Essaouira: Morocco’s Hidden Gem Outshines Mediterranean Hotspots

Arty atmosphere, invigorating air, fine sandy beaches, picturesque port... Essaouira has plenty to seduce tourists, especially summer vacationers. According to Ulysse.com, this Moroccan city could well dethrone the usual stars of the Mediterranean this year. Grazia.fr also highlights it: "Essaouira, aptly named, stands proudly on the Atlantic coast. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it offers a clever blend of Moroccan traditions and Mediterranean joie de vivre. Some call it the ’Moroccan Saint-Tropez’, but here, no ostentatious yachts."

According to the platform, what makes its luxury is the space, the iodized air and the golden light that sets the ramparts ablaze at sunset. Since the 1960s, Essaouira has been a source of inspiration for artists of all kinds, musicians, painters and writers. There are still workshops, galleries, and craft shops. On the musical side, the medina hosts the Gnaoua Festival, a must-see musical event, every June. Other assets of Essaouira that create unparalleled tourist attraction: the deckchairs set up right on the beach or the dunes on camelback or quad.

Last January, Liligo, one of the world’s leading travel comparison sites, ranked Essaouira at the top of the "Top 5 most beautiful seaside towns in Morocco" for the year 2024. According to Grazia, the best times to visit are spring and fall, which "offer ideal temperatures, but even in the height of summer, Essaouira retains that fresh breath that makes all the difference."