For hundreds of years Essaouira has been Morocco's craft and cultural center. Its artisans and artists are world-famous for their unique pottery, intricate wood carvings, gold jewelry, hand-woven rugs, and ceramic tiles. You find in Essauira a lot of art galleries, with paintings in really fine quality -- and much of it in a special style, very colourful, very "african". The area is also well known for its music, including the Gnaoua music from the descendents of the region's sub-Saharan slaves, in celebration of which an entire festival is held for almost a week each June. Essaouira's traditional Moroccan Chaabi song style can also be heard at parties and celebrations throughout the city. Essaouira is also famous for its dance, its unique style a combination of Greek, Roman, Spanish, Jewish, and Arabic traditions developed over several centuries.
Also well known throughout the world is Morocco's cuisine, a style of cooking that uses lots of spices, fish, and dried fruits. Do not miss tasting the tagine - a delicious Moroccan speciality. It is made everywhere - in small outdoor kitchens and the finest restaurants. Both can be recommended. Along with this cuisine is the country's argan oil, a nutritious oil extracted from the nut of a tree that grows only in southern Morocco. It is used in cooking in much the same way that olive oil is, as well as for medical and cosmetic purposes. The area is also famous for its mint tea. This drink is served throughout the country and is seen as a symbol of friendship.
When visiting Essauira - you should enjoy especially the delisious cooking with all kinds of fish. In the narrow streets you find small out-door kitchens, where you can have a dish of tasty grilled sardines for almost no money, there are small shops where you can buy a fish-and-bread meal for abuot 1 euro, in the harbour there is an area for small fish-restaurants where you can have all kind of fish dishes at a very cheep price -- and in all restaurants you can have wonderful tagines or other dishes with different kind of fish.
If you really want to spoil yourself - go for a "hammam" - that is the Arabic/Moroccan kind of a sauna. In the best ones you get a wonderful massage along with the bath.
