Essaouira

Situated along the Atlantic coast of Morocco, Essaouira is a beautiful, quiet town, founded in the 16th century as a trading post for the Portuguese. Fortified with ramparts and patina-bronze cannons, the city’s white-washed buildings are trimmed in the brilliant azure blue of its skies. It is the ideal place to relax and to stroll among woodshops and art galleries, boat builders and sardine fishermen. Among the souks worth visiting are the Marche d’Epices (spice market) and Souk des Bijoutiers (jewelers’ markets), which was once dominated by Essaouira’s Jewish community. After exploring the old city and artisan shops, head down to the port to indulge in the freshest seafood, or to the beach for camel rides or world-class wind surfing.

The town has always been a magnet for artists and musicians. Orson Wells was one of the first international personalities to be lured by Essaouria’s charm; in 1949, he spent several months here filming scenes for Othello. Two decades later, Essaouira became an important stop on the hippie trail; both Cat Stevens and Jimi Hendrix spent evenings strumming guitars along bonfires on the beach, an inspiration for Hendrix’s “Castles Made of Sand.” Since 1998, Essaouira has hosted the annual festival of Gnaoua Music, an enchanting tribal music popular throughout Morocco and beyond.

Whether you’re seeking sunshine or a salt-swept dose of history, Essaouira is an ideal destination for a relaxing day, overnight, or longer in one of the town’s charming boutique hotels. Be sure to keep an eye out en route for goats climbing trees in search of argan nuts.