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Casa di Carlo, Essaouira
Goat in a tree
Morocco 2008
doors & arches, pt 4
Hi
I am travelling to Essaouira on Friday and I just wondered if there was an ATM machine there or if I need to sort myself out with travellers' cheques/US dollars. Can someone advise?
Also, any tips on travelling to Essaouira with a 2 year old? I am particularly interested in trips to nearby places (we will probably hire a car as we are surfers) that a 2 year old might like?
Lx
There are many ATM machines in Essaouira, There are 2 other beaches for surfing near to Essaouira, Sidi Kaouki and Mulay Bouzektoun. Local buses go there but a car would be a better option for flexibility.
Have a nice trip...
Hi will have another go at answering as I sadly got wiped!
Yes getting a rental car is highly recommended or a must for any time you have there - there are some fab beaches and bays and fishing villages along the route from Essaouira down to Agadir and greatly recommend driving that route - I have a few tips in my E. and my A. pages on out of town places to visit - beaches of course are great for kids but watch out as they can be quite dirty and littered - especially after rainy periods - of course the biggest worry are sharps that could puncture or cut and deliver rather nasty bugs and viruses....
but being avid surfers there are fab and fav as surfer hangouts places such as Imousouane and Taghazout - Imousouane also has a big fishmarket and im sure your child would get excited over seeing the different types of fish being carted in from the boats or auctioned in the big auction house thats there - there is also an excellent seafood restaurant.
seeing goats in the argane trees along that route where the argane trees are prevalent between Essaouira and Agadir Im sure would be interesting or exciting for you and your child!
and then there are always camels at places that tourists go to - such as Sidi Kouki and so on.
Tamri is a big banana centre so buying fresh locally bananas and seeing them growing or sale in many places is quite interesting.
and in Essaouira itself I reckon a visit to its fishing port and fishmarket is of course interest and photogenic, as is the fortress walls with its cannons and interesting gates, along with excellent and high quality thuya marquetry products - along with its lovely scent - for sale at many shops - particularly recommended at the cooperatives and at the workshops that are below the fortress walls near the sea.
A drive to Immouzzer is also nice - theres a waterfall there - its quite a lengthy drive from Essaouira itself but possible.
anyway have a look at VTers travel pages with suggested or recommended places to see for more ideas.
All the best for a fun trip.
Essaouira is a great place for every type of seafood, ranging for sardines to lobsters. I must say I never rated sardines much until I came here, but the ones served at Chez Sam are delicious.
You can see the fishing boats bringing in their catch in the harbour, then see it being sold in the fish souk and, finally, go to one of the fish grill foodstalls or restaurants to eat it.
Sundays there is a big market in a small town near Essaouira, Had Daraa. It is really a fine experience to spend a day visiting !
To get to Had Daraa you can take a grand taxi from the place beside the bus-station, it will cost you about 10 dh (1euro). Normally there will be 5 - 6 passengers sharing the taxi.
In the market you will find, in different places, donkeys, dromedaries, cows, sheep and a lot of other things --- and it is rather interesting to see, what is going on -- and nice, just to enjoy the atmosphere.
There are a lot of small restaurants in tents, where you can have a nice lunch for a very reasonable price. All included it might be something like 15 dh (1,5 euro) for one person.
If you want REALLY fresh (watch the fisherman bring them in that morning) seafood, head to the fish vendors along the port.
They let you pick out your catch and then prepare it for you right there.
Sit on picnic tables, breath in the sea air and enjoy! The crab was great. As was the shrimp and everything else we ordered.
Essaouira’s history as a maritime trading center dates back to the time of Hanno, a Carthaginian Admiral circa 465 B.C.
The harbor sits on the jetty that stretches from the beginning of Avenue Okba Ibn Nafi.
To reach it, you pass the customs house or you lead through the Marine door, which was built in 1764.
The area around the harbor is one of the liveliest in Essaouira. In the afternoon the activity reaches a frenzy, as the fishermen return to unload their catch.
Arrive around 4pm and, with a bit of bargaining, you can bring home some of the day’s catch for yourself. There is also a fish auction in the late morning. In June, the sardine fishery opens in Essaouira.
Perhaps the most fascinating is to watch the fishermen at their craft. Seeing them building their boats or repairing their nets makes you feel like time has stopped.
Heading back towards the medina, you will find a number of open-air restaurants that serve seafood grilles over hot embers.
They are open from midday to sunset everyday.
just immediately southwest of the medina or town centre heading for the port you will see the numerous stalls each with its number geared up to feed the hungry - with fresh fish and seafood tantalising and almost picturesquely arranged right in front of you - you can see and choose what you want.
There are easy to signs at the entrance of each walk way taking you along the stalls telling you that a fish and seafood meal can be cooked for 60 dirham per person.
I guess when we compare that to our western prices thats a really good deal for friesh fish and seafood - but like i said to the guy we used to regularly sit and have a huge platter for 2 at 33 dirham each - 66 dirham for two people with almost too much food!
but anyway at least the tourists are protected with clear signs of set prices and the fish is supposedly as fresh as it can be!
and right there in the hive of activity of the Essaouira fishmarkets and port!
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Address: 16-18 rue Ceuta, Medina, Essaouira, 44000, Morocco
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