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Essaouria is a coastal city in Morocco.
Get in
A whole grand taxi from Marrakech runs about 500dh, or 90dh per place. Supratours runs buses from the Marrakech train station into the Essaouira Supratours station, just down the street from the beach.
Get around
The walled centre of town is pedestrianised.
Do
The beach dominates the Essaouirans' leisure time. Although the strong wind and currents makes relaxed tanning and swimming a little difficult at times, it is perfect for windsurfing. With good winds for most days of the year, Essaouira is a windsurfer's paradise. The best spots are reported to be Essaouira Bay, Sidi Kaouki, Cape Sim and Mouley Bouzertoune. Equipment can be hired from the Windsurfing Club on the beach front.
World Music Festival in June.
The nearby town of Diabat and its beach is allegedly where Jimi Hendrix once spent some time. Even if the stories aren't true, this long, windswept beach with its ruined fort, about 5km from Essaouira, is a lovely place to walk to. Diabat is an empty, concrete Berber village that is practically devoid of attractions except the Hendrix ruin and a Hendrix Cafe. It's best visted in the early morning via taxi and then return to Essouiara via a short and very romantic walk on the beach past the castle in the sand of Hendrix fame.
Buy
Essaouira's craftsmen are renowned for their woodwork and lacquerware. Intricately inlaid boxes, chessboards and curios can be found for good prices in the city's hundreds of shops; however, beware that extensive deforestation is taking place in the area due to these woods not being replanted. Artwork of all kinds can be had here.
Eat
Although Essaouira is on the sea, fish are quite expensive. Fishermen sell their catch through market hall and you can get it cooked in small stands nearby. Prices are negotiable. A cheaper option is to buy Harira (a spicy soup) for 2-5DH or sandwich (i.e. at Blue fasade for 10-20DH, walking at the street from fish stands to the medina). There are many reasonable restaurants and cafes on the main streets and squares. Upscale restaurants worth a mention are Taros (2, rue de la Sqala Tel: 044 47 64 07) which combines a French-Moroccan restaurant, a gallery and a terrace bar with live local music and "5" (rue Youssef el fassi) for its elegant ex-pat vibe.
- Patisserie Driss - close to the main square is a great place for cakes and snacks
Drink
Mint tea is available for about 6DH all over the town. Some of the hotels have licensed bars, but it's hard to beat the terrace bar of the Taros (2 Rue de la Sqala) for its view over the lively Place Moulay el Hassan and the harbour.
Sleep
Hotels and riads
Hotel Smara, 26 Rue de la Skala, is one of the cheapest (and therefore most popular) hotels in town, so you may need to book ahead during peak season. The spartan roof terrace has nice views over the cannons used in the opening sequence of Orson Welles Othello. Singles / doubles with shared bath start from Dh 47 / Dh 96.
Riad Malaika, 17 Rue Zayanne, provides an authentic Riad stay. This former Moroccan home has been beautifully restored and converted and is in the center of town. The staff is extremely hospitable and courteous. It has a beautiful terrace rooftop perfect for private lounging. Rooms are charming and tastefully decorated and run from 500dh to 1000dh, including breakfast (discounts available in the low season and for longer stays).
Sofitel Thalassa Mogador, Tel: 47 23 34. Right on the beach, it will be happy to indulge your every whim, for a hefty price. Singles / doubles start at Dh 1400 / Dh 1850 during low season but can rocket up to Dh 1890 / Dh 2430 during the peak new year period. Luxury suites are also available and there's a Sofitel-branded health spa next door for those in urgent need of a hydrotherapy session and facial.
Stay Safe
Many travellers seem to suffer from minor stomach upsets in Essaouira, no matter how carefully they eat. The town is often covered in a fine mist as Atlantic breakers crash onto the rocks below the ramparts. Closer inspection reveals a large amount of untreated sewage being discharged into the sea here. Possibly this sewage in the air is a factor amongst the high incidence of stomach upsets.
Ouarzazate is a useful base from which to explore the ksour and Kasbahs of Ait Benhaddou. However, there is not a lot to do in the town itself. During the 1980’s, the Moroccan government had big plans for this town, as the first stop on the "Saharan Adventure", there is even an airport here. The town became known as "Morocco’s Hollywood" as it has been used as a base for many "exotic" film like David Lean’s "Lawrence of Arabia", Bernardo Bertolucci’s "Sheltering Sky" and "Jesus of Nazareth".
The local Glaoui Kasbah Taorirt and the centre artenasal (across from the Kasbah) are worth a visit. Ait Benhaddou is one of the most fantastic sights of the Atlas as the kasbahs are the most elaborately decorated and best preserved (thanks to UNESCO). They have been built and re-built as sets for such movies as Jesus of Nazareth, Lawrence, and Orson Welles’ Sodom and Gomorrah.
Ouarzazate Accommodations
Hotel Azghor on Boulevard Prince Moulay Rachid is a bit expensive, but has excellent views to the south and a refreshing swimming pool.
Hotel La Gazelle on Avenue Mohammed V rooms are attractive and clean, plus there’s a pool.
Belere Kenzi and Karam Palace are nice 4 star hotels.
Eating Out
Restaurant Chez Dmitri on Avenue Mohammed V has great dishes for reasonable prices. It used to be a foreign legion bar and has an interesting atmosphere.
Rabat is home to Moroccan goverment, its a hub of traditional cuisine, architecture and much more. Well worth a visit! The Ville Nouvelle has beautiful modern French-built hotels. For a capital city, Rabat is very quiet and offers a number of excellent restaurants , clubs and pubs. Rabat is the second biggest city after Casablanca. It is famous for all the historical monuments in the Kingdom and the luxurious carpets and rich embroidery . A good thing of Rabat is that you can easily explore the city on your own without the help of a guide, and chat with locals in the cafe's who do not depend on the money of the tourists.
Accommodation
The Ville Nouvelle has beautiful modern French-built hotels and also the standard chain hotels. Hotel space is limited especially in midsummer and June so be sure to book a room well in advance. If you don't come right with a hotel, then try a luxury hotel, a villa, a self-catering cottage or a studio apartment.
Things to See & Do
The Medina
Rabat's Medina is all there was before the French arrived in 1912 it's a dense sector, nestled between the sea and the river, with stone and white washed buildings.
Archaeological Museum
Rabat's Archeological Museum is probably the most important in Morocco. It host's an exceptional collection of roman-era bronzes. Descriptions are in French and the Museum guide will also be glade to give you a tour in French.
The Palace Museum
The palace itself was built in the seventeen century and is home to exhibitions of Moroccan arts and culture, which are usually very fascinating.
The Andalusian Gardens
The Andalusian Gardens surround the Palace Museum and was constructed in the twentieth century by the French. It is the meeting place for woman on Friday and Sunday afternoons and is filled with the lovely scents of trees, bougainvillea, herbs and flowers.
Cuisine
For a capital city, Rabat is very quiet and offers a number of excellent restaurants, clubs and pubs. The Medina is home to a few very good every day cafe-restaurants. The restaurants here are moderately priced and inexpensive. In the Ville Nouvelle you will find a fine selection of Moroccan and French restaurants for 5 star cuisine and also a few Oriental Restaurants for a change in cuisine.Traditional Morcoccan Cuisine and Recipes .
Getting Around
With the city centre of Rabat being very compact, all the points of interest are in walking distance. Local Bus services can be very useful and they are marked very clearly. Petit and grands taxis can be found at the airport, the train station and at Boulevard Hassan. Take note that petit taxis are not authorized to operate between Rabat and Sale.
The Rabat Ville main train station is right in the middle of the Ville Nouvelle, just a few minutes walk to most of the hotels, so the best way to arrive in Rabat is by train. There is even a bureau de change and a car rental office on the station platform. The main bus terminal is situated in Place Zerktouni - 3 km west of the centre by the road intersection for Casablanca and Beni Mellal Grand taxis from Casablanca and Fez will drop you off at the main bus station. Rabat's airport is 7 km north of Rabat and grand taxis are the only public transport operating from here, it wouldn't be difficult catching one.
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