Near the end of our Moroccan Spaswinefood adventure we spent two nights on the coast in the city of Essaouira. For me it was the visiting and staying in old town that was a highlight. Other visitors however, may enjoy visiting the port, or just walking along the beach. Essaouira is indeed a refreshing break from the desert and Morocco’s larger cities. Located about two hours drive from Marrakesh Essaouira is especially a pleasant escape from the desert heat during the hot months. We visited during November so heat was not a problem. Of course it is a pleasant place to visit any time of the year. Essaouira’s walled city with its artisan shops, cafes, restaurants and spas is a very appealing place to explore.
As you walked through the narrow streets, within the walled city there are so many discoveries that await. You can easily spend 2-3 days exploring this charming place.
You will find that there is so much to catch your attention, as you walk down the narrow streets.
The colorful displays of arts and crafts definitely caught my attention.
The walled city sits near the ocean.
Once you walk outside the walled city you will most likely start to wonder about the history of Essaouira.
Essaouira has archaeological ruins dating it back to prehistoric times. It was known as Mogador in the 16th century when Portugal built a fortress in this area. England, France, Netherlands and Spain all tried to conquer the area during the 16th century. In the 18th century the city of Essaouira was established by Mohammad III; from that time until end of the nineteenth century it served as Morocco's principal port. 1912-1956 Essaouir was part of the French protectorate of Morocco.
We chose this particular spa primarily because it looked so inviting.
We began dinner with a vegetable soup.
Our main courses were
There was still dessert choices to make. We selected some sweet pastries and yogurt.
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| Narrow Street in Essaouira, Morocco © Spaswinefood |
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| Tourists in Essaouira, Morocco © Spaswinefood |
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| Art for Sale, Essaouira, Morocco © Spaswinefood |
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| Colorful Essaouira, Morocco © Spaswinefood |
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| Beach at Essaouira, Morocco © Spaswinefood |
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| Ocean View, Essaouira, Morocco © Spaswinefood |
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| Outside Essaouira's Walled City, Morocco © Spaswinefood |
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| Essaouira's Walled City, Morocco © Spaswinefood |
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| Entering the Walled City of Essaouira, Morocco © Spaswinefood |
Spaswinefood Discoveries inside the Walled City
During our two-day stay in
Essaouira we had dinner at the El Mare Restaurant and the Laayoune Restaurant. We also ate lunch at sidewalk cafes, which are great for relaxing, or just people watching. Here are some of the spa options that we noticed during our walk around town.
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| Exploring Essaouira, Morocco © Spaswinefood |
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| Espace Abla, Essaouira, Morocco © Spaswinefood |
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| Azur Art & Spa, Essaouira, Morocco © Spaswinefood |
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| Riad & Spa in Essaouira, Morocco © Spaswinefood |
We decided to check out one of the local spas, Azur Art and Spa.
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| Azur Art & Spa, Essaouira © Spaswinefood |
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| Spa Time at Azur Art & Spa, Essaouira © Spaswinefood |
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| Checking in at Azur Art & Spa, Essaouira © Spaswinefood |
It goes without saying that you will find many spa options in Essaouira. Also, just before we arrived in town we visited a women’s
cooperative specializing in cosmetic products made from argan oil. I bought some of the creams made with this oil. I found the products very good for dry skin.
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| Cosmetic Store near Essaouira, Morocco © Spaswinefood |
During our Essaouira stay we dined at a number of restaurants and street cafes.
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| Il Mare Restaurant, Essaouira, Morocco © Spaswinefood |
Our first night in town we had dinner at the Il Mare Restaurant. This restaurant offers international cuisine. We ordered a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Moroccan wine by the name of Les Vins de Cépage.
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| Les Vins de Cépage at Il Mare Restaurant, Essaouira © Spaswinefood |
From our Il Mare Restaurant table we enjoyed the music that evening.
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| Dining at Il Mare, Essaouira, Morocco © Spaswinefood |
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| Musicans at Il Mare, Essaouira © Spaswinefood |
Amongst our orders included appetizers:
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| Calamari Appetizer, Il Mare Restaurant © Spaswinefood |
Some of our main plates included:
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| Pizza, Il Mare Restaurant © Spaswinefood |
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| Lobster Plate, Il Mare Restaurant © Spaswinefood |
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| Fish Plate at Il Mare Restaurant © Spaswinefood |
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| Fish Plate at Il Mare Restaurant © Spaswinefood |
A number of pasta dishes was ordered.
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| Gnocchi at Il Mare Restaurant © Spaswinefood |
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Pasta Alfredo at Il Mare Restaurant © Spaswinefood
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| Pasta at Il Mare Restaurant © Spaswinefood |
You may not imagine that some had room for dessert but they did. This is just one example.
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| Chocolate Dessert at Il Mare Restaurant © Spaswinefood |
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| Il Mare Restaurant, Essaouira, Morocco © Spaswinefood |
On our last night in Essaouira we discovered Restaurant Laayoune.
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| Restaurant Laayoune, Essaouira, Morocco © Spaswinefood |
The Laayoune Restaurant offers a more typical Moroccan atmosphere and cuisine.
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| Restaurant Laayoune, Essaouira, Morocco © Spaswinefood |
That evening we began with some tempting appetizers that are typically offered in a Moroccan restaurant.
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| Appetizers at Restaurant Laayoune © Spaswinefood |
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| Appetizer Time at Restaurant Laayoune © Spaswinefood |
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| Vegetable Soup, Restaurant Laayoune © Spaswinefood |
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| Vegetarian Tagine, Restaurant Laayoune © Spaswinefood |
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| Tagine with Couscous, Restaurant Laayoune © Spaswinefood |
While in Essaouira we stayed at the budget hotel, Hotel Beau Rivage inside the old walled city. My recommendation is to check out other accommodations in Essaouira at Tripadvisor.
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| Hotel Beau Rivage, Essaouira, Morocco © Spaswinefood |
It was not until near the end of our two week travels through Morocco that we visited Essaouira. After Essaouira we headed to Marrakesh for our last few days in Morocco. It is without doubt that
Essaouira is a relaxing place to visit. I invite you to join me in
my travels in Morocco and elsewhere in search of the best in Spaswinefood.
Sharon
November 2013
Essaouira, Morocco
© Spaswinefood
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