Essaouria, Morocco

...just returned from Morocco

We spent three wonderful days in Essaouria

The Medina Walls

Rough seas crashed against and went over the medina walls!

The small Fleet

The weather was hot and very windy.
We stayed at the  Riad le Grand Large in the Medina, excellent, definitely ticks all the boxes. 

Third floor of the Riad

From the third floor looking up to the terrace

Waiting for the weather

Although most of the fishing boats were unable to go out some fish was still landed

Gulls after scraps

Fresh fish on the quay

So we were able to have fresh sardines for lunch at our favorite restaurant Safran in the Old Grain Market

Lunch at Safrans

 For Irish readers...you can fly Ryanair Dublin to Marrakesh twice a week. The Supratours coaches opperate from Marrakesh to Essaouria six times daily http://www.marrakechtickets.co.uk/supratours-bus-tickets/ Booking.com has many places to stay including the Riad le Grand Large

Morocco's beautiful seaside town...Essaouira

Essaouira

..some of my friends , when I mentioned Morocco, seemed surprised that I hadn't been to Essaouira.

Evening view of the Medina

This September we decided to see for ourselves what we were missing!
I booked with Supratours coaches online. A regular service, comfortable and reasonably priced...we just had to get to Marrakech train station.
We decided to spend a few days in Essaouira and again I booked online. I choose a town house in the Medina Dar al Bahar. 

View of the old town walls from the terrace

The sea from the terrace

A really good choice, quiet, beautifully restored, well situated for the Medina and the Harbour.... and an excellent breakfast.
Eating out was no problem...apart from there being too many places to choose from!
We ate at the Fishermens huts, you choose your fish from a display of the mornings catch...

 

really fresh fish

...and then have it grilled...it was served with bread and a Moroccan salad

grilled sardines and prawns.....sorry cats nothing left!

......but the cats seem to be very well fed anyway!

 
The harbour is well worth a visit......

....some of the fishing fleet

..a few glimpses of the medina

......and were able to visit the boat building yard too!

 

By chance we were in Essaouira in the only month when the winds from the sea are light, instead we had to contend with some sea fog...just like Ireland!
Here are a couple of other places we ate..Safran where we had goats cheese salad with argan oil...delicious and a lovely little Italian restaurant Dar Baba..both in the Medina.
This is only a glimpse to whet your appetite...we look forward to our next visit...soon I hope...so much left to explore!