essaouira
Essaouira is the jewel of Morocco, and one of the most beautiful towns in North Africa.
There has been a town here since at least the 5th Century BC, due largely to the natural harbour providing one of the best anchorages along the North African Atlantic coast. In 1506, the king of Portugal ordered a fortress to be built there, named "Castelo Real de Mogador"
The actual city of Essaouira was only built during the 18th Century. Mohammed III, wishing to reorient his kingdom towards the Atlantic for increased exchanges with European powers, chose Mogador as his key location. He hired a French engineer, Théodore Cornut, and several other European architects and technicians, to build the fortress along modern lines. Originally called "Souira", "The small fortress", the name then became "Es-Saouira", "The beautifully designed".
Essaouira is hip and chic. The architecture is both harmonious and yet varied, exposing at different times its French, Portuguese, and Berber heritages. A unique atmosphere graces the streets, where fishermen, locals, tourists, merchants, craftsmen, musicians, and artists of all kinds come to share their work, their perspectives and their friendship as they have done for hundreds of years.
The town is home to the annual Gnaoua festival of world music in June, which attracts almost half-a-million visitors, and has been frequented by writers, such as Orson Welles, musicians such as Jimi Hendrix, painters, poets and photographers alike. For such a small town, it offers so much.
Kilometres of golden beaches, some of the best wind-surfing in Africa, the colourful medina and an abundance of galleries and cafes provide something for everybody.