WHERE MARRAKESH goes to play
“This former hippy hangout is where Marrakesh goes to play and the Moroccan royal family learns how to surf”
Beaches might not be the first thing that spring to mind when you think of Morocco, but a two-hour drive from Marrakesh is Essaouira, a breezy, laid-back port town which hugs the Atlantic Coast. Founded by the Romans and colonised by the Portuguese in the 17th century, this former hippy hangout is where Marrakesh goes to play and the Moroccan royal family learns how to surf.
It’s also where the cool kids go, so the hip bars and restaurants have followed (seafood is, unsurprisingly, the star attraction here).
There’s also a thriving artists’ quarter, a souk that’s much more relaxed than Marrakesh’s and the chance to learn how to whip up the tagines that are such a feature of Moroccan cuisine. Local chef Adil runs classes at the home he shares with wife Sabah, his mother-in-law and their young daughter. After an hour of as much chatting as chopping, Adil takes care of the cooking and you get to enjoy the fruits of your combined effort in their family home.