Essaouira is a Moroccan port city of about 70,000 inhabitants, situated on the Atlantic West Coast and 170 kilometers to the West of Marrakech. Traditionally, Essaouira has been a fishing village and one of the main maritime ports of Morocco, from where goods of trade caravans goings of desert and sub-Saharan Africa were distributed worldwide. Today, Essaouira has become one of the most visited tourist destinations in the country and offers lots of attractions and services. In addition to tourism, that has further developed the manufacture and trade of products of handicraft, marquetry and jewelry, the economy consists in fishing as well as lumber, textile and food industries. The medina of Essaouira is without doubt the main attraction of the city. Held since 2001 by UNESCO as a world heritage site, the walled old quarter of the city is full of charm, with its high white houses with blue doors and yellow details.
The city is at the same time quiet and vibrant. Stroll through the alleys of the medina is a real pleasure, with its quiet and friendly atmosphere, its small stalls of handicrafts, its terraces where you can enjoy traditional meal or a delicious and refreshing mint tea, the workshops of artists and artisans of all kinds, all scented by the fresh and pleasant aroma that brings the sea breeze. The old town is surrounded by a reddish wall that offers a spectacular view of the sea above cliffs. On the walls, large cannons that protected numerous maritime attacks Essaouira are preserved in perfect condition and constitute an imprint in the history of the city. The port is one of the main attractions of the city, with its innumerable fishing boats, all of them small and blue, they form a curious and beautiful S’Albufera.
Also for lovers of angling, the port offers a landscape and excellent conditions for catching sardines, Conger eels and eel. One of the musical and cultural events also houses most Essaouira important and extraordinary of the African continent, the Festival Gnawa and world music. For 12 years, 500,000 visitors were able to enjoy live a spectacular programme, which has included from international figures of jazz and rhythm & blues, until African and Eastern percussion traditional rhythms from all corners of the Maghreb or orchestras on five continents. Essaouira is also one of the paradises of surfing and windsurfing on the continent. Numerous international competitions take place on the shores of the city and several high class clubs rented material of excellent quality. Near the city there many quiet and peaceful beaches where you can enjoy the Sun and the sea. Essaouira is a small, beautiful and quiet town, but offers a large number of attractions. Hotels in Essaouira are cozy, economical and offer quality services. In the heart of the medina may stay in one of the lovely and typical riads in Essaouira, where you can enjoy one of the most captivating cities and delicious in the country. Original author and source of the article.