Essaouira On a Budget
Essaouira, Morocco
Essaouira's climate is Mediterranean with oceanic influence. The weather is pleasant year around with warm summers and mild winters. The average high temperatures remain in the mid 60s to low 70s Fahrenheit year around. Average lows rarely drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit, even in the winter months. Rain is much more common during the winter months.
Sights
Much of the appeal of Essaouira is the beach and the walled medina. The medina is a beautiful example of an 18th century fortified town and the original canons are still in place. The town has even been featured in several movies and television shows including the HBO show "Game of Thrones".Neighborhoods
At the heart of Essaouira is the city's medina. It is a quaint area with many shops and restaurants and is where you'll likely spend most of your time. For the most part, the medina caters specifically to tourists and visitors.The city has a fishing harbour that is smaller than the harbours of Agadir and Safi, but still remains a major fishing harbour for Morocco. The bright boats and interesting atmosphere make it a must see for any visitor.
Many of the city's modern hotels are built along the ocean front, but city codes limit their height to four stories, so they are not too intrusive. If you want to stay in the medina or close to it, there are a decent number of privately owned riads that you can rent on either a daily or weekly basis.
Activities
Many people travel to Essaouira for its nice sand beaches. There are plenty of water sports and outdoor activities available. If you're adventurous, you can try your hand at windsurfing or kitesurfing, or you can simply enjoy long leisurely walks on the beach. Windsurfing is particularly popular because the trade winds blow almost constantly but the protected bay remains waveless.The town also plays host to the World Music Festival in June which is a fun, although crowded, time to visit.
If you're in the market for a souvenir you can easily find some great local handicrafts at the many shops that line the streets of the medina. Shop around and ask for prices so you know exactly what you should be paying. It's also fun to try your hand at bartering, which can be either fun or annoying, depending on how you approach it.
Many people choose to take a class while they're in Essaouira. In particular, cooking courses and popular. There are also bike excursions and photography excursions that you can arrange within the town. For the weary traveler, there are also Berber massages that you can enjoy.
Food and Dining
Food in Essaouira is quite good, but can be surprisingly expensive when compared to elsewhere in Morocco. This is particularly true of the seafood. Your cheapest option is to purchase a fresh catch from a local fisherman, but if you order seafood in a restaurant you will find the price to be dramatically higher.There is a fresh seafood market in the middle of town that is worth visiting. You can select your catch, and they will cook it up for you on the spot or, if you have access to a kitchen, you can purchase seafood and the necessary spices and sides and prepare your own Moroccan meal.
Transportation
It's easy to reach Essaouira from Marrakesh. You can hire a grand taxi or shared taxi to make the trip, but there are plenty of buses that are affordable and reliable as well. If the bus doesn't make many stops, the trip takes about 3 hours and there's usually a stop at the halfway point when you can purchase snacks and stretch your legs.Essaouira's medina is supposedly closed to motorized vehicles, but this restriction is only loosely enforced. Mopeds are quite common in the area and can be a hazard to pedestrians, but in general, walking is easy and the most enjoyable way to explore the town.
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Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.