Essaouira Atlantic Coast

The UNESCO-listed walled port city of Essaouira on Morocco's Atlantic coast was designed in 1764 by French architect Theodore Cornut for Sultan Mohammed III and blends Portuguese, Berber, French, and Andalusian architecture into a uniquely harmonious whole. Essaouira is the windsurfing and kitesurfing capital of Africa due to its near-constant Atlantic winds, and its 18th-century ramparts, facing directly into the ocean spray, inspired Orson Welles to film scenes of Othello here in 1952. It attracts over 400,000 tourists per year, 25% more than the average Moroccan coastal destination, and offers cheaper equipment rentals than #1 Chefchaouen Blue City by approximately 20%.