33 Reviews of Property 98591 in Essaouira, Morocco

We flew to Morocco for a three week stay at Dar Doughri in late January and early February. The initial reason was to escape tne rigours of a long English winter, but in the event we enjoyed far more than an improvement in the temperature. The house was exactly as described except that Karima, the ever cheerful house-keeper, contributed far more than we had reasonably expected. That included 21 days of breakfasts, nearly as many dinners, wood fire lit as necessary, and the house kept wonderfully clean and tidy..The result was that the three artists in the group of eight were able to produce about 50 water colours and the rest of us were free to enjoy all sorts of unexpected adventures - though the fat lazy one simply slouched on the super roof terrace.
The charms of Essaouira's medina, fishing harbour and long sandy beach are all very visible but there is so much more which is less obvious. At one of the many tiny dark cell like work shops which line the inside of the medina wall to Bab Doukala we purchased a brilliantly colourful blanket woven on what could have been a pre-industrial revolution loom. We didn't seek to reduce the requested price, but we were honoured to share bread, olive oil and moroccan whiskey (mint tea) with the very friendly weavers whose work will be long admired in our home. That set a pattern that was to be repeated many more times.
One route onwards to the Place Moulay El Hassan is through the rear of the Mellah which does resemble a slightly tidied war zone. One of two remaining synagogues is, however, immaculately maintained by a non-jewish lady and again the local artisans are genuinely welcoming.
Indeed one of the best memories of the holiday was the friendliness of the people. At the Dar the television told of the unwinding events in Tunis and Egypt but we must record that in Essaouira and the surrounding area we never felt intimidated in any way. We never heard of or witnessed anything which would cause us not to re-visit.
We hired a car from a local company near to the Dar and enjoyed fresh fish luncheons up and down the coast. The trip to the Berber market at Idaougard, 25k to the south east was out of this, or indeed any recent century. It was brilliant - particularly for the five or so Berber barber patched tents set up in the middle of one of the donkey fields where the local lads swanked about the virtues of their four legged rather than two wheeled steeds.
We all hope to return next Winter..