Essaouira Unveiled: Day Trip from Marrakech to the Ancient Mogador City

Meet a driver at your Marrakech hotel, then make the 119-mile (192-km) drive to Essaouira in a climate-controlled vehicle. Enjoy views of the countryside along the way, as you pass through villages and fields, then stop at a small argan oil cooperative run by local women. Learn how the oil is extracted and used with the option to purchase oil direct from the producers before continuing to Essaouira.

Discover how the Argan oil is extracted from the trees, and learn about its uses in cooking and cosmetics. Enter the charming blue and white town of Essaouira to explore its artistic wonders at leisure. Stroll along the quays and watch the fishermen unloading their catch of the day, and the brightly-painted fishing boats coming back to shore. Or enjoy the many fine restaurants at the port, and dine on freshly caught fish and seafood. Explore the historic ramparts, and visit the Medina to see local artists selling their crafts of Thuya wood.

Learn the basics of Essaouira’s history on a sightseeing walking tour of the city, taking in the distinctive blue-and-white architecture, and unique rhythm of the seaside town. Following the tour, you’ll have the rest of the day to explore on your own head down to the water to see the fishermen bring in the catch of the day, then sample Moroccan-style seafood in an outdoor café.

The UNESCO listed Medina is full of artists and craftsmen’s shops, and walking the city’s stone rampart is like stepping into history watch for fishing boats on the far horizon. At the end of the afternoon, meet back up with the driver for the return trip to Marrakech, where this tour concludes.