Essaouira

Essaouira, a coastal fishing town on Morocco’s western coast, is known as the Windy City. And no wonder – the wind here is really strong for most of the year, which is why beachgoers avoid it, heading for quieter resorts on the Atlantic coast. Essaouira is therefore very popular with windsurfers, who visit between April and November, but most visitors come in spring and autumn to wander the spice-scented streets and palm-lined alleys of the fortified medina, search for treasures in the many art galleries and boutiques and in the countless souvenir shops, and discover new flavours in the cosy restaurants.

The city captivates with its charm. Blue shutters stand out brightly against the whitewashed buildings, and tightly tied, blue, wooden boats in the port rock to the rhythm of the ocean waves. Here and there someone sells freshly caught fish, someone sets off to fish, groups of fishermen mend nets and bustle around their boats... And above the port rises a mighty fortress, built in the city's glory days, on whose walls high waves break every now and then, creating a view full of majesty and beauty.