essaouira Archives - ResponsiBo Travel

What to do in Essaouira, Morocco

February 12, 2020

by Bo with No Comment Morocco

Essaouira, formerly known as Mogador, is a city at the Atlantic coast of Morocco. This town, famous for its harbour and great wind- and kitesurf spots is the perfect relaxed getaway from cities like Marrakech and Agadir. Being used as a filmset for the popular tv series ‘Game of Thrones’ make that the visitor numbers increase quickly.

Often people only go to Essaouira in a day trip from Marrakech, however I would definitely recommend staying a few nights in this beautiful and relaxed sea side town! Besides the fact that it is around 3 hours driving from Marrakech, it has a lot to offer to those who stay longer than a day. In this blog I will share my tips for a perfect stay in Essaouira, Morocco!

Skala du Port

This is the place that every Game of Thrones fan will probably recognize. This iconic fortress functioned in the 18^th century as protection for the entrance of the harbour and the rest of the city. Now you can enter the squared tower, walk on the fortified walls and enjoy the beautiful views on the ocean, the harbour and the medina of Essaouira. Do keep in mind that, even though a lot of blogs say differently, the entrance fee of this Skala is 50 dirhams for foreigners and not 10 anymore!

The harbour

Coming from the medina of Essaouira and passing the Skala du Port, you will enter the harbour. This harbour is characterized by lots of blue fishing boats and fish being sold everywhere you look. If you have a sensitive nose, this place might not be good for you. However, if you are able to cope with the smells, this place is very interesting to walk around. Here you can see locals selling and buying the freshly caught fish and count all the different species that are on sale. If you want to experience some of the local life in Morocco, this is the place to be.

Skala de la Kasbah

Other than the other Skala, this one is free to enter. This part of the fortress has also great views of the Atlantic ocean and contains nice shops for souvenirs. Combine a visit to these walls with a stroll through the medina.

The Medina of Essaouira

The medina of Essaouira is worth mentioning by itself. This medina is more wide and relaxed in comparison to the medina of Marrakech. Wander around this rather small medina and enjoy the white-blue coloured walls and beautiful colourful doors.

Go art shopping

What I like about Essaouira is its relaxed atmosphere. Other than that, it is also a very artistic place with lots of beautiful galleries showing work of all kinds of artists. Everywhere in the medina there are little shops with people working on their latest art and often for a small amount of money, you can already buy a nice and unique piece of art. Last time I visited Essaouira, my parents and I discovered a tiny place in one of the outer parts of the medina, selling cute drawings and paintings of Essaouira and its animals.

Go to the beach

Essaouira is also home to a big and beautiful beach. However, as you might know, Essaouira’s nick name is ‘the Windy City’ so do not expect a nice and relaxed day sunbathing at the beach as you will probably get covered with sand haha. Still the beach of Essaouira is worth a visit because of its great opportunities for wind- and kitesurfing! And for those who never tried it, or want to improve their skills, there are lots of surf schools offering lessons! If you are feeling a bit less active, or if you are visiting in the winter (and you find the water too cold for a swim) there are camels and horses waiting on the beach for people to go for a ride.

Listen to live music at the Moulay Hassan Square

This main square in between the harbour and the medina of Essaouira is always busy. People are having a drink at one of the terraces, walking around or listening to some live music that is performed by local musicians. The music brings a nice atmosphere to the square with a real holiday feeling!

Where to eat?

During my stays in Essaouira I tried out multiple good (but also very bad) spots to eat and drink. My first tip is to not eat at the main square as the food is often not very good. However, we did like the freshly prepared crepes there! For fresh fish you can go to one of the stands near the harbour and choose your own fish that you would like to eat, however I did not try this (of course because I am vegetarian) because I have heard of local people that this is mostly a tourist trap. So be careful if you are trying these spots! Besides these tips I have some very nice places to enjoy good food and drinks!

Le Love by Caravane

This beautiful restaurant contains of two parts: one for tapas and cocktails and one for a la carte. The interior is extremely colourful and you can tell that its designed by an artist. They offer Moroccan dishes with a twist and also European and Asian dishes, which makes the menu very diverse. Definitely a must try when you are in Essaouira! Tip from my meat eating friends / family: try the chicken with pineapple and caramel sauce. I really like the filled mushrooms!

Le Chalet de la Plage

This restaurant is located near the beach and offers a wide range of fresh fish. As a veggie I really loved the filled eggplant!

Ocean Vagabond

This restaurant / bar is located all the way near the end of the beach. The view from here is amazing as this is the spot where all the camels are laying and as the sun sets this will create beautiful silhouettes. With super friendly staff, this place is perfect for a lunch after some surfing or for a drink in the evening to escape the medina for a moment. They offer a variety of lunch and dinner dishes.

Taros café

This café is located at the main square on the rooftop of one of the surrounding buildings. It has beach bar vibes and is the perfect spot for a nice drink. In the evenings there will be live music, so during summer nights this is perfect. If you are visiting in winter, make sure to bring a warm coat as temperatures tend to drop in the night!

How to get to Essaouira, Morocco?

Public transport

There are no trains that reach Essaouira, so the only public transport are busses. I prefer the two companies called Supratours and CTM. These busses operate between Marrakech – Essaouira, Agadir – Essaouira and Safi – Essaouira and are quite comfortable. Since some time ago, Supratours introduced the Comfort busses from Marrakech to Essaouira, which offer more (leg) space, WI-FI and a bottle of water. On the other routes there are only normal busses. The bus from Marrakech will take around 3 hours and from Agadir 3.5 and cost around 70 dirhams. Check the websites of the bus companies for the latest schedules and prices! Another form of ‘public transport’ are the shared taxis, in which you will share the taxi with 6 other people and you share the price to Essaouira. However, as its quite a long drive, it might not be as comfortable to sit with 4 people in the back of the car..

Private Taxi

You can also choose to order a private taxi to take you to Essaouira. Advantages of this option is that you can stop at any place where you want to stop for example pictures. We were able to stop when we saw goats climbing in trees! If you want to know how to see this natural phenomenon in an ethical way, make sure to read my blog about responsible travel in Morocco. Disadvantage for this way of transportation of course are the costs. A normal price for a one way drive to Essaouira from e.g. Agadir will cost you between 900 and 1000 dirhams.

Rental car

The last option is to drive yourself. If you are a confident driver and like to drive on winding ocean roads it could definitely be something for you! Of course you will have all the freedom to stop at places and enjoy the beautiful views. Just keep in mind that the medina of Essaouira is not accessible for cars, so you should find a parking spot before entering the centre of Essaouira.

If you have some questions about Essaouira or other remarks, please leave a comment or contact me!

Morocco: Where to eat?

October 9, 2019

by Bo with One Comment Morocco

This blog is all about FOOD! Because I LOVE food and I think it is a huge part of a person’s experience at a destination. Food is culture, food is ambiance, food is enjoying what a place has to offer. Still, I do think that the place where you eat is very important and as a vegetarian it is slightly more difficult to find a good spot where you can enjoy some (local) cuisine. Local here is between brackets because we all know that after some days (or meals) you might want something else than local food.

Morocco is famous for its Tajine dishes, couscous with fresh vegetables, pastries and the most delicious mint tea you will ever have! Next up are some places to eat that I loved during my trip to Morocco. Hopefully, as I am living in Morocco, this list can get bigger! But for now: Bon Appetit!

Marrakech

Let’s start with Morocco’s most popular destination by tourists: Marrakech. This city in the middle of the country is famous for its medina and the Djemaa el Fna square, as it is a famous city trip destination, you can find a lot of nice places to eat. Of course, a lot of travel books like the Lonely Planet already wrote a lot about these places. Still I would like to share some of my pearls, that I enjoyed during my time in Marrakech.

Broc the Kashbah

So my number one we found on one of the last days of our trip. It is a bit further away in the medina but once you get a hold of the medina in Marrakech, it is easy to find. This place is called: “Broc the Kashbah”. There are some nice guys working and it is all about vegetarian and vegan food, vintage clothing and atmosphere and fresh juices! There are only a few dishes on the menu but they are delicious! I liked the fact that they sell vintage clothing and make clothes themselves. The staff working there are super nice and helpful. The whole place screams creativity and fresh food. I would definitely recommend going here if you would like to escape the crowds.

NOMAD, Le Jardin, Cafe des Epices

My next tip are three different restaurants in the medina of Marrakech but they are in the same concept. That is why I combined the three of them. You will probably already know these places but as I thought they are very nice, I wanted to share them with you! These places all offer Moroccan dishes with a twist and they are vegetarian friendly! At NOMAD and Café des Epices there is a nice rooftop and both are located nearby a cute square in the medina. Le Jardin is a bit more hidden and is a nice garden inside a building in the medina. They are all worth a visit for either lunch or dinner!

Kosy Bar

My last tip in Marrakech is called: “Kosy Bar”. This restaurant is located in the centre of Marrakech near the palaces like the Bahia Palace, which is a famous tourist spot in Marrakech. The best place of Kosy Bar is its rooftop overlooking a small square. Here you can eat dishes like homemade pizzas or Asian food like sushi. But if you prefer the Moroccan cuisine this is also your place!

view from Kosy Bar

Essaouira

The next city that I would like to discuss is Essaouira. I loved this little fishers town because to me this felt like authentic Morocco. Essaouira is famous for its great waves for surfing and its arty medina. There is a lot of art for sale in the medina and near the coast you can see and buy fresh fish from the fish market.

Le LOVE by Caravane

This restaurant was one of my highlights of my trip. It is divided into two separate restaurants by a little street in the middle of the medina of Essaouira. One restaurant is mainly cocktails and tapas and the other is an a la carte restaurant. Both inspired on the Moroccan cuisine, however with a complete unique twist! The staff is incredibly kind and helpful and the menu is very different and unique. But besides the great and different food, the decorations of this restaurant are what makes this place extra special. It is located in old riads with a lot of light coming from the top and decorated in the brightest colours. Here you can really feel the artistic vibes of Essaouira. The owner himself is an artist, which becomes very clear when you look at the surroundings. If you are lucky, you will experience a traditional show during your dinner. Le LOVE by Caravane is the place to be if you are looking for something unique and exciting!

Vagabond Beach

After a morning of intensive surfing you might want to sit down and enjoy a good lunch. We did this at the Vagabond beach. This relaxed and nice restaurant is located at the surf spot of Essaouira and offers multiple dishes varying from fresh salads with goat cheese to nice homemade burgers. Come here to enjoy a nice view of the beach and the camels laying on the beach waiting for customers.

Le Chalet de la Plage

This place is located at the beginning of the beach of Essaouira and offers what a beach restaurant should offer: fish! However, if you are a vegetarian like me, it is still a very nice restaurant to go to. I enjoyed some of the best filled eggplants (aubergines farcies) I have ever had in my life. However, it is not the cheapest place, but if you have some money to spend, enjoy some nice fresh seafood here or choose one of the other Moroccan dishes.

Rooftop of Le LOVE by Caravane

Fez

Fes was one of my favourite destinations in Morocco. Its ancient, dazzling medina with 9000 streets make you feel lost in a second. However, if you do know where you are and you are looking for a nice place to eat and cool down from the heat: here you can find my favourite spot of the Fes medina.

Nacho Mama

As a vegetarian, the Moroccan kitchen is not always the easiest. So every time we had the option to try something else I was very happy. After a hot day getting lost in the medina of Fes we stumbled upon a tiny, pink restaurant called: “Nacho Mama”. We fell in love with its colours and happiness and its Mexican inspired food! But not only the food is good about this place, the two people (at that time) working here are very kind and make time for you to talk to you. This little Mexican restaurant is set up by a native Moroccan lady called Najat Kanaache who lives in Fes but also lived in Mexico for a while. Najat is an amazing chef and also has another famous restaurant called: “NUR”. I have not been here myself but from what I heard it is a famous restaurant serving Moroccan dishes in a unique way. More about Najat is coming soon on my website so stay tuned!

Rabat

As Rabat is the capital city of Morocco we did not want to skip this place. Here we were impressed by its different medina and its location at the coast. There was one restaurant that stole my heart here..

Le Dhow

It is not the cheapest place in Morocco to eat but it is definitely worth a visit. Le Dhow is an old traditional ship laying at the boulevard of Rabat and serves all kinds of fresh seafood. It has a magical atmosphere to dine on a ship. However it is not entirely vegetarian friendly, besides the salads. So I went here for a seafood risotto and it was delicious (apart from my guilt of course..).

5 destinations for the real Moroccan experience

September 16, 2019

by Bo with 2 Comments Morocco

In this blog I am going to write about my experience in Morocco by listing five destinations that impressed me in various ways. These five destinations are not the most common top 5 of Morocco when you read other blogs, however I chose those that surprised me the most. It shows the 5 destinations and shares some ideas on how these places can develop in a more sustainable or responsible way and provides some ideas on how you as a traveller could act more responsible during your journey to and at these places.

1. Fez

Fez is what I would like to call authentic Morocco. With its little streets dazzling through the medina you feel like your in a maze. It is easy to get lost in this Imperial city but that is exactly what you should do here. The Fez medina shows you all kinds of local industry like the leather production. Here, the leather still gets produced as in the early days and as a tourist you can get to see it yourself. Of course, the locals will try to offer you tours but you can also perfectly do it yourself. However, when you want to get a nice view of the tanneries you will have to tip a person to go to a viewpoint, they will give you some mint for your nose because of the smell and you can stay as long as you want.

In the medina itself you can also find leather shops where you can buy handmade products or look for the building that once was the first university ever in the world. Also, I would like to recommend you to go to an old Coran school and enjoy the details of these beautiful buildings. If you feel hot and feel like a cold drink and some non-Moroccan food have a look at my restaurant tips in Morocco!

My experience with Fez was not only amazing because of the beauty and authenticity of this city, but also because of the people who I met there. Via a Mexican girl working at a small restaurant I got in contact with a woman called Najat. This Moroccan woman grew up in Morocco and also lived in Mexico for a while. With her passion for food she created the restaurant called ‘Nur’ which serves real Moroccan dishes but creates a whole experience around it. With her success she tries to make a difference for the women of Morocco. By showing them how to stand up for themselves she tries to improve the rights of women in this culture. Her success even brought Gordon Ramsey to Morocco for an episode of ‘Unchartered’ where he cooks authentic dishes with Najat. I think Najat is an amazing and strong woman and her story must be heard. If you want to know more about her story, follow her on her social media: Instagram: Najatkaanache_

2. Essaouira

This little fishing village definitely earns its spot in my top-5 list. From the moment we arrived here I loved the medina with its wider streets. Most of the medinas in Morocco have very narrow streets where you can get easily lost. Essaouira is much easier to walk around and the medina itself is also not very big.

Still this village is worth a stop because of its location at the sea. At the port you can experience fish trade as you might have never seen before: fresh fish laying on the ground with people and cats walking almost through them. The fish gets sold and bought by the local people and are prepared at the little restaurants in the city. I am not sure if you can really call it ‘fresh’ as the fish are laying in the open air without any protection or ice to cool them, but hey.. we did not get sick so do not worry too much. If your nose is not too sensitive to unpleasant smells it is worth it to walk around and experience the fish trade of the locals, with cats and birds waiting for their turn to grab some fresh fish.

Not only Essaouira is worth a visit for its authentic trade, it is also famous by surfers for its great waves. So it is also not weird that Essaouira is called ‘the Windy City’. Wave surfers and kite surfers get together at the best spot to catch a wave while being watched by the multiple dromedaries that are laying at the beach waiting for another tourist to ride them. Here I would like to say: catch a wave, but not a ride.. For only a small amount of money you can get a board and a suit for a few hours and you can enjoy the nice waters of Essaouira.

The last aspect I would like to cover of Essaouira are the popular ‘climbing goats’. These goats tend to climb argan trees to eat the nuts of the tree and this is the only place in the world where you can see this phenomenon. However, such an unique phenomenon is also a way of making easy money by, for example, providing goat tours. Busses from Marrakech or Essaouira take tourists just outside Essaouira to see these goats climbing the trees. What these tourists often do not know is that the goats used for tourism are often tied to the trees and forced to be in the tree. There is nothing authentic about this anymore and it is pure animal torture. So if you do not want to be part of this animal abuse, I would recommend you to take a public bus to Essaouira and keep your eyes open to catch a glimpse of them. But as this is often only in the early mornings the best way to see them is going by car yourself and see if you can find shepherd with his goats and offer him a small tip to take a photo.

3. Casablanca

Maybe it is weird that this city is in my top 5 as the city itself is not very spectacular. However, if you love architecture as much as I do, you would understand my decision. Casablanca is home to the biggest mosque of Africa called the Hassan II mosque. This mosque is the only reason why I would recommend someone to go to Casablanca. However, the magnificence of this huge building should not be underestimated. The details in the architecture are like a 1001 nights story. This is also the only mosque in Morocco where non-Muslims are allowed in and this is why I would totally recommend taking a tour to go inside. A guide will tell you some nice facts about the mosque and show you the interior.

Standing outside, looking at the mosque I could stand there for ages. The whole building amazed me with its colours, heights and grandeur. But the mosque itself was not the only experience for me, around sunset the square surrounding the mosque gets filled with Moroccan families enjoying the evening. Mothers with children, friends and whole families get together at the square for a picnic, a game or even a swim in the sea. I loved all the people enjoying their free evening surrounding this holy building, but I would also like to share a more negative side of it. As I was walking alongside the coast and looked at the families enjoying the sea, I smelled a very unpleasant odor coming from all the garbage that was laying at the ‘beach’ and in the sea. All the picnic items that were brought by the people were left there and no one seemed to care. This is why the Hassan II mosque to me was like “The great mosque surrounded by garbage.” In my opinion it is such a waste to let a beautiful place like this get polluted by the laziness and ignorance of people. It can be so easy to just take home your trash..

4. Chefchaouen

The fourth destination is one to many more familiar by the name of the ‘Blue Pearl’ or ‘Blue City’. These nicknames are perfect for this little town as the whole medina is covered in blue. Chefchaouen is located in the middle of the Rif mountains in the North of Morocco, which creates a magical scenery with the blue contrasting the green and brown of the mountains.

However, because of the huge aesthetical value of this city, a lot of tourists are attracted to go here. So do not think you will be alone wandering the little streets as people from all over the world come to experience the magic of the blue medina. Even though this place is a popular tourist spot, it is not as easy to reach as other destinations. There is no airport or train station nearby so the quickest option to get to Chefchaouen is by bus or car from either Fez, Tangier or Rabat. Of course as a supporter of sustainability I would always recommend to take the bus. This ride from, for instance, Fez takes around 4 hours and shows some nice scenery of the mountains. Make sure to book your ticket at the local office a day before to be sure of a seat.

Chefchaouen is very little and for sightseeing you will only need a day. You can choose to stay longer and experience everything at a lower pace. There are also some nice hiking trails nearby with waterfalls as a nice reward, these are also more unknown than the famous Ouzoud falls nearby Marrakech.

5. Agadir

Some might be surprised to see Agadir in this list, but I personally think Agadir has a lot to offer. In the end, it is one of the most popular destinations for the local people themselves to travel to in their holidays. Agadir is located in the south-east of Morocco at the coast. This coastal destination is home to multiple luxury hotels and resorts and is perfect for a beach stroll or a walk on the boulevard with a lot of food and beverage options to choose from. At the end of the boulevard you will find the Agadir Marina which to me felt like an European port.

What makes Agadir more special than other beach destinations is its location. It is surrounded by mountains and parts of ‘desert’. I chose to put desert into quotation marks as some tour companies might promise you to see the desert when booking a trip around Agadir, however this desert is not the Sahara with its sand dunes, as the Sahara is around 13 hours away from Agadir. Still, I would definitely recommend to also go outside Agadir for a day, for instance to ‘Paradise Valley’. Paradise Valley is located in the mountains approximately an hour drive from Agadir and according to its name you will find a small paradise in a valley where you can swim in natural waters.

Here, you will find again mostly Moroccan tourists enjoying the pools. To enjoy your day at Paradise Valley I have some points of advice for you to keep in mind: try not to book at your hotel but at a local agency and preferably a private local guide. When you book a ‘half day tour’ at your hotel it might happen that you will be driving around for 2.5 hours before arriving at the destination instead of one hour. Also, arriving at the destination you will first have to go to a local restaurant for a drink and after that you will only have one hour left to enjoy the Paradise Valley. This hour will give you enough time to enjoy the set up place for tourists, with plastic tables and chairs in the water and multiple little shops and restaurants near the water. To be honest, this place felt like a tourist trap and not worth the effort. However, if you can go by yourself with a guide who can give you all the time you want at the destination, you will have enough time to explore the place and find real paradise a bit further away from the crowds.

By choosing for a local agency you make sure your money stays with them instead of ending up in the pockets of the wealthier people. Another thing to keep in mind when visiting Paradise Valley is to make sure to bring all the waste you produce back to the city instead of leaving it in the nature. We all want to be able to keep enjoying the beauty nature provides us right?