 best things to do in Essaouira

Here are our top picks for the best things to do in this gorgeous Moroccan town.

1/ Listen to live music

I first came to Morocco nearly 19 years ago. In fact, it was my very first backpacking trip. Back then, Morocco felt incredibly exotic, and I’ve often wondered whether I’d feel the same way when I returned. Sitting in a bar in Essaouira, listening to live music, I realised that I did.

One of the biggest impressions Morocco left on me all those years ago came from the music. The beats, the instruments, the rhythms – and those soulful vocals. It had all stayed with me, without me even realising it. But the best part? Moroccans really let loose when the music starts.

We were listening to live jams in the aptly named Mega Loft, and I saw it all again – the waiters dancing, the singer lost in the words, the audience clapping along in time. It felt joyful, spontaneous, and completely infectious.

So when visiting Essaouira, listening to live music is (in my opinion) an absolute must-do experience. For evening performances, check out Mega Loft (reasonable prices for wine and a spacious venue), The Hungry Nomad Rooftop Essaouira (especially when the weather is good), or Restaurant Café des Arts for something more intimate.

Tip: Not all bars serve alcohol. If this matters to you, check the menus before visiting and keep in mind that “cocktails” are often non-alcoholic.

2/ Explore the coffee scene

If it’s morning, Moroccans drink coffee. If it’s afternoon, Moroccans drink coffee. Even at night, you’ll find Moroccans drinking coffee. So it should come as no surprise that any Moroccan town worth its salt has a thriving café culture.

But in Essaouira, you’ll find more than just the typical smoky terrace espresso spots with plastic chairs. If you’re after something a little more special, seek out places like Simane Café. Tucked away in a quiet alley, Simane (which means “two souls”) is the dream brought to life by two friends, and it’s just as charming as it sounds.

For a quick hit whilst browsing the stalls, Brotherhood Coffee Shop offers excellent coffee from an unassuming hole in the wall.

And if you like your caffeine with a side of people-watching, head to the brilliantly named Bean There Sipped That, perfectly positioned on one of the main medina thoroughfares, Avenue Mohamed Zerktouni.

3/ Eat pizza

One thing we absolutely did not expect to find in Morocco was such mind-blowing pizza. That said, in a country with such a deeply embedded bread-making culture, perhaps we shouldn’t have been so surprised. And of all the pizzas we ate during our time in Morocco, some of the very best were in Essaouira.

For a sit-down Italian experience, head deep into the medina to Taverna Bolognese Da Maurizio. This tiny little restaurant seems to appear out of nowhere, and it looked so inviting – with twinkling candles and sumptuous velvet seating – that we couldn’t resist stopping here for lunch. It’s a proper Italian-style spot, complete with a glass of Chianti, should you wish to accompany your pizza or pasta.

Alternatively, Pizza Agogo (very much a to-go) is a popular choice for a quick and very inexpensive bite, with tables spilling out into the food market area of Av. de l’Istiqlal.

4/ And patisserie

The patisserie scene in Morocco is consistently strong, thanks in no small part to the country’s French influence. In Essaouira, you’ll find everything from tiny bakeries hidden in back alleys serving beautifully decorated little cakes, to slicker cafés turning out perfect croissants and pain au chocolat.

For modern bakes, try Pumpkin. Pâtisserie La Bienvenue is a solid classic. Or if you’re after something a little more hipster adjacent – try Café L’Esprit.

5/ And brunch

When exploring a medina, one must fortify oneself. And brunch is just the ticket. We loved Bonzo, found on a sunny square – excellent smoothies or egg dishes. A great pit spot before more wandering. Mandala Society specialises in vegetarian and vegan dishes. And finally, Three Little Birds is in a great location on Av. Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah (the main medina street.)

6/ Just eat

I don’t mean to keep going on about food, but after travelling widely around Morocco, we quickly realised that Essaouira has one of the best food scenes in the entire country. Sure, Marrakech has some truly show-stopping restaurants, but the prices are often sky-high.

Essaouira, on the other hand, has that rare sweet spot: an abundance of restaurants, a wide variety of cuisines, and consistently great value for money. From traditional Moroccan dishes to Italian, seafood, brunch spots and bakeries, there’s something for every craving and every budget.

It’s also one of the few places in Morocco where it’s genuinely easy to find a glass of wine with your meal. All of which is to say, take your time, follow your appetite, and eat as much as you possibly can while you’re here.

And, if you’re hankering after some incredible Moroccan food – look no further than Restaurant Berber Essaouira. It has a handful of tables and serves genuinely tasty food.

7/ Get lost looking for treasures

Of all the medinas in Morocco, Essaouira’s is one of the easiest to navigate – which makes wandering through it a joy rather than a challenge. The main souks are centered around two streets: Av. de l’Istiqlal and Av. Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah. The former is home to the bustling food market, along with shops selling shoes, belts, and everyday essentials, while the latter is more focused on homewares, textiles, and clothing.

For jewellery, head to Rue Baghdad. For ceramics, Ateliee Terracotta is a delight.

As in any Moroccan market, you can buy just about anything you need… and plenty of things you don’t. In Essaouira, shoes and clothing dominate, fake Birkenstocks are practically everywhere, so if you’re looking for a wardrobe refresh, this is the place to do it. Prices are generally lower than in Fez or Marrakech, but a little bartering will almost always get you a better deal.

8/ Visit art galleries

One thing we’d heard about Essaouira before visiting was that it’s home to a thriving art scene and that definitely holds true. There are galleries dotted all over town, from small independent spaces to more established-looking studios, and it’s easy to spend an hour or two simply wandering in and out.

We’re by no means art experts, but we did enjoy nosing around. That said, at times it felt tricky to distinguish between genuinely original work and more generic, tourist-oriented pieces. We were also a little surprised by some of the prices, with certain artworks listed for around 10,000 MAD (roughly €1,000).

Our advice would be to browse freely and enjoy the creativity, but only buy if you really connect with a piece – and ideally after taking some time to research the artist and the gallery properly.

We enjoyed browsing Le Real Mogador, Galerie d’art Damgaard and Gallery Kasbah.

9/ Explore the ramparts

Essaouira’s ramparts were built in the eighteenth century to fortify and protect the city from outside threats. Today, they are a great way to see a different side of Essaouira. You can’t walk the entire way around, but you can visit at sunset, sunrise or any other point of the day for some lovely pictures and a chance to reminisce about the history of the place.

10/ Catch a wave

The west coast of Morocco is known for surfing. And whilst Taghazout may be the most famous surf spot, Essaouira very much holds its own.

Along the beach you can find various surf schools, like Surf Essaouira – which offers kite boarding as well as traditional surfing. You can book surf lessons too, for around £20.

11/ Watch sunset

When it comes to sunsets, west is best and Essaouira does not disappoint. On our very first night, we were treated to an absolutely stunning sunset. We visited in winter, and it felt like the perfect antidote to the grey, miserable weather back home to be sitting on the beach, watching the sun slowly dip below the horizon.

Head out of the medina to the city beach, Plage d’Essaouira to catch the sun setting. There are a couple of pleasant bars along this modern promenade, like La Coupole Essaouira Beach – ideal for a sundowner.

12/ Take a cooking class

If you fancy doing something a little different – and need a welcome break from walking around the medina – you could try a cooking class in Essaouira. Most cooking classes in Morocco focus on making the famous tagine, which you get to eat afterwards.

Check out this top rated chef led cooking class in Essaouira.

13/ Relax at a yoga class

Wherever I travel, I always like to take a yoga class. In Essaouira, I visited Moga Yoga Studio. It’s a lovely little Shala tucked away in an alleyway (of course). Prices are around €15 for a 75 minute class and they offer a range of styles – vinyasa, hatha and yin. Classes tend to be taught in English and French.

I dropped by for a morning vinyasa class, which was super relaxing. There’s also a café owned by the studio and you can do deals to include brunch with your class. Ideal!

14/ Visit a spa

If you fancy some R&R, a spa is a great option. Of all the places we visited in Morocco, we noticed that spa treatments in Essaouira were much better value. You can bag a 30 minute massage for around €10.

And of course, try a hammam if that appeals to you (a traditional Moroccan treatment.) I still haven’t quite got my head around the idea of a hammam, so we skipped it this time.

There are various well reviewed spas within the medina – Azur Art & Spa and Golden Time Spa for example. But you’ll also come across many hidden away, just follow the various sign posts around the town.

15/ Unwind on a rooftop

If you haven’t sipped on mint tea on a rooftop, have you really visited Morocco? And in Essaouira, you can do all of that, with sea views! We loved soaking up the winter sun and whiling away an hour or so sipping tea.

If you want to eat, somewhere like La Rencontre may appeal. For casual tea, especially if you need WiFi, La Smala rooftop is a treat.

Where can you find drinks in Essaouira

In Morocco, it’s not normal to find alcohol on the menus in restaurants and bars. But in Essaouira, there are a actually quite a few places to grab a cocktail, glass of wine or beer – ranging from dive bars to fancy rooftops.

Here are a few options:

For a dive bar experience, head to this hole in the wall that is called “unknown but cheap” on google. It quite literally does just that. We visited as a couple, and Ill be honest, I wouldn’t’ go in here on my own or just as solo girls. But they do serve a lovely bottle of rose for around €10.

For cocktails, places like Alma are open late. Mega Loft offers many drinks options alongside food and a good vibe. We also had a few drinks at Taros (a rooftop bar)- but it’s a little more expensive than other venues.

If you’d like wine with a meal, try Silvestro, Le Love by Caravane or Taverna Bolognese Da Maurizio.

Where to stay in Essaouira

When we booked our accommodation in Essaouira, we made three mistakes – all related to location.

Firstly, we chose somewhere too close to the main food market area, which meant regularly walking through the fish stalls to get to and from our hotel (not ideal when you’re craving fresh air). Secondly, we picked a place down a dark alleyway – never a great idea in Morocco. Even in Essaouira, which generally feels very safe, some streets can feel a little sketchy at night.

And finally, we didn’t go for a sea view. Honestly, if you’re staying in Essaouira for more than a night or two, this is absolutely worth it.

When it comes to choosing where to stay in Essaouira, location really is everything. Based on our experience (and a few lessons learned the hard way), here are some great options to consider:

BUDGET: Hostel La Smala is a great choice for budget travellers. There are dorms or private rooms, a huge rooftop with sea views and loads of chill out spaces.

MID-RANGE: Riad Mimouna has a roof terrace, sea views, and you can upgrade to a suite. It’s in a nice part of town with restaurants nearby and other riads on the same street.

LUXURY: For the ultimate in Essaouira luxury, consider staying at Salut. An eclectic hotel and restaurant that seems to take maximalist decor to the extreme. Expect sea views galore and a great medina location.

How to get to Essaouira

Essaouira is easy to get to from Marrakech and is also well connected along the coast to Agadir (to the south) or Casablanca (to the north.)

From Marrakech, the bus takes around 3 hours. There are two companies operating the route – CTM Maroc and Supratours. We used Supratours to get to Essaouira because the times suited us better. But our experience of both companies was great – buses were inexpensive and always on time.

You can buy tickets at the bus stop for both lines, or can book in advance. We found CTM a much easier website to use for booking. You can find the bus station for Supratours in Marrakech here (the CTM stop is across the road.)

Reading material for your trip

Written by Emma

Wine Lover. Yogi. Hiker. Writer.

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