The short answer
Two nights is the sweet spot, and one is far better than none. Essaouira, about 2h45 by road from Marrakech, is at its best in the late afternoon on the ramparts, the quiet evening and the early morning at the harbour, all of which a day trip misses. Three nights or more suit kitesurfers and anyone resting before a flight.
In more detail
On a day visit you get the harbour, a walk through the medina and grilled fish on the quay, but you leave just as the light softens on the Skala de la Ville, the sea bastion with its row of old cannons. That is why most people who come for a day wish they had booked a night.
With a night, you get the evening and the morning. Early is when the fishing boats come in and the catch is sold on the quay. The medina, laid out on a regular grid unlike Marrakech or Fes, is calm and easy to walk at any hour.
Two nights make Essaouira a proper rest between the Sahara or the souks and a flight home. It is mild and breezy all year, so it is also a good escape from Marrakech in high summer.
Good to know
- Reserve well ahead for the Gnaoua music festival in June.
- Thuya wood marquetry is a craft you will not find in the Marrakech souks.
- Bring a layer; the trade wind can be cool even in summer.