VERDICT: WE GAVE 4 OUT OF 5 TICKETS AND HERE’S WHY!
This guide forms part of our complete Morocco Travel Guide, featuring scenic road trips, iconic destinations, practical travel advice and honest first-hand travel experiences from across Morocco.
This article is part of our 14 Days in Marrakech: Ultimate Guide. We visited the famous Jemaa el Fnaa market, ancient Ait Ben Haddou, travelled the Atlas Mountains and saw the incredible Ouzoud Waterfalls. Our trip also included a stay at the Riad Catalina and a one in a lifetime Hot Air Balloon flight over the desert.
Our tour from Marrakech to Essaouira offered a refreshing change of pace from the heat and intensity of the interior. The drive west toward the Atlantic gradually shifted the scenery — drier landscapes opened up, the air cooled, and the sense of space increased.
A Day Trip to Essaouira: Sea Air, Souks, and Unexpected Moments
Situated on the West Coast of Morocco, this coastal town proved to be a well worth day tour from Marrakech.
One of the first stops along the way was a visit to a women-managed argan oil cooperative, the well-known Marjana Argan Cooperative, where we learned how argan and olive oils are traditionally produced. Seeing the process firsthand, from cracking nuts by hand to pressing the oil, was genuinely fascinating and highlighted the important role these cooperatives play in supporting local women and preserving traditional skills.
Not long after, we encountered one of Morocco’s most unusual roadside sights: goats perched in argan trees. It sounds unbelievable until you see it yourself. The goats climb the trees to eat the fruit, creating a surreal scene that feels almost staged, but it’s completely real, and very much part of rural Moroccan life. It was one of those unexpected moments that instantly makes a journey more memorable.
Arriving in Essaouira, the atmosphere changed again. Cooler Atlantic breezes rolled in, and the city felt relaxed, open, and artistic. We had around three hours to explore, which proved to be just enough time to get a strong sense of the place. Wandering through the UNESCO-listed medina, we explored the souk’s narrow lanes filled with handcrafted goods, woodwork, textiles, and art. Compared to Marrakech, the souk here felt calmer and easier to navigate, making it ideal for unhurried browsing and conversation with local vendors.
The Skala de la Ville is one of Essaouira’s most important historic landmarks, built in the 18th century as part of the fortified coastal defenses created under Sultan Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah. The city itself was redesigned during this period as a strategic Atlantic port linking Morocco with Europe and other international trading routes. It’s easy to get lost, as you wander down many of the alleyways throughout the city.
The ramparts were influenced by European military architecture and were designed to protect the harbour and Medina from naval attack. Heavy stone walls, defensive towers and rows of bronze cannons still face the Atlantic today, giving visitors a strong sense of how important Essaouira once was as a fortified trading city.
The Skala also reflects Essaouira’s long multicultural history. Merchants, sailors and diplomats from Europe, North Africa and beyond passed through the port, helping the city become a major commercial centre. Today, walking the ramparts combines history with some of the best views in Essaouira, including the Atlantic Ocean, fishing harbour and whitewashed Medina.
The coastline is where Essaouira truly shines. Walking along the ramparts and down to the harbour, we admired the rows of fishing boats, crashing waves, and wide sandy beaches stretching beyond the old walls. The sea air, the sound of gulls, and the open horizon create a sense of calm that’s hard to find inland. It’s no surprise Essaouira has long attracted artists, surfers, and travellers looking for something a little different.
Bright blue wooden fishing boats in Essaouira’s harbour have become one of the city’s most recognizable sights, but they represent much more than a colourful photograph. Fishing has been central to Essaouira’s economy and daily life for generations, with local fishermen heading into the Atlantic in small traditional boats and returning to the busy port with sardines, mackerel, sea bass and other catches. The distinctive blue boats crowd together beneath the old fortified walls, often surrounded by fishermen repairing nets, sorting their catch or preparing for the next trip to sea. Nearby, fish is unloaded, sold and sometimes cooked within sight of the harbour, continuing a working tradition that remains very much alive. Against the weathered stone ramparts, circling seabirds and crashing Atlantic waves, the blue fleet provides one of the clearest reminders that Essaouira is not simply a historic tourist destination, it remains a genuine Moroccan fishing community whose identity has been shaped by the ocean for centuries.
Our lunch was another highlight of the day. We sat down to enjoy a relaxed meal when a group of local musicians wandered over and began to play. It was spontaneous, joyful, and completely unplanned, the kind of moment that captures the spirit of travel. The music added a layer of warmth and authenticity to the experience, and it was so enjoyable that we’ve included a music video alongside this article to bring that moment to life.
Essaouira may be an easy day trip from Marrakech, but it feels like a world apart. In just a few hours, we experienced coastal scenery, rich history, cultural encounters, unexpected surprises, and moments of pure enjoyment. For My Return Ticket, this trip stands out as one of those perfectly balanced excursions, not rushed, not overproduced, just a genuinely memorable slice of Morocco that we’d happily repeat.
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Explore these places in Morocco
- Travel across the Atlas Mountains
- Discover ancient settlements at Ait Ben Haddou
- Visit the coastal city of Essaouira
- Experience a Hot Air Balloon Flight
- Visit the second highest waterfalls in Africa
- Visit Ouarzazate and Film Studios
- Saadian Tombs
Continue exploring Marrakech
- Experience an Arabian Fantasy Night
- Stop and people watch at our favourite cafe: Koutoubia
- Day Trips from Marrakech
Nearby Marrakech attractions
Planning your trip?
Before you go, don’t forget to book the essentials:
- 🏨 Hotels & unique stays
- 🚗 Rental cars
- 🎟️ Top-rated tours & attractions
- 📶 eSIMs for easy connectivity
- 🛡️ Travel insurance
- 🎒 Packing Lists
- 🎒 Travel gear from The Venturio
With every trip, we offer feedback to travel companies along with honest views for you, the reader. We rate adventures on a scale of one to five tickets, judged on quality, service, memorability, and price. A perfect ‘Ticket Rating’ of a five-ticket score means the experience was flawless and we’d eagerly return. Your desire to go back is the ultimate measure of a trip’s worth. Exclusive to My Return Ticket.
