Our most recommended things to do in Essaouira

From Marrakesh: Essaouira Full-Day Trip

1. From Marrakesh: Essaouira Full-Day Trip

Explore the charming coastal city of Essaouira on a guided day tour from Marrakesh. Enjoy some free time to explore, where you can see the bustling port of Essaouira, stroll through the lively medina of the city, and wander through the vibrant markets. Start your morning with pickup from your accommodation in Marrakesh. Travel in comfort in an air-conditioned car to Essaouira. Arrive in Essaouira and make your way through the straight streets. Enjoy free time to visit the historic ports and bustling seafood markets. Feel free to ask your driver for suggestions on the perfect place for lunch. Visit a co-operative of Berber women who produce Argan oil, and learn about this popular local product. See the old bronze cannons facing the Atlantic Ocean and wander through the colorful markets and cedar woodworking shops.  After your day in Essaouira, enjoy a seamless transfer back to Marrakesh in the evening.

From Marrakech: Essaouira Full-Day Trip

2. From Marrakech: Essaouira Full-Day Trip

Discover Essaouira on this day trip with a local guide. Explore the port city's breathtaking sights and streets, and see local markets and jewelers. Depart Marrakech in the morning and head to beautiful Essaouira on the Atlantic Coast. Once you arrive at the port city, formerly known as Mogador, you will have time to enjoy the charming sights of Essaouira. Take pictures of its ocher-colored walls, the beautiful and vibrant Moulay El Hassan square, the markets also known as souks, as well as the little streets of the city's old Medina. Then, enjoy a lunch of fresh fish in a local restaurant. During your trip, you'll also visit an association of Berber women producing argan oil, see the local markets, and wow at the gems in the jeweler's quarter.

Essaouira Sand Dunes: Half Day Quad Bike Tour

3. Essaouira Sand Dunes: Half Day Quad Bike Tour

Enjoy the golden sand dunes of Essaouira by thrilling quad bike transit. After a brief safety information session, and after having adorned yourself in protective gear, you will have a tour test to get used to your quad bike and the safety rules. Once this is completed, your 3 hour quad bike tour will begin. Your tour will begin by crossing Oued Ksob to the ruins of the Sultan's Palace that accompany you to the wild beach of Diabat. Following this you will navigate through the magnificent dune fields, driving on both sandy and rocky paths to overlook the Atlantic Ocean.

From Marrakech: Essaouira Day Trip

4. From Marrakech: Essaouira Day Trip

Start your day trip to Essaouira from Marrakech with a drive along the Haouz planes to Chichaoua village where you will rest with a cup of delicious coffee before continuing on to Sidi Mokhtar. On your way, you will cross through a forest of Argan trees. Stop and take some photos before you carry on your journey. Visit a local cooperative and learn how some fine cosmetic products are locally made out of the rich Argan oil. Watch how Argan oil (also called liquid gold, or Moroccan oil) is extracted. Learn more about this cooperative which was created as part of the national program to improve the socio-economic development of rural women. From here, carry on to Essaouira. Upon arrival, you will explore the beautiful city at your leisure. Exploring Essaouira is easy on your own: locals are very friendly, the Medina is pretty small, and its streets are in order. You definitely do not need a guide for the tour of the city. However, if you want one your driver will help you hire a local guide for the tour of the city. First, you can visit the harbor with its fishing port and old Portuguese fortifications. You can still see medieval war cannons aligned in order to overlook the Atlantic Ocean. Stop and have a delicious and relaxed lunch at one of the many restaurants, before being escorted back to Marrakech by your professional driver. (The goat on argan tree image option is not available at the moment.)

From Marrakech: Essaouira & Atlantic Coast Full-Day Trip

5. From Marrakech: Essaouira & Atlantic Coast Full-Day Trip

Experience the bohemian vibe of Essaouira on the Atlantic coast on a full-day tour from Marrakech. Transfer by air-conditioned vehicle across west Morocco, enjoying views of the arid landscape and argan trees en route (subject to availability). Stop at the town of Chichaoua for coffee. Arrive in Essaouira approximately 2 hours after your departure from Marrakech. Get your 1st views of more than 6 miles (10 kilometers) of golden beaches, popular with surfers for the constant, bracing winds. Once in Essaouira you are free to explore the medina and Portuguese architecture on your own. self guided to the Skala du Port and bastion southeast of the medina.  Stroll the labyrinthine streets of the medina, hearing traditional Gnaoua Muic music on every corner. Watch artisans at work, crafting thuya wood crafts. Continue to the fishing port to see the fishermen selling their catch of the day. Taste fresh seafood over lunch in the port. Then, take a walk along the beach before your transfer back to Marrakech.  En route, stop at an argan oil cooperative to see how the Berber ladies process the traditional argan oil, known locally as “liquid gold.”

Beginners friendly surf in uncrowded spots

6. Beginners friendly surf in uncrowded spots

After the pick up we drive to a nice surf spot outside the city and far from the crowded beaches where beginners can emprove their skills easily and enjoy the long beautiful beach,after wearing wetsuits we start warming up on the beach and then we practice on the sand easy steps to stand on the board while having informations and tips to make it very easy and safe,and finally we get in the water... Our instructor will be with you in the water to make sure that you are doing everything well and support you to give all your best.. Snacks and drinks included during the breack time

From Agadir: Essaouira Day Trip with Guide

7. From Agadir: Essaouira Day Trip with Guide

Explore the charming coastal town of Essaouira with your own guide on a day trip from Agadir. Visit the colorful port and decorative medina, spot goats clambering up argan trees, and stroll along the sandy beach. Get picked up from your hotel in Agadir or Taghazout in the morning and begin your trip along the picturesque R207 coastal route. Stop to see the argan trees where small goats climb up the lower branches and feed. There can be as many as 20 goats in one tree. Next, arrive in the port where you can admire the vast expanse of the North Atlantic Ocean. Head into the vibrant old town (medina), a stunning world heritage site. View the majestic, old brass cannons that line the walls and ramparts. Stop off at a women’s cooperative where argan oil is produced. Learn how oil is extracted from the kernels of argan trees. See how it is used in cuisine as an accompaniment to Moroccan bread and in beauty products for the skin and hair. Finally, enjoy the spectacular sunset as you return to Agadir.

Essaouira: One Hour Dromedary Ride

8. Essaouira: One Hour Dromedary Ride

Depart the Ranch de Diabat on a peaceful dromedary camel. Discover the charming nature of these large animals while exploring the surrounding. This tour is ideal for groups and families with small children as the dromedary has a gentle nature.  Enjoy a ride just a few minutes from Essaouira. Walking a large beach with soft sand. Relax in the ocean breeze and see the famous island of Mogador. Pass by dunes and see the tucked away, former home of the Black Sultan. Finally cross the forest of wild Mimosas and Thuya on your return.  0-4 years free (sharing the dromedary with parents, maximum one child with one adult) 5 to 8 years: half price if sharing the dromedary (maximum one child with one adult) and full price if riding alone from 9 years: full price if riding alone or sharing the dromedary NB: each dromedary can have a maximum of two people on it, even in the case of a baby, for safety reasons. If there are three children in a family of two adults, the oldest child will have a dromedary on its own or with the guide, paying the corresponding fee

Essaouira: Guided Quad Biking 2 hours plage dunes Min 2pax

9. Essaouira: Guided Quad Biking 2 hours plage dunes Min 2pax

Experience the thrill of a quad biking adventure in Essaouira with a group of friends or family. Discover the hinterland of this beautiful region accompanied by an expert guide. Explore diverse landscapes including vast sand dunes, lush pine forests and cherished landmarks like Dar Sultan Palace, Bourj El Baroud and more.  Whether you’re an experienced driver or just a beginner, benefit from an expert instructor who will tailor your experience to your skill level and preferences. Pump up your adrenaline as you zoom around this stunning location and snap some atmospheric photos as souvenirs along the way.

Essaouria: Beach & Big Dunes 2-Hour Quad Biking Tour

10. Essaouria: Beach & Big Dunes 2-Hour Quad Biking Tour

Enjoy an exciting two-hour quad bike tour, with incredible views of Essaouira. To ensure you can safely enjoy the vast beaches of Essaouira and the big dunes of Capsim you will need to go through a safety briefing and be instructed on how to drive a quad bike.  You will get geared up with clean, professional equipment and take a test ride on your quad before you head out on your adventure. After a few minutes on the road, cross the Oued Ksob and the ruins of the Sultan's Palace that lead you to the amazing beach After visiting the beach, navigate the magnificent dune fields, driving on the curvy sandy dunes. Enjoy the amazing views of the desert and have fun on your quad bike. Revive your energy with water and a snack. You will be able to take as many breaks as you want to enjoy the scenery while on your tour. 

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What people are saying about Essaouira

Overall rating

4.4 / 5

based on 4,696 reviews

This was the highlight of our trip while in Morocco. This coastal town is beautiful! The shopping is great too - found so many great pieces of art and clothes here. Since my friend was interested in learning about the Jewish history behind this town, our tour guide took me and my friends to the Jewish Quarters within the city when the official tour was over. We were able to visit a Jewish school that made beautiful jewelry and were able to buy it. I think the tour guide’s name was Zaid - I could be wrong. But he was so kind and even had his friends sing Happy Birthday to me in French and Arabic, since it was my birthday. So sweet! Wish we could’ve stayed here longer. This experience was unforgettable!

For a private trip, this was perfect in terms of price and services. Our driver was great, very dynamic, the journey was smooth. Our guide as well was very interesting and nice. The stop at the argan shop is a little bit a way to make you buy expensive products but if this helps the women communauty of this village why not ? Expect also to spend around 15£ per person at least for the lunch but the seafood was really tasty and fresh. The souk at Essaouira is also much quieter than Marrakesh, and if you like art gallery this is the right place. I really enjoy the trip and recommend this experience.

Be prepared for a long day. The bus ride got interesting as we got closer to the coast with rolling hills, greenery and interesting sites (goat tree and villages). Essaouira was a very interesting town, especially within the walls with its many shops, markets, and sites. The beach was a nice place to relax and swim or watch groups play football. Seafood was the specialty as it was so fresh.

It was Phenomenal!!! I loved the experience and learning about the camels and desert. The guide - Mustafa - was the best!

Ended up having a private lesson and the guide and instruction were awesome!