Essaouira – A Moroccan Gem on the Atlantic Coast
Translated by AI
Thinking of escaping the northern winter? Essaouira is a good choice if you want to live abroad for a longer stretch.
Essaouira is a small coastal town on Morocco’s Atlantic coast, about two hours’ drive north of Agadir. The pace is slow here and the weather pleasant.
The climate in Essaouira is close to perfect. Being so near the Atlantic means it never gets particularly cold in winter or too hot in summer. The town is sheltered by the Îles Purpuraires, a former prison island in the bay right in front of the town. The island acts as a breakwater, so the beach is protected from the Atlantic swell. The bay is so calm and the wind so reliable that Essaouira has become something of a paradise for windsurfers and kitesurfers.
Essaouira has been inhabited since prehistoric times. For a long time it was the most important port on Morocco’s Atlantic coast; even Carthage set up a trading post here. Essaouira was the end point for many trade caravans from the interior of Africa, with goods from as far away as Timbuktu bound for Europe.
The present town was built as late as the 18th century. You notice that not least in the medina, the old part of town. It isn’t nearly as cramped and chaotic as in many older towns. You stroll along relatively wide streets lined with a swarm of shops and craftsmen. Despite the huge range of goods, it still feels fairly relaxed. Usually you are left alone to browse without being pestered by pushy salesmen.
Fishing is still an important industry in Essaouira. In the harbor you’ll find everything from a swarm of small boats, all painted blue, to somewhat larger fishing vessels. Need I mention that Essaouira is something of a paradise for fish lovers?
In modern times Essaouira has become something of an art and music town. You’ll find small art shops and galleries everywhere. At Woodstock, CS&N sang “Marrakech Express,” but it is actually Essaouira that is usually called “Morocco’s Woodstock.” The town became famous back in the 1960s when Jimi Hendrix lived here. Every year at the end of June, the Gnaoua World Music Festival is held here, with top artists from around the world. The festival draws almost half a million visitors every year.
Directly south of the medina lies modern Essaouira. Here you’ll find a 3 km (2-mile) beach with a fine promenade and several excellent restaurants (did I mention the fish?). Across the street is a row of luxury hotels, mixed with somewhat simpler establishments.
The combination of a perfect climate, art and music, good food, good hotels and moderate prices has made Essaouira popular with Europeans as a place to spend the winter. At the same time, the town has not yet been hit by mass tourism. You can still find a picturesque hotel right in the middle of the medina at a reasonable price.
Essaouira is on UNESCO’s World Heritage list.
World-class golf
Just south of the town lies Golf de Mogador, a first-class 36-hole golf resort. The course was designed by Gary Player and ranks among the best, if not the best, in Morocco. From the course you have views of the Atlantic and the town of Essaouira. It is challenging for low handicappers without being too difficult for the average golfer, and it is definitely varied and exciting enough to play many times on a golf trip or over a winter. Right next to the course is a first-class hotel.
There are more courses within reach. Marrakech is about 150 km (95 miles) due east of Essaouira, and a new highway was completed in 2010. “Only an hour by car,” say the local drivers, but you should probably take that with a pinch of salt. Count on two. Marrakech has a number of first-class courses to explore (including Amelkis).
Two hours south along the coast road is the tourist town of Agadir. It has five fine golf resorts (L’Ocean, Dunes, Golf du Soleil and more), with more under construction.
All in all, more than fifteen fine golf courses within two hours. No problem keeping busy all winter.
This article by Bo Sjosten was originally published in Swedish on our sister site Golfjournalen.se. It has been translated by AI.
