Morocco: Marrakech, Essaouira and Imsouane – two weeks between the medina and the Atlantic

Our Morocco trip lasted two weeks: Marrakech, the blue harbour town of Essaouira and the surf village of Imsouane.

From 19 September to 6 October 2024 we were in Morocco and southern Spain. The route: two days in Marrakech, then to the coast at Essaouira, five days in the surf village of Imsouane, back to Marrakech via Essaouira – and to finish, six days in Málaga, because flights from there were cheap and we wanted some more sun.

Marrakech: loud, cramped, unforgettable

The medina of Marrakech is a maze, and its centre is Jemaa el-Fna. During the day there are orange juice stalls and water sellers; in the evening the square turns into a huge open-air kitchen with smoke, drums and storytellers. A few things help:

• Photos cost money. If you photograph snake charmers, monkeys or water sellers, you’ll be asked to pay. Ask first or leave it.
• “The square is closed” – a classic. Friendly helpers who show you a detour want money in the end or lead you into a shop. Just keep walking.
• Haggling is part of it. Start at a third of the first price and meet somewhere in the middle. If you don’t want to buy, say so politely and walk on.
• A riad instead of a hotel: an old town house with a courtyard in the middle of the medina. Quiet, beautiful and often with breakfast on the roof terrace.

Essaouira: wind, seagulls, blue boats

From Marrakech it is about three hours by car to the Atlantic. On the way you’ll see the famous goats in the argan trees – often placed there by farmers, and a photo costs a few dirham. Essaouira is the opposite of Marrakech: relaxed, windy, white and blue. The harbour with its hundreds of blue fishing boats is at its most beautiful in the morning, when the catch is sold. You can pick fresh fish directly at the stalls and have it grilled. The city wall (Skala) with its old cannons is the place for sunset.

Imsouane: the surf village

Imsouane is one and a half to two hours south of Essaouira, on a bay where one of the longest waves in Africa rolls in – long, gentle and ideal for beginners and longboards. The village itself is small: a few surf camps, cafés and fishermen. Five days there were exactly right to unwind. You can get surfboards and lessons everywhere in the village; a wetsuit is a good idea even in September – the Atlantic is chilly.

Driving in Morocco

The main roads are good; Marrakech–Essaouira is a well-built country road, and motorways (for example towards Agadir) are tolled. What you need to know: there are a great many speed checks, often right before and after villages, and the police collect fines on the spot. Stick exactly to the speed limit. In towns, traffic entering a roundabout often has priority – drive carefully. You can’t drive in the medina of Marrakech; look for a guarded car park at its edge. More on choosing a vehicle: rental car or motorbike.

Money: dirham and cash

The dirham is a closed currency – officially you may only take small amounts in and out of the country. So withdraw cash locally with a Wise card at ATMs and spend it before you fly or change it back (keep the exchange receipt). In the medina, at stalls and in taxis it is cash only; riads and larger restaurants accept cards. Our experience with cards and fees is in money abroad.

Internet

You can get a local SIM (Maroc Telecom, Orange or inwi) at the airport with your passport, and data packages are cheap. Alternatively, buy an eSIM before you leave. In Imsouane the signal was weak on some days – if you need to work there, have a backup.

And Málaga?

Six days on the Costa del Sol after two weeks in Morocco feel like a different world: beach promenade, tapas, everything just works. The perfect ending – and there are plenty of direct flights from Málaga to Vienna.

Would we go again?

Immediately. Next time we would stay longer on the coast and limit Marrakech to two nights – intense, but after two days it’s enough.

Photo credits

The photos in this post are not ours but freely licensed (Wikimedia Commons / Openverse): blue fishing boats in the harbour of Essaouira – Elgaard, CC BY-SA 4.0; Jemaa el-Fna in Marrakech in the evening – Lviatour, CC BY-SA 3.0; food stall on Jemaa el-Fna in Marrakech – Grand Parc – Bordeaux, France from France, CC BY 2.0; chicken tagine and mint tea – calflier001, CC BY-SA 2.0. Our own photos from the Atlantic coast are in our post about horse riding on Morocco’s Atlantic coast.

Morocco trip: our verdict

Our verdict on this Morocco trip: Marrakech is intense, which is why the coast feels especially good afterwards. It also pays to carry cash and stay relaxed when haggling. All the city’s highlights are in things to do in Marrakech; background on the country is on Wikipedia.

Into horses? Read our story about horse riding on Morocco’s Atlantic coast.