History
Pronounced ‘essa-weera’, the Atlantic coastal city of Essaouira is full of narrow alleys and the pungent smell of spices, thuya wood and sea air tells you that you are in an ancient north African town.
Essaouira, A UNESCO World Heritage Site, was established by Hanno the Navigator, a Carthaginian explorer in the 5th century BC and over the next two thousand years it was a port, a centre of the manufacture of purple dye (which coloured the purple stripe in Imperial Roman Senatorial dress) and a garrison town but the Essaouira you see today is largely thanks to Mohammed III who built the fortifications and walled the beautiful town in.
Geography
The port, medina and fish markets are some of the highlights to visit.
Because of the ‘vents alizés’ – the trade winds that sweep inland off the Atlantic, it’s known as the ‘Wind City of Africa’ and is a favourite spot for hardcore windsurfers rather than sun-seekers. The city has a temperate climate, and is popular with tourists all year round. Look out for fresh fish being cooked on the streets, which is Essaouira’s speciality.