Essaouira, Morocco, Africa
July 16, 2010 9:15 pm places to visitI went to Essaouira, Morocco on a Thomas Cook holiday and I thoroughly recommend them as a travel company. We were met at the airport and transferred to the hotel (Hotel Riad, which was wonderful) with no hassle. The journey from the airport in Agadir was roughly 2 hours. To check the latest prices click on the image below:
Essaouira, Morocco
The holiday brochure image of Essaouira that lives up to the expectations it evokes.
Essaouira, Morocco
Essaouira is an old walled town and the best views are from the port.
Essaouira, Morocco
The medina can be seen from the entrance to the port.
Essaouira, Morocco
View of the medina from the Skala de la Ville.
Spices and pigments on sale in the souk
"Hello, madame, how are you? Come inside and look." Get used to this phrase if ever you visit a souk in Morocco. The locals turn on the charm and invite you to buy their colourful wares wherever you walk. And of course sometimes, it is very hard to resist.
Beach in Essaouira, Morocco
Sunset at the beach
Beach in Essaouira, Morocco
View at Sunset when the crowds have gone.
Bird on fountain at Hotel Riad al Medina
As well as feeding on crumbs from the guests, the birds bathe in the fountains.
Birds at Hotel Riad al Medina
The birds roost above the courtyard and come down to feed along with the guests for breakfast.
Hotel Riad al Medina
This hotel's claim to fame is that Jimi Hendrix once stayed there.
Port in Essaouira, Morocco
Coils of earthy red nets contrast against the bright "Mogadon blue" of the boats.
Port in Essaouira, Morocco
Boats in dry dock line the port waiting for repairs.
Port in Essaouira, Morocco
Boats are also built here.
Port in Essaouira, Morocco
Cats are everywhere. This one hides from the sun under a parked car.
Port in Essaouira, Morocco
View of the port from the beach.
Port in Essaouira, Morocco
Even a pile of crates can look like an art installation.
Port in Essaouira, Morocco
Most of the boats including the small rowboats are painted in Mogadon blue.
Port in Essaouira, Morocco
As you can see, the skala walls overlook the port, making a great perch to sketch from.
Port in Essaouira, Morocco
Bicycles are a favoured form of transport. Within the medina, cars are not allowed.
View from the Skala of the Port in Essaouira, Morocco
The Skala du Port has small turrets where you can hide from the sun.
Essaouira in Morocco, Africa is a magnet for artists and deservedly so. If you visit as an artist, you will find it very difficult not to take a good photograph and the range of scenes that unfold before your eyes as you walk along are very inspiring for sketches.
I spent a week in Essaouira, a small place on the coast of Morocco, which took 3-4 hours to get to on a bus from Agadir. I’ve seen it in holiday brochures, travel guides and books for artists. It’s an “arty” place, famous as a former residence for Jimi Hendrix and full of paintings and crafts by local artists. I stayed in the Hotel Riad al Medina, it’s claim to fame being that Jimi Hendrix once stayed there. I definitely recommend it for photographers, sketchers and painters or those who just want to laze on a wonderful sandy beach. It’s also great for surfers, as the wind whips up some great waves to ride on.
The port in Essaouira is an artist’s dream for sketching. It is still a working port and hasn’t reached the status of quaint tourists’ hangout that a lot of English fishing ports have become (especially in Cornwall).
There are two skalas to explore. The Skala de la Ville is the town’s northern bastion and it is a great place for sketching as you can overlook the medina. It was one of the locations used in Orson Welles’ screen version of Othello. You can also explore the turrets of the Skala du Port to the south that overlooks the busy port. It makes a less obtrusive place to sketch as you have a good view without disturbing the fishermen.
