Next Stop: The Bohemian Seaside Town of Essaouira, Morocco

Part 2 of a Series—Experiences, People, and Getting Around

[Our walk along the promenade in the city of Essaouira, Morocco.]

After leaving Casablanca, we took a local bus to Essaouira along the coast — a bus that stopped at every little village and roadside stop, so what should have been a few hours stretched into over five and a half. We couldn't believe it would pull over for a single passenger even while cruising down a major highway! But that's part of the charm of slow travel: you see a side of the country that the tour buses skip entirely.

[The rocky shoreline and fishing boats resting for a day.]

Essaouira has been welcoming visitors for a very long time, just in different forms. The Carthaginian explorer Hanno the Navigator established a trading post here in the 5th century BCE, drawn to the region for its strategic position where the desert caravan routes meet the Atlantic. Centuries later, the city was founded in its current form in 1765 by Sultan Sidi Muhammad ibn Abd Allah as a rival port to Agadir, designed by a French captive named Théodore Cornut and fortified in the style of the famous military engineer Vauban. That European influence is still everywhere in the whitewashed ramparts and blue shutters that give the town its distinctive look, and it's part of why the medina was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001.

[A nomadic antiquities vendor and a close up view of some of Sonja's "Wild Brushes"]

[Wool and camel hair and rugs, a souvenir shop, and a jewelry vendor near entrance to our riad.]

By the time we arrived, we understood why this little fortress town — once Morocco's principal trading port — has become such a popular destination. Beyond the history, Essaouira has long been a magnet for artists and musicians, drawn by its stunning light, relaxed atmosphere, and rich mix of cultural influences. In the 1960s and 70s it became a favorite stop for international musicians like Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, and Cat Stevens, and that bohemian, artsy spirit is still very much alive today, especially in the medina's many galleries and workshops. We had hoped to walk along the beach, but the shoreline near town turned out to be quite rocky, so we settled instead for wandering the medina, popping into shops, and chatting with local merchants. We stayed in a lovely riad and thoroughly enjoyed our three nights there.

[Riad Babette entrance and alleyway to the street. Charming lighting shop entrance.]

Mimi had booked a Moroccan cooking class one afternoon, where she met a young French couple who introduced her to a tiny, intimate café serving freshly ground almond butter and fresh-pressed juices. The couple lives in Lyon and invited us to visit sometime. It's one of the best parts of traveling — meeting people from other countries and finding that, even with a bit of a language barrier, everyone manages to communicate and enjoy each other's company. It's one of the reasons we keep coming back for more.

[Sonja's art studio, me learning how to make a brush, and the materials needed.]

[Bones, shells, and fossils used to embellish our brushes, threads, and artist Sonja Georgeson.]

While we were there, I took a workshop with a local artist who teaches the art of making "wild brushes" — unconventional brushes designed to help painters create marks far outside the traditional brushstroke. Sonja Georgeson, originally from New Zealand, has been living, teaching, and creating in Essaouira for over 10 years, drawn — like so many artists before her — to the town's creative energy and easy pace of life. You can check out her work at sonjageorgeson.com.

[Asian restaurant in Essaouira and the local architecture.]

Sonja met us for lunch the next day to share her story and take us to one of her favorite eclectic Asian restaurants in town. We devoured fresh tempura shrimp, enjoyed great company and excellent service, and left with another tip in our back pocket: a restaurant called Naranj in Marrakech, known for its wonderful food and rooftop terrace garden — which, of course, became our next stop. Speaking of which, in Part 3, we head back to the vibrant chaos of Marrakech and venture out to the stunning Ourika Valley in the Atlas Mountains. From rooftop dinners to rushing waterfalls, it's a stretch of the trip you won't want to miss. Stay tuned!

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Up Next––Part 3: Marrakech and Ourika Valley's stunning waterfalls and wild monkeys.