Essaouira Day Trip from Agadir or Taghazout

This guided day trip takes you from Agadir or Taghazout to Essaouira, and it suits travellers who want to see another side of Morocco's Atlantic coast without changing hotels. Essaouira's medina has UNESCO World Heritage status, and the town is famous for its Portuguese-built ramparts, its working fishing harbour, its art scene and the way Moroccan and European influences meet in its streets. Children from age 2 are welcome, and groups are limited to 15 people. We pick you up in front of your hotel in Agadir or Taghazout, or at the Agadir port, and head north along the coast road in an air-conditioned vehicle. On the way you stop for about 20 minutes at Cooperative Marjana, an argan oil cooperative, to watch local women extract the oil by hand. Natural argan products are on sale there if you would like to take some home. In Essaouira you have around three hours to explore at your own pace. Walk along the ramparts and look out over the ocean, follow the narrow lanes of the medina past art galleries and craft shops, and end up at the harbour, where the fishing boats unload. Lunch is your choice: fresh seafood is a local speciality, and you will find places to eat around the port and in the old town. If you prefer fresh air, the wide, windswept beach is right beside the medina. The tour includes hotel pickup and drop-off, the air-conditioned vehicle, a tour guide and all fees and taxes, with guiding in Arabic, German, English, French or Spanish. Food and drinks are not included, so budget for lunch and any snacks. The wind in Essaouira can be strong even on sunny days, so bring a light jacket or scarf along with sunscreen and comfortable walking shoes for the cobbled medina. The whole Essaouira trip runs for about eleven hours, so something to read or listen to on the drive is worth packing. By the time you are back at your hotel, you will have a good feel for a very different town on the same coast.