oMadada MogadorBOUTIQUE HOTEL€€€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 47 55 12; www.madada.com; 5 Rue Youssef el-Fassi, Medina; r Dh1250-1680, 4-person ste Dh1850, all incl breakfast; aW)
If the definition of a boutique hotel is an establishment offering a chic interior, luxe rooms, quality toiletries and high levels of service, the Madada Mogador fits the bill. Seven rooms – some with sea views – are on offer, along with a stylish lounge and a spectacular roof terrace where drinks and tasty snacks are served.
Villa MarocHOTEL€€€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 47 61 47; www.villa-maroc.com; 10 Rue Abdallah Ben Yassine; s/d incl breakfast Dh1050/1400, ste Dh1900-2100, all incl breakfast; W)
Housed in a large converted 18th-century town house, the Villa Maroc is a model of restrained chic, with airy whitewashed rooms offset by carefully chosen wood, wicker and fabric. The terrace offers great views, while the in-house spa is as well-regarded for pampering as the ground-floor restaurant is for intimate dining (set menu Dh450). Wi-fi is available in public areas only.
Villa de l'ǑBOUTIQUE HOTEL€€€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 47 63 75; www.villadelo.com; 3 Rue Mohamed Ben Messaoud; r Dh1650, ste Dh2300-2900, all incl breakfast; aW)
Turning its back on the modernist minimalism embraced by most boutique hotels, this riad near Bab es-Sebaa offers comfortable, good-sized rooms with a vaguely bling-ish decor. There's an on-site restaurant, lovely spa, lounge with open fire and huge roof terrace overlooking the beach.
5Eating
There are plenty of snack stands and hole-in-the-wall-type places along Rue Mohamed El Qorry, Ave Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah and Ave Zerktouni.
Pasta BaladinITALIAN€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0642 44 81 36; www.riadbaladin.com; Bab Skala, Medina; antipasti Dh40-50, pastas Dh50-70; hnoon-4pm & 7-11pm Tue-Sun)
Communal bar-style seating gets you friendly with your fellow diners at this cheery licensed restaurant. The menu is limited to pasta and choices are simple (10 sauces and five pasta types), but it's well cooked and quickly served. Tiramisu or panna cotta are the usual finales. Unsurprisingly popular.
Pâtisserie la BienvenueCAFE€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0677 16 62 41; 7 Rue Abdel Aziz El Fachtall, Medina; corne de gazelle Dh5, gateaux Dh10; h10.30am-8pm)
Head to this small salon du thé (teahouse)to sample some of the best Moroccan pastries and French gateaux in town, accompanied by a cup of coffee or tea. The corne de gazelle are absolutely delicious.
Vagues BleusITALIAN€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 2 Rue Sidi Ben Abdellah; pastas Dh50, mains Dh45-50; hnoon-3pm & 6.30-9pm Sat-Thu)
This tiny hole-in-the-wall eatery painted in blue and white is cheap and cheerful, serving pasta dishes (the gnocchi is recommended) and veggie and meat mains. Everything is fresh and very tasty.
Restaurant La DécouverteMOROCCAN€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 47 31 58; http://essaouira-ladecouverte.com; Rue Houmman El Fatouaki, Medina; mains from Dh50)
A small, friendly French-run restaurant, offering a mix of Franco-Moroccan dishes. The briouates are particularly good, as are the creamy desserts.
Outdoor Fish Grill StandsSEAFOOD€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; port end of Pl Moulay Hassan; fish, bread & salad from Dh40; h11am-10pm)
Eating here is one of the definitive Essaouira experiences, although the increasingly hard-sell-tactics of the stall owners is unfortunate. Choose what you want to eat from the colourful displays of freshly caught fish and shellfish at each grill, and wait for it to be cooked on the spot and served with a pile of bread and salad. Be sure to agree on the price before you order.
Café Restaurant L’HorlogeCAFE€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Pl Chefchaouni, Medina; omelettes Dh15-25, tajines Dh40-60; hnoon-3pm & 7-10pm)
Set on the attractive square beneath the clock tower, this popular cafe has an outdoor terrace and serves a basic Moroccan menu.
Pâtisserie DrissDESSERTS€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; near Pl Moulay Hassan, Medina; set breakfasts Dh21-40, pastries from Dh4; h8.30am-4.30pm)
It opened way back in 1928, and this cafe with attached semihidden courtyard has many loyal regulars. Sadly, we have found its pastries almost inedible on our recent visits.
oLoftMEDITERRANEAN€€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 78 44 62; 5 Rue Hajjali, Medina; mains Dh75-110; h1-4pm & 6-11pm Wed-Mon; W)
The menu at this tiny eatery near Pl Moulay Hassan changes daily according to what's plentiful and good at the souqs, resulting in food that is fresh and full of flavour. Dishes have Mediterranean accents, but remain predominantly Moroccan – the tajines and couscous are delicious. Decor is retro-funky and the English-speaking waiters are friendly. Alcohol isn't available.
Restaurante Les AlizésMOROCCAN€€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 47 68 19; 26 Rue de la Skala, Medina; set menus Dh129; hnoon-2.30pm & 7-10pm)
This popular place, run by a charming Moroccan couple in a 19th-century house, has delicious Moroccan dishes, particularly the couscous with fish and the tajine of boulettes de sardines (sardine balls). You’ll get a very friendly welcome, and it’s a good idea to book ahead. It’s above Hôtel Smara.
Restaurant El-MinzahMOROCCAN€€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 47 53 08; 3 Ave Oqba ben Nafii; mains Dh75-130; hnoon-3pm & 7-11pm)
Seating is on an outdoor terrace or inside a vaulted dining room at this long-standing restaurant facing the ramparts. The menu delivers Moroccan and French favourites, and there are good-value three-course (Dh110) and seafood four-course (Dh290) set menus. Live oud music at night.
Mega LoftINTERNATIONAL€€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0613 98 19 87; 49 Rue Al Yeman, Medina; mains Dh70-120; hnoon-11pm; v)
Retro furniture, delicious food, live music (often Gnaoua) and a funky vibe are the hallmarks at this popular restaurant-cafe near the Skala de la Ville. Unusually, it serves some vegetarian and vegan dishes. No alcohol, though.
Restaurant La LicorneMOROCCAN€€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 47 36 26; www.restaurant-lalicorne-essaouira.com; 26 Rue de la Skala, Medina; mains Dh85-130; h7-10pm Mon-Sat)
This is a cosy place with a most un-Essaouiran feel – wooden beams and heavy chairs give it the ambience of a European hunting lodge. A no-nonsense menu of Moroccan and French favourites is served up by friendly staff.
Restaurant FerdaousMOROCCAN€€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 47 36 55; 27 Rue Abdesslam Lebadi, Medina; mains Dh75, set menus Dh120; hnoon-3pm & 7-10pm Tue-Sun)
Long-standing favourite serving home-style traditional Moroccan food.
oLa Table by MadadaMEDITERRANEAN€€€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 47 55 12; www.latablemadada.com; 7 Rue Youssef el-Fassi, Medina; mains Dh100-220; h7-10.30pm Fri-Wed; aW)
Style meets substance at Essaouira's best restaurant, which is housed in an old almond warehouse. The interior is an exhilarating and highly successful meld of traditional Moroccan and modern European, and the menu features contemporary rifts on Moroccan favourites such as tajines and pastilla. Fish and seafood dishes dominate. Service is friendly but could do with a polish.
Restaurant UmiaMEDITERRANEAN€€€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 78 33 95; [email protected]; 22 Rue de la Skala, Medina; hnoon-3pm & 7-11pm Wed-Mon; W)
We were in two minds about whether to list this newcomer to Essaouira's restaurant scene. Its small interior is glamorous and staff are professional, but the dishes we've sampled were unsuccessful, with fussy presentation, clashing flavours and inept execution. This is a shame, as the restaurant's stated intention of making the most of market-fresh ingredients is laudable.
If you're one of those people who dislikes dining at communal tables, specify this when booking. Good wine list.
ARGAN OIL: MOROCCO'S FOODIE ESSENTIAL
Organic argan oil is ‘the new olive oil’, increasingly used in hip restaurants around
the world to season salads with its nutty flavour. The wrinkled argan tree is unique to this part of the world and, as a result, the argan forests of the Souss Valley and the Haha Coast south of Essaouira have been designated by Unesco as a biosphere reserve.
The argan tree (Argania spinosa), is resistant to heat and survives temperatures up to 50ºC, and so is an essential tool in the fight against desertification in southern Morocco. It has become vital to the local economy, providing firewood, fodder for the goats – you can see them actually climb into the branches – and oil for humans. Berber women harvest the fruits in spring. They then feed them to goats, whose digestive juices dissolve the tough elastic coating on the shell. The nuts are then recovered from the goats’ dung, and the kernels are split, lightly toasted, pulped and pressed.
To produce just one litre of oil takes 30kg of nuts and 15 hours of manual labour, done solely by women. In a recent change to this tradition, some cooperatives have decided to cut the goats out of the process and are hand-picking fruits from the trees to produce a more subtle-tasting oil.
The Berbers have long used argan oil to heal, and modern research suggests that the oil may help reduce cholesterol and prevent arteriosclerosis. In the kitchen its rich and sweet nutty flavour works wonders as a salad dressing, or added to grilled vegetables or a tajine. Berbers mix it with ground almonds and honey to make amlou, a delicacy believed to have aphrodisiac properties.
Cold-pressed oil from untoasted nuts is increasingly recognised as a prized cosmetic, particularly for the hair. The oil has a high vitamin E content, which makes it a great addition to antiwrinkle creams, and is sometimes also used to treat skin conditions such as eczema.
If you have your own transport and are heading south, consider stopping en route at Coopérative Al Amal ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0662 21 78 51; http://coopamal.com; Blvd Mohanned V, Tamanar; h9am-7pm Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm Sat & Sun), 70km from Essaouira, which produces and sells quality argan-oil products, including foodstuffs and cosmetics.
6Drinking & Nightlife
Essaouira's nightlife is lacklustre. Don't expect to party into the wee hours.
TarosBAR
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 47 64 07; www.tarosessaouira.com; Pl Moulay Hassan; h9am-midnight)
A great place for a sundowner, with a terrace looking over the square and port. There’s often live music. It’s also good for afternoon tea, or a drink at the bar.
Le PatioBAR
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 47 41 66; 28 Rue Moulay Rachid; h7.30-11pm)
For something sultry, this hip bar and restaurant is a candlelit den with blood-red furnishings and a black mirror ball. You’ll need to buy some tapas (Dh40) to just sit and drink. There's live music on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Café Restaurant Bab LaachourCAFE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Pl Moulay Hassan; hnoon-11pm)
It's somewhat sleazy, but this place on one of the town's busiest squares serves alcohol and has a front terrace that's great for people-watching.
7Shopping
Essaouira is famous for its woodworking, and particularly for products made from thuya wood, a dark-orange or reddish-brown wood with plenty of dark knots. Note that this is an endangered species – buying anything made from thuya threatens the last remaining stands of trees by increasing demand and therefore encouraging illegal logging.
oEspace OthelloARTS & CRAFTS
(So Art; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 47 69 60; 9 Rue Mohammed Layachi; h10am-1pm & 3-7pm Tue-Sun)
Fantastic private gallery selling work by established and up-and-coming artists.
Az-ZahrHOMEWARES
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 78 43 52; [email protected]; 6 Rue Mohammed Diouri; h2-9pm)
French-owned and trés chic, this hybrid homeware shop and salon du thé next to the Institut Français stocks textiles, ceramics and objets d'art.
Le Comptoir OrientalHOMEWARES
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 47 55 12; www.madada.com; 2nd fl, Rue Youssef el Fassi, Medina; h10am-7pm)
Describing itself as an 'oriental vintage chic bazar', this homeware shop in an old apartment sells a heavily curated range of furniture, textiles, glassware, ceramics and handicrafts. Ring the bell for entrance and then head up the stairs.
Coopérative TamounteARTS & CRAFTS
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 78 56 11; www.tamounte-essaouira.com; 6 Rue Souss Essaouira; h10am-8pm)
An excellent all-female cooperative selling argan-oil lotions and cosmetics (some medicinal), woodwork and ceramics. It's in a dingy passageway and can be a bit hard to find – look for the 'Commerce Équitable à la Coopérative Tamounte' sign.
Le Coin des SaveursFOOD
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 78 51 93; Rue Mohammed Ben Messaoud, Medina)
Concept store selling food products sourced from quality local suppliers and stocking a range of spices, jams and oils, as well as some artisan-made homeware.
Coopérative Artisanal des MarqueteursARTS & CRAFTS
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0671 73 73 99; 6 Rue Khalid ibn Oualid; h10am-9pm)
Come to this cooperative in an impasse (dead-end lane) off Pl Moulay Hassan for a wonderful range of wooden items.
Rafia CraftARTS & CRAFTS
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 78 36 32; 82 Rue d’Agadir; h10am-8pm Mon-Sat)
Designs and sells unusual shoes and sandals made from the fibres of the doum palm.
Galerie JamaANTIQUES
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0670 01 64 29; [email protected]; 22 Rue Ibnou Rochd; h10am-7pm)
Run by an affable chap who avoids hard-sell tactics, this small shop has an alluring range of antique rugs, clothing, textiles, ceramics and various objets d'art.
Galeries d'Art DamgaardARTS & CRAFTS
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.galeriedamgaard.com; Ave Oqba ben Nafii; h9am-1pm & 3-7pm)
This gallery is one of the oldest in town and features the work of local artists.
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
ESSAOUIRA'S ART SCENE
The light and beauty have forever attracted artists to Essaouira, and the town has a flourishing art scene, with many artists living and working here, and a number of galleries selling their work. Many of these artists work in a naive style that employs broad brush strokes and rich colours, often incorporating Gnaoua imagery. You'll see their work for sale in galleries and souvenir shops and even on pavements throughout the medina.
More interesting are the local artists who specialise in calligraphy. These include Mohammed Zouzaf, who draws intricate black Berber signs and symbols on lambskin. Also of note is Mohammed Tifardine, an internationally acknowledged calligrapher who creates elegant coloured works featuring Arabic script. Both artists sell through the local gallery Espace Othello.
8Information
Dangers & Annoyances
Essaouira is still mostly a safe, relaxed tourist town but you should be on your guard in the backstreets of the mellah after dark – there are problems with drugs and drinking north of Ave Zerktouni and east of Ave Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah.
Emergency
Police Station ( GOOGLE MAP ; %024 78 48 80; Rue du Caire) Opposite the tourist office.
Money
There are banks with ATMs around Pl Moulay Hassan and along Ave de l'Istiqlal.
Post
Main Post Office ( GOOGLE MAP ; Ave el-Mouqawama; h8.30am-4.15pm Mon-Fri, 8am-noon Sat)
Post Office ( GOOGLE MAP ; Rue Laâlouj; h8.30am-4pm Mon-Fri)
Tourist Information
The tourist office ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 78 35 32; www.essaouira.com; 10 Rue du Caire, Medina; h8.30am-4.30pm) can offer little assistance. Check www.essaouira.nu for practical and cultural information.
8Getting There & Away
Air
Aéroport de Mogador (%0524 47 67 04; www.onda.ma; Rte d’Agadir), 17km south of the medina, is used by Transavia, flying from Paris, and EasyJet, flying from London Luton.
Bus
The bus station ( GOOGLE MAP ; Ave Ghazouat) is about 400m northeast of the medina, an easy walk to
Bab Doukkala during the day but better in a petit taxi (Dh10) if you’re arriving or leaving late at night. CTM buses leave from its dedicated office, ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0522 54 10 10; Pl 11 Janvier, Lotissement Azlef) a Dh10 petit-taxi ride from the medina.
CTM destinations include Agadir (Dh75, 2¼ hours, three daily), Casablanca (Dh160, seven hours, four daily) via Safi (Dh55, two hours, four daily), El Jadida (Dh110, five hours, three daily) and Marrakesh (Dh80, 3½ hours, two daily).
Other companies run cheaper and more frequent buses to the same destinations as well as to Taroudannt (Dh90, six hours) and Tan Tan (Dh150, six hours).
Supratours ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 47 53 17; Bin Lassouar, off Ave Lalla Aicha), the ONCF subsidiary, runs coaches to Marrakesh train station (Dh70, three hours, five daily) to connect with trains to Casablanca from the station near Bab Marrakech. There's also a Dh100 'comfort plus' service once a day, and a daily departure to Agadir (Dh70, 3¾ hours). Book in advance for these services, particularly in summer.
Local bus 5 ( GOOGLE MAP ) to Diabat (Dh5) and Sidi Kaouki (Dh6) leaves from Blvd Moulay Youssef outside Bab Doukkala. There are about eight services a day.
Lonely Planet Morocco Page 41