Getting around
There is no metro and you do not need one. The medina, harbour, ramparts and main beach are best on foot; expect uneven paving, narrow lanes, mopeds and occasional donkey carts. Petit taxis are useful for the new town or a tired return—reported flat fares were about 8 MAD by day and 9 MAD after 20:00, though confirm before getting in and carry small notes. For Diabat or the airport, negotiate a grand taxi fare first. Do not rent a car for the medina: it is effectively a walking city, vehicle access is restricted in theory and messy in practice, and parking adds no value.
When to go
Spring and autumn are the best compromise: pleasant walking weather, though wind is part of the deal in every season. Summer brings the strongest demand and can be pleasantly cooler than inland Morocco, but it is often very windy and the water is not reliably inviting; book coaches and rooms early. Winter is quieter and can be mild but damp, windy and grey. The June Gnaoua and World Music Festival materially changes prices, accommodation availability and noise levels—go for the music, not for a quiet Essaouira weekend.
- Carry cash and small denominations. Card acceptance is uneven in the medina, and taxis and small food stalls generally expect dirhams.
- For city taxis, confirm the fare before moving; for grand taxis, establish whether the quoted price is for your seat or the whole car.
- Buy CTM/Supratours tickets ahead rather than trusting a same-day seat, especially in summer, at Christmas and around major festival dates.
- The beach is windy and currents can be strong. Treat it as a walking and wind-sports beach unless conditions and local advice say otherwise; it is not a place to casually assume safe swimming.
- Ignore sellers around the square offering ‘hash brownies’: reports warn they are usually fake. Cannabis remains illegal despite its visible use; do not carry it or draw attention to yourself in public.
- At ESU, print and have your boarding pass checked/stamped at the desk even when travelling hand-luggage-only; Ryanair bag-size enforcement is reported to be strict there. Recheck this with the airline before departure.
Worth leaving the city for
Sidi KaoukiMost of a day door to door; allow roughly 30–45 minutes each way by road, plus waiting time if using shared/local transport.
A genuinely different Atlantic beach day: wider, wilder and less built-up than Essaouira’s town beach, best for a long walk, surf/wind conditions and doing very little. Go only if that is the point; it is not a monument-filled excursion.
Diabat and Dar Sultan PalaceHalf day. Taxi south in the morning, then walk back along the beach if tide, weather and fitness permit.
This is the worthwhile near-city escape, not a major destination: a windswept village, beach walk, ruined fort/palace landscape and very little commercial clutter. The Hendrix claims are shaky; go for the walk and the coastal atmosphere, not the mythology.