I've covered the Medina part of Essaouira previously, but a full description of this beautiful place wouldn't be complete without a few more words about the near vicinity; after all, although the old part of the city is what gives the city most of its charm, it's because of what lies next to it that Essaouira receives a good part of its visitors.
The Port
It's basically impossible to miss it, located to the left of the medina, if you're facing the sea; just a short walk and you'll be surrounded by seagulls, boats, and bustling activity, if you arrive at the time the fish is being sold.
The nearest entrance is by a beautiful stone gate, probably part of the fortification that served as the port's defense, in the old days; in fact, a tower, ramparts and a bridge with cannons are also present! The tower is the fist thing that jumps into attention as you walk to the port, with the sea on your right. And yes, seagulls are everpresent here (wonder why... :)
These blue boats are right next to gate; by some reason, I haven't captured in photo from this angle. But truth be told, the views of the fortifications and the gate are nicer from the inside:
From here, a small but very active fishing port serves locals and tourists alike! Off the selling hours, there's plenty to see; I loved the little bridge and the cannons, and the tower is even more beautiful seen from this angle.
The local kids were having fun jumping from the wall to the sea below, since it's easy to come up through the stairs at the right; and well... let's say the kid flying on the imagem below didn't exactly volunteered to jump! :)
The ramparts continue on the right, and following the road there are small stairs that let you go up, and admire the port and the view from above.
By far, the coolest time to visit, is when commerce is going strong! As the fishing boats return, fresh fish is displayed right there on the harbour!
You'll have plenty to choose from: moorays, shrimps, rays... take your pick!
Locals have the opportunity to buy fish as fresh as it gets, but not only locals: from what I've read, you can choose your fish here, and some nearby restaurants will prepare it for you! Haven't profited from this myself, so can't really say if it's worth the experience or not; but it sounds like a cool thing to try!
Turning left when you enter the gate, you'll pass by the port, and a short walk will bring you to the other ex-libris of Essaouira.
The beach
Actually, I shouldn't say "the beach", because there are several beaches you can choose from. This is the main one, but there are others less crowded to the other side of the medina. But this one is the most famous, and it streches for kilometers. There's a nice promenade next to it, and even some fields to practice some sport with a nice sea view.
Now, the coolest thing is this beach has few details that at least for an european, aren't that common; as the name "wind city" suggests, this is a windy beach most of the year, so it's a top spot for wind sports. Kite surf seems by far to be the most famous one.
And yes, you might be wondering "yeah, but you can see kitesurf everywhere!". True... but can you see camels at the same time??
Dromedary, not camel (the geek in me had to do this correction!); and even they seemed to enjoy the kite show!
Dromedary and horse rides on the beach also seem to be very sought activities, at least judging by the crazy amount of animals I've seen!
Betweeen the amount of wings in the skies and dromedaries in the sand, I think it's a tie. But as you can see, there's no shortage of activity at this beach!
I haven't joined either activity, but enjoyed the show. And on the far end of the beach, there are a few restaurants where you can relax and have a pretty decent meal. They are way more touristic than what you can find inside the city, but it was to be expected at this location. It's a good way to end the beach promenade: enjoying fresh fish and a glass of wine, and contemplating the different realities that make travelling one of the best things in the world!
Cheers!
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