| | Overview (Source: Frommers) |
351km (218 miles) S of Casablanca; 174km (108 miles) W of Marrakech; 173km (107 miles) N of Agadir Essaouira is one the most enchanting spots in Morocco. Both a laid-back port town and a chic seaside resort, it has quietly become one of the must-sees for backpackers, surfers (wind, kite, and stand-up), art enthusiasts, and crafts shoppers. Essaouira's appeal is its charming blend of 18th-century medina, temperate climate, slightly alternative atmosphere, photogenic port, and wide sandy bay. Add to this the renowned warmth and easy-going nature of the local inhabitants, called Souiris, and it becomes clearer as to why Essaouira (pronounced "Essa- wee -ra") is currently riding the crest of a small tourism wave, becoming more than just a day trip from Marrakech. Although the town we see today largely dates from the 18th century onward, the port has featured in Morocco's history since it was discovered by the Phoenicians in the 7th century B.C., who named it Migdol after their word for "watchtower." By 450 B.C., their maritime successors, the Carthaginians, established a colony of around 30,000 people. Excavations on the islands in the bay have confirmed this settlement, where locals extracted purple dye from the island's murex mollusks (hence its alternative name as the Iles Purpuraires [Purple Isles]). In the 15th century, another great maritime nation, the Portuguese, established a commercial and military base here, which they named Mogador, from the original Phoen
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