the essaouira city walls in morocco

How to get to Essaouira from Marrakech

Traveling to Essaouira from Marrakech is a quick and easy travel day. With three easy ways to get there this guide includes the best ways to travel: bus, private transfer, and taxi. This helpful guide will give you the best ways to get to Essaouira on any budget because you’ll love this coastal town!

On my own trip to Essaouira I loved the beautiful ocean breeze, easy-going locals, and fresh seafood galore. It was my favorite stop on my trip to Morocco and I can’t wait for you to get to explore all the amazing little things to see and do, too.

Happy travels to Morocco!

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Is Essaouira worth visiting?

I really loved my time in Essaouira and I’m already looking to return. Morocco can be a lot if I’m being honest. It’s exhausting always getting ripped off and being a woman can be intimidating at times. But Essaouira made me feel so at ease.

I loved the vibes of the coastal community. Locals were super friendly, they weren’t pushing to purchase goods, and they made it easy to just feel comfortable in their community. All to say I think any trip to Morocco should include a stop in Essaouira.

How far is Essaouira from Marrakech?

Essaouira is a quick trip from Marrakech, taking almost exactly 3 hours by bus (with a quick stop on the route) or 2 hours 40 minutes by private transfer. It’s a straight, flat drive on a 2-lane road with little traffic.

There are 3 main ways to get to Essaouira, each outlined below to help you decide which way is best for you. You can either take the public bus, private transfer, or Grand Taxi. Each have their advantages and disadvantages, so be sure to read through to help you decide which one is the right choice.

There is currently no train that operates from Marrakech to Essaouira. And technically you can rent a car to visit Essaouira but parking will be challenging and it just isn’t necessary.

>> Don’t miss this: Find the best things to do in Essaouira with this travel guide!

Getting Marrakech to Essaouira by bus

Getting to Essaouira from Marrakech by bus is easy. The bus operates multiple times a day and takes 3 hours with a short stop along the way. The bus stop in Essaouira is right at the start of the old media near the beach so you can likely walk to your hotel.

SupraTours operates this bus line. You can go to the ticket office in advance or buy yours online. Tickets are 100 Dirham, or about $10 USD each way and don’t include luggage underneath the bus. You’ll need to pay an additional 5 dirham for each bag of luggage to be stored. 

Paying for your luggage isn’t well marked so be sure to ask where you need to purchase your luggage fee. In Marrakech it’s in a small room near the bus outside of the main terminal area, which can be hard to miss. In Essaouira you’ll just pay in the small building to the same people you buy your tickets from before you leave.

Once you get to Essaouira you’ll find men with carts asking you what hotel you’re going to. They want to take your baggage in carts to your hotel for you, while charging you for the service.

You can simply tell them that you’ll walk yourself and don’t need their help. Don’t even tell them your hotel. Oftentimes they’ll ask for your hotel only to start putting your luggage in their cart – almost acting as if they are a representative of the hotel.

The best thing you can do is tell them you know where you’re going and walk away.

Taking a private transfer from Marrakech to Essaouira

If you don’t want to take the public bus you can book a private transfer. From Marrakech you can book one for about $100 USD each way. This is by far the most expensive way to get to Essaouira and should only be considered if you really want door-to-door service.

Depending on how many people are in your group this could be worth it for the slight additional cost per person. And you’ll be given door-to-door service, which means you don’t need to navigate to and from the bus stations.

If you decide you want to splurge on a private transfer I recommend this company. They have incredible reviews and offer a really fair price on your service, too.

Getting a Grand Taxi from Marrakech to Essaouira

The cheaper, private option is a fixed taxi at a Grand Taxi station. The taxi should cost you 600 Dirham, or about $60 USD each way. If they try to charge you more, ask to see their fixed chart to Essaouira. Depending on how many people are in your party you might find the Grand Taxi to be similar in cost to the bus.

You’ll need to get to a taxi station and find someone willing to take you but this does save you some compared to the private transfer.

If you’re interested in booking a Grand Taxi the easiest way to get the best price and find the right taxi is ask your hotel. Morocco is all about connections and knowing what the best option is, and locals are always willing to tell you.

Where to stay in Essaouira

The best way to stay in Essaouira is in a Riad. There are so many great choices all at super affordable prices, too. Most of them are in the Old Medina with easy access to all the top things to do and restaurants in the area.

We stayed at the Villa Garance on our visit to Essaouira and it was great. The staff is super friendly, the breakfast on the rooftop was amazing, and the price was right.

Book my top hotel recommendation

Villa Garance

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>> Check out my complete list of places to stay with this helpful guide!

How to spend one day in Essaouira

I spent 4 nights in Essaouira and felt so at ease in the peaceful oceanside town. If you have the time I recommend taking it here but if not you can totally take a day trip to Essaouira, too.

If I had one day in Essaouira I’d spend it enjoying the highlights. Here’s a 1-day itinerary to help:

Take an early bus from Marrakech to Essaouira. Be sure to buy your ticket in advance to snag a seat on this air conditioned bus.

Essaouira is a pretty small town so you can easily walk from the bus station. Start your day walking to the Old Medina, stopping at Icknick Café Essaouira for breakfast. (This little cafe has amazing iced tea!)

After breakfast wander to the Ramparts, the old fort wall. This area was once used as a set for Game of Thrones and it’s free to visit. Getting to the Ramparts requires a walk through the Old Medina. Most shops open around 10:00am in the sleepy town so don’t be surprised if nothing is open when you arrive.

Most of the shops here will sell the same kind of goods you find in Marrakech but I loved l’Atelier-Café Boutique and Histoire de Filles.

Be sure to check out the local Jewish history museum, Bayt Dakira. This museum is free and showcases the history of the Jewish people in the area. It’s very nice but no signage is in English, so bring your Google Translate!

For lunch head to the Sqala du Port d’Essaouira and get yourself a fresh fish. You can purchase seafood from any of the vendors here and take it to the local stall to have it prepared for you with fresh salad and bread.

Afternoon in Essaouira

That afternoon take a bit of time to sit at the beach near Sqala du Port. You can get a towel from nearby stalls for around $6 if you need one, too.

Spend your evening with a local cooking class or maybe take a surf lesson. Before you take the bus back to Marrakech have one last meal at Cafe Restaurant Berber, which has some excellent seffa on the menu.

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More Morocco Tips + Inspiration

I hope you found this post helpful in your planning for Essaouira! I loved my time here and I hope you do, too. For more helpful Morocco inspiration be sure to check out these posts, too:

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