People ask us this all the time: out of the whole Moroccan coast, why Essaouira?
The honest answer is that it is one of those rare towns where you feel at home the first evening. You step through the gate, hear the Atlantic on the other side of the ramparts, and the pace of the place gets into you quickly.
A medina by the sea
The old town is blue and white, wrapped in 18th-century walls and pushed right up against the rocks. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001. Inside you find narrow sunlit alleys, painted doors, small galleries, wood workshops and rooftop cafés that look straight out over the water. It is compact enough to explore on foot in an afternoon and interesting enough that you keep going back.
Wind you can count on
Essaouira is known as Morocco's wind city. The thermal breeze that comes off the ocean most afternoons is what makes the bay one of the best places on the coast to learn kitesurfing and wingfoiling, and the beach breaks just outside town are gentle enough for a first surf lesson. That is why we set up the school here.
Free spirits, past and present
Jimi Hendrix and Bob Marley passed through in the sixties and seventies, and the town has kept that streak: musicians, painters, surfers and long-stay travellers still gravitate here. Gnawa music, the spice market, the fishing port and the woodworkers all live side by side with a relaxed, creative crowd.
Come and ride with us
If you are already thinking about it, the easiest way in is a surf, kite or wingfoil lesson with our team. Pick a package and tell us what else you would like to add: a hammam, a yoga session, a proper Moroccan dinner, a massage. We are happy to build the week around you.