Orientation
Essaouira is very small. The walled town split into the mellah, medina and Kasbah, where most hotels, restaurants, cafés, banks and shop are concentrated.
The bus station and grand taxis are 1 km northeast next to the town.
Essaouira (pronounced esa-wera) is the most popular of the Atlantic costal towns, both with independent travellers and with an ever increasing number of day-tripping package tourist from Marrakech and Agadir. The town‘s relaxed atmosphere is in complete contrast the hustle and bustle of these big cities.
With a magnificent beach that curves for kilometres to the south, Essaouira is also Morocco 's best-known windsurfing centre, and increasingly promotes itself as 'Windy City, Africa'.
The fortifications of the old city are mixture of Portuguese, French and Berber military architecture, and their massiveness lends a powerful mystique town. Inside it's all light and charm. You'll find narrow lanes, whitewashed houses with blue-painting doors, tranquil squares, pleasant café and artisans in tiny workshop beavering away at fragrant thuya wood.
The snug, fortified harbour, immediately southwest of the median, is a hive of activity with nets laid out on the quayside, fishing boats unloading their catch, traditional wooden boats being built and seafood sizzling on outdoor grills.
Information
Tourist Offices. The Syndicat D'Initiative (044 475080, Fax, 044783530, www.essaouira.com ; 10 rue de Caire; open 9am-noon & 3pm-6.30pm Mon-Fri). The staffs are particularly helpful and you will find a good amount of information posted on the wall.
Money
There are several banks with ATMs around Place Moulay Hassan and along the main road leading northeast to Bab Doukala. Most are good foreign exchange and credit card cash advance.
Post & Communications
The post office (Ave El-Moukaouama; open 8.30am-12.15 pm & 2.30pm-6.30pm Mon-Thur, 3.30am-11.30am &3pm-6.30 pm Fri. 8.30am-11.30pm Sat)
There are a few Internet places around easy to find while walking on the streets. Here are a few of them; Espace Internet (5 ave de l'Istiqlal), Espace Internet Mogador (8 rue de Caire), CyberDrive (Place Moulay Hassan) etc…
Bookshops & Newsstands
You will find a few English, French and German books and a good range of foreign-language newspapers and magazines at Jack's Kiosk (1 place Moulay Hassan)
Other Services
The main hospital (044 475716; rue Laquass) lies across the square from Bab Marrakech.
Take your laundry to the self-service Lavomatic (open 9am-7pm daily) just outside Bab Doukkala.
The beautifully kept, light-filled St Anne's Catholic Church (ave el-Moukaouama), just southeast of the main post office, holds mass in French at 10am on Sunday.
