Why ESSAOUIRA MOROCCO is a Bucket List Destination

Why ESSAOUIRA MOROCCO is a Bucket List Destination

  • 0:01 | [Music] Welcome to Essaouira a stunning coastal 
    city on Morocco’s Atlantic Coast known for its  
  • 0:08 | laidback Vibe and cool sea breezes unlike the 
    bustling energy of Marrakesh only a few hours  
  • 0:16 | away Essaouira offers a quieter more relaxed 
    atmosphere making it a favorite Seaside Escape  
  • 0:22 | for tourists and locals alike Essaouira has it 
    all whether you come for the beaches the history  
  • 0:30 | the seafood or the culture there’s something for 
    everyone we’re Chris and Lydia come exploring  
  • 0:38 | Essaouira with us [Music] today if you missed 
    our last episode we took on the bustling city  
  • 0:47 | of Marrakesh packing in as many of the sights 
    as we could and a bit of shopping into our short  
  • 0:54 | visit good morning this is our last morning 
    in Marrakesh we’re off to Essaouira today  
  • 1:00 | and uh we may have done a bit of shopping 
    cuz this bag wasn’t here before we got to  
  • 1:07 | Marrakesh now we have to take this with us 
    on our way but uh we’re off to the seaside to  
  • 1:14 | see what that has in the store looking forward 
    to some seafood apparently the seafood’s very   good in Essaouira and we’re about to make 
    our way down there now [Music] [Applause]
  • 1:45 | [Music]
  • 1:51 | Today’s drive takes us almost 
    in a straight line to the coast   from the Imperial City of Marrakesh 
    to the seaside Port Town of [Music]
  • 1:59 | Essaouira we have made it to the Atlantic 
    Ocean welcome to Essaouira [Music]
  • 2:58 | that must be where we’re staying up there  
  • 3:19 | [Music] a little fireplace lovely bed
  • 3:31 | [Music] let’s look at this bathroom 
    toilet big [Music] Basin giant bath  
  • 3:41 | look at how big that bath is 
    my goodness that’s going to   it’s almost a swimming pool it’s going 
    to take half the ocean to fill [Music]
  • 3:54 | that ooh this is a bit of a chili out area with a
  • 4:01 | [Music] barbecue what’s it like
  • 4:09 | upstairs view that’s the ocean over [Music]
  • 4:25 | there bit windy
  • 4:34 | oh there’s the ocean our Riad accommodation is perfectly 
    situated within Essaouira’s old Medina a  
  • 4:45 | UNESCO heritage site No sooner had we settled 
    in than we headed straight back out excited  
  • 4:51 | to dive into the local scene and sample 
    some of the fresh seafood Essaouira is   famous for more slippers we’ve already 
    got slippers honey don’t need any more  
  • 6:04 | [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Essaouira is also a bit of a hippie joint 
    got some music and uh buskers and whatnot  
  • 6:09 | so I think tonight we might try to find 
    a rooftop bar watch the sunset and um  
  • 6:16 | find some music maybe a band or be nice 
    sounds like a good plan to me [Music]  
  • 6:34 | Essaouira is famous for its 
    spectacular sunsets over the   Atlantic Ocean the shifting colors of 
    the sky as the sun sets are amazing
  • 7:00 | I spend most of my time viewing what I want from the outside 
    I comb it over like it’s the scene of a
  • 7:17 | cry the only guil I find
  • 7:29 | staring back at me in the 
    mirror at night stuck in place
  • 7:37 | [Music] just After a lovely breakfast 
    with freshly squeezed orange juice on  
  • 7:46 | the rooftop of our rad it was time to hit 
    the streets of Essaouira Essaouira is a  
  • 7:52 | port town so there’s lots of fishing there’s 
    beaches Medina only dates back to the 18th  
  • 7:59 | Century so it’s a much more modern and 
    well-designed Medina here than it was uh  
  • 8:07 | in uh Fez or in Marrakesh it’s pretty windy here 
    actually so the wind is really blowing through  
  • 8:14 | these little alleyways so got our jumpers 
    on today uh and we’ll go exploring [Music]
  • 8:29 | It wasn’t yet 10:00 a.m. so the Medina hadn’t 
    come to life yet Essaouira’s Medina is uniquely  
  • 8:36 | easy to navigate thanks to its design by 
    a French architect the streets are laid  
  • 8:41 | out in a grid pattern unlike the maze-like 
    medinas of Fez and Marrakesh which evolved  
  • 8:47 | more organically over centuries it’s 
    a pretty Medina with its whitewashed  
  • 8:52 | buildings and Blue Shutters lending a 
    distinct Mediterranean flavor [Music]
  • 9:01 | look at the brick work on this door so this is the 
    ancient form of air conditioning it’s designed on  
  • 9:08 | an angle so that it pushes the wind inside the 
    doors so you can see how this one juts out this  
  • 9:14 | way got one slanted one way on one side and then 
    slanted the other on the other side to direct the  
  • 9:23 | air flow through the door very clever in ancient 
    times Essaouira began as a Berber settlement but  
  • 9:33 | it became a prominent trading Hub after the 
    Portuguese built a fortress here in the early   16th century calling it Mogador the town as we 
    know it today however was established in the  
  • 9:45 | 18th century by Sultan Muhammad III his vision 
    was to create a port as close as possible to  
  • 9:52 | Marrakech allowing him to trade goods arriving 
    along the trans Saharan Caravan route from  
  • 9:57 | Timbuktu and ship them to Europe the iconic 
    Essaouira ramparts were also built by Sultan  
  • 10:04 | Muhammad III in the 18th century to protect the 
    city from Naval attacks they’re known locally  
  • 10:11 | as Skala de la Kasbah and are lined with old 
    bronze cannons originally cast in Spain the  
  • 10:18 | ramparts offer sweeping views of the Atlantic 
    Ocean and are a photographers dream [Music]
  • 10:47 | there peekaboo
  • 10:59 | [Music] We’ve had had beautiful weather been so 
    spoiled for the weather we have um been  
  • 11:05 | just Picture Perfect literally Picture Perfect   almost every day every time you take 
    a picture the weather’s just blue sky
  • 11:12 | gorgeous wow wide Beach it’s quite a wide Beach  
  • 11:19 | it is a wide Beach [Music] that’s 
    it’s quite a long beach too [Music]  
  • 11:33 | oh there’s a hammock that’s the way you 
    want to spend your day they’re just getting  
  • 11:39 | set up now look like what’s the time it’s 
    about [Music] 11:00 oh look at these day
  • 11:47 | [Music] beds time for a nous nous by the [Music]
  • 12:12 | beach it’s warm [Music]  
  • 12:32 | I thought it was going to be ice cold cuz he said 
    the Atlantic’s really cold yeah is supposed to be  
  • 12:38 | cold it’s nice it’s quite nice I don’t mind it 
    at all no I’d almost get in for a swim which  
  • 12:43 | is saying something well on yeah maybe later in 
    the day the wind just keeps it cooler if the wind  
  • 12:52 | wasn’t here just in sitting in the sun when 
    you’re out of the wind it’s really quite warm   the water’s nice yeah it’s just the wind if you 
    got out wet you’d be freezing yeah it’s [Music]
  • 13:06 | nice there’s the old uh fishing trawlers out 
    there all high and dry at the moment we saw  
  • 13:16 | some camels walking along the beach when we were 
    driving in the other day I think they come out in  
  • 13:22 | the afternoon for the sunset it’s not camel time 
    yet but there’s plenty people Parasaing there that  
  • 13:31 | you can do Parasailing see people Paras ailing out 
    there not parasailing what do you call that where  
  • 13:38 | they’ve got a kite kite surfing kite surfing you 
    can rent a little um banana chair sit and enjoy  
  • 13:46 | the sun soccer or something going on oh yeah 
    it’s the kids have got their different color  
  • 13:53 | shirts are having a game of soccer on the sand 
    I suppose it’s a good time with the tide so low
  • 14:19 | [Music] can you smell the fish
  • 14:26 | While Essaouira was a major port in the 18th 
    and 19th centuries its importance declined as  
  • 14:31 | the Caravan trade faded today it serves mainly 
    as a fishing and tourism Hub drawing visitors  
  • 14:38 | to its bustling Fish Market traditional 
    blue fishing boats and picturesque Coastal
  • 14:43 | [Music] setting so we’ve come to a bit of a hidden 
    secret that’s known to the locals and it’s a local  
  • 14:55 | um seafood market so you go along this is where 
    all the fishermen catch their fish and bring in   their fish and they go out to Sea and they come 
    back in and they offload here and then they have  
  • 15:05 | um some other people come and collect their fish 
    off them and then they cut it and fillet it how   you like and there’s a couple of little stores 
    here where you can come and eat fresh oysters  
  • 15:15 | freshly shucked sea urchins uh Alaskan crab and 
    a few other little Delicacies so we’ll have a  
  • 15:23 | look and see what there is but uh it’s a bit of a 
    secret so you’ll see more Moroccans than you will  
  • 15:30 | see tourist here let’s have a look [Music] it’s 
    just a sea of blue boats apparently they paint  
  • 16:04 | their boats blue so that the fish don’t see them 
    so when the fish look up all they see is the blue  
  • 16:10 | of the sky seems to work for them so maybe we 
    should all paint our fishing boats blue [Music]  
  • 16:49 | here is sea urchin like Hedgehog 
    of the sea clams oysters
  • 17:21 | was it oh really fresh they’re big
  • 17:29 | Oysters too you going to try one of those 
    little Urchiny things you got to try one of
  • 17:35 | them good chewy sea snail sea snail 
    maybe I’ll have a crab leg quite nice  
  • 17:53 | actually yeah I’ll have a crab leg [Music] this is
  • 18:00 | great that’s good oh there’s a 
    lot of crab meat in there oh yeah
  • 18:10 | um straight off the trawler cracked opening out the back 
    it’s good fresh you can’t even talk
  • 18:30 | [Music] these guys are shucking the oysters cracking the  
  • 18:35 | crabs what are those things that’s 
    is that octopus okay sea urchins sea
  • 18:43 | snails all right I’ve got a sea urchin let’s let’s zoom in a bit okay okay 
    that’s what it looks like what does it  
  • 18:58 | taste like I’ve never had a sea urchin 
    before you eat the orange bits in the [Music] inside what’s it taste like Fruity Fruity
  • 19:11 | Fruity and a little salty yeah yeah nice that’s nice I’ll 
    take your word for it surprisingly you  
  • 19:26 | never going try it try a little bit no I’m good   another one good so that was a female 
    so you have the female with wine don’t
  • 19:36 | you this is a male one it’s not 
    as orange okay and you have that  
  • 19:47 | without wine wonder why you have one 
    taste different than the other [Music]
  • 20:00 | it hasn’t got as stronger a flavor
  • 20:06 | nice you have another one going back for more 
    try a little bit just to taste it then you can  
  • 20:17 | say you have it’s not too bad I don’t need to 
    say that I have no no no no just a little bit
  • 20:23 | [ __ ] I
  • 20:30 | I think I like the females better of course 
    they’re better at everything it tastes
  • 20:37 | better you don’t get a whole lot out of it though  
  • 20:42 | no the clam oh that’s a lot of 
    meat in there that’s a lot of
  • 20:49 | meat how is it not as not my 
    favorite I prefer oysters to  
  • 20:58 | clams for sure it didn’t have much of a 
    taste initially but the after taste no  
  • 21:07 | not as big a fan oysters oysters are 
    the way to go you won’t need lunch
  • 21:14 | [Music]
  • 21:20 | honey see that octopus and anchovy 
    ceviche what’s that that’s raw isn’t  
  • 21:30 | it it’s all raw anyway they’re just 
    opening it up taking it straight off   the trawlers opening it up and feeding it 
    to [Music] us okay octpus and anchovies
  • 21:43 | together good yeah that’s the bomb that’s the 
    good one yeah and the anchovies they’re not  
  • 21:59 | like anchovies that we have in pizzas back 
    home the tin stuff these ones are really  
  • 22:05 | tasty not as salty but um I wish you could 
    I wish you would try this one this is yummy
  • 22:28 | [Music]
  • 22:39 | [Music]  
  • 22:53 | it’s listing to one side look
  • 22:59 | oh it’s coming in [Music] here yeah they’re winching it 
    up look at that winch they must have  
  • 23:18 | had a good catch they’re all 
    congratulating each other big payday it’s all listing to the 
    left the boats they must have a big
  • 23:29 | catch they must be little sardines or something or 
    anchovies maybe cuz there’s been anchovies on the
  • 23:38 | menu oh that’s a lot of fish all the fish are falling 
    on the ground as they come up
  • 24:10 | [Applause] so behind me here you can see people sitting 
    down having something to eat so they’ve chosen  
  • 24:16 | their fish from the mongers on the side here 
    and then you let them know how you’d like it   to be cooked and then they cook it you can 
    have it grilled in alfoil and then they’ll  
  • 24:26 | bring it over to you and you sit down and 
    you eat it fresh doesn’t get any fresher   than that no straight off the boat into your 
    belly that’s a big one for 80Dirham yes buy
  • 24:39 | that so the nice fellow is cleaning up our 
    octopus for us and then we will take it to  
  • 24:53 | the the guy with the barbecue and he’ll char 
    grill it for us and then we can have some then  
  • 25:00 | we can have some fresh lunch I might stand 
    out of the firing line yes yeah hopefully  
  • 25:06 | I don’t want to smell like our lunch I don’t 
    want any fingers in my octopus either [Music]
  • 25:11 | so [Music]
  • 26:03 | freshly caught freshly cooked chargrilled to
  • 26:08 | [Music] perfection how is it good juicy [Music] 
    chewy it’s not easy to talk when you’ve  
  • 26:26 | got such a big bit of calamari 
    in your mouth it is very chewy  
  • 27:06 | [Music]
  • 27:47 | [Music] by mid-afternoon the Medina had come alive 
    yet it was still far less hectic than those  
  • 27:52 | in Morocco’s larger cities there were no 
    pushy vendors or Hustlers just a relaxed  
  • 27:58 | friendly atmosphere that felt more like 
    a small local Town than a tourist hub
  • 28:28 | [Music]
  • 28:58 | [Music] [Music]
  • 29:04 | [Music] [Music]  
  • 29:11 | I definitely need more practice if I’m ever 
    going to play traditional Gnawa music Gnawa  
  • 29:17 | has a strong presence in Essaouira’s 
    nighlife with several cafes and bars   regularly featuring Gnawa musicians maybe 
    we’ll catch a live performance tonight
  • 29:31 | we are walking through the streets of 
    Essaouira with the most beautiful human   being in in Morocco and very very nice 
    meeting Ilyas oh thank you so much from  
  • 29:42 | the bottom of my heart and the tips of my toes 
    very honored to meet you as well and to show  
  • 29:48 | you around Essaouira we’ve been the luckiest the 
    best guide in Morocco really happy to hear that
  • 29:58 | [Music]
  • 30:10 | [Music]
  • 30:23 | [Music]
  • 30:36 | [Music]
  • 30:48 | [Music]
  • 31:01 | Hey Chris
  • 31:32 | [Applause]
  • 31:57 | [Music]
  • 32:05 | [Music]
  • 32:13 | [Music]  
  • 32:22 | all right boys [Applause]
  • 32:30 | thanks for joining us in the beautiful 
    city of Essaouira this spot is a must   for your travel bucket list if you 
    enjoyed watching please hit like and  
  • 32:39 | leave a comment to let us know where 
    in the world you’re from and if you’re   new here don’t forget to subscribe so 
    you won’t miss an episode bye for now

In Episode 14 of our Morocco vlog, we explore the seaside city of Essaouira, a must see bucket list destination on Morocco’s Atlantic coast. We honestly believe Essaouira is one of the best places to visit in Morocco, with its vibrant medina, iconic blue fishing boats, fresh seafood, sandy beaches, picturesque fortifications, and thriving traditional Gnawa music scene. Essaouira really has it all, and it’s quickly become one of our favorite places to travel vlog!

Don’t forget to LIKE, COMMENT and SUBSCRIBE for more travel vlogs!

After our voyage from Marrakech to Essaouira (formerly Mogador), we soak in the relaxed, laid-back seaside vibes of its medina and beaches, and watch the fishermen bring in their catch and sell it right on the harbor.

We buy freshly caught seafood straight off the trawler, have it cooked in front of us, and savor seafood street food like locals (secrets revealed).

Essaouira sunsets are legendary, and were lucky enough to experience a couple of it’s best. By night, we enjoy Essaouira’s lively nightlife, blending traditional and modern scenes.

Skala de la Kasbah, the city’s ramparts, are a photographer’s dream with stunning views and history. It’s no wonder they were used in the Game of Thrones TV series.

If you love immersive travel experiences, historic cities, local street food and traditional music then this video on Essaouira, Morocco is perfect for you.

Happy travels and see you in the next video!

#morocco #essaouira #moroccovlog #travelvlog #gnawamusic #morrocotravelguide #moroccotravel #maroc #medina #moroccotravelvlog #moroccostreetfood #walkingtour #moroccoessaouira #essaouiratravel #essaouiramusic

Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction
01:16 – Marrakech to Essaouira
02:46 – Riad Accommodation
04:43 – Medina (Day 1)
06:31 – Nightlife (Day 1)
09:29 – Ramparts
11:00 – Beach
14:10 – Harbor
16:36 – Street Food
24:32 – Fresh Seafood Meal
27:43 – Medina (Day 2)
29:24 – Nightlife (Day 2): Gnawa

32:28 – Please Subscribe

My Music:

Our earlier Morocco Travel Vlog Series:
Episode 1 – Casablanca:
Episode 2 – Rabat:
Episode 3 – Chefchaouen:
Episode 4 – Volubilis/Meknes:
Episode 5 – Fez:
Episode 6 – Fez to Midelt Road Trip
Episode 7 – Ziz Valley:
Episode 8 – Sahara Desert:
Episode 9 – Todra Gorge:
Episode 10 – Dades Gorges:
Episode 11 – Ait Ben Haddou:
Episode 12 – Tizi n’Tichka Pass:
Episode 13 – Marrakech:

Moroccan Tour Company – Uncovered Trails:
Itinerary developed in conjunction with TravelManagers agent, Natalie Miller.

🌍 Hi, we’re Lydia & Chris, the Roving Balys!
🌍As an empty nest couple from Newcastle, Australia, we’ve traveled the world together for 30 years. We started this vlog to share our travel tales and showcase our beautiful region. We met traveling around Europe in 1995 and have since visited 50+ countries. We love discovering new places, meeting people, and trying local cuisines (including gluten-free options).Our journey has evolved from backpacking to family travel, and now back to couple adventures. With the kids doing their own thing, we’re ready to dust off our backpacks (now suitcases) and start new adventures. So grab a cup of coffee and come roving with us!

If you want to see more from The Roving Balys, we also run a travel blog over at:

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Marcella
Marcella

Marcella Gucci embodies a warm, inviting, and adventurous spirit. Her tone is friendly yet knowledgeable, blending passion for culinary exploration with a genuine love for travel. She communicates with enthusiasm, inspiring her audience to embrace new flavors and cultures.

As the founder of Travel Foodie, Marcella is a culinary enthusiast and globe-trotter. With a keen eye for detail and an appreciation for diverse food cultures, she curates experiences that connect people through the universal language of food. Marcella’s mission is to transform culinary dreams into reality, guiding her audience on a delectable journey around the world.

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