Agadir or Essaouira: Which One is Better?

Are you planning a trip to Morocco and undecided between Agadir or Essaouira? If so then let me help you out.

I live in Morocco (since January of 2023) and have been to both cities many times. So, I have a pretty good idea about which city will be better for you based on your style of travel and what you are looking for.

Full disclosure? Both cities are awesome but in very different ways. Like, I could see myself living in Agadir but I prefer visiting Essaouira.

That’s mainly because Essaouira is a cute little beach town that sits along the coast. The people are super nice, it’s beautiful, it has a lot of history, and the city is compact. So, you don’t have to worry about public transportation.

There are also a little of really nice things to do if you like hanging out by the beach and trying surfing, camel ridiing, kite surfing, etc. Basically, if you are looking for a chill beach vacay then Essaouira is the place to be.

In contrast, Agadir is MUCH bigger. So, you would probably need a car if you want to see all the major attractions in the city. Also, while there are one or two historic sites, the entire city was leveled in the 1960s by a massive earthquake.

As a result, there’s a distinct lack of historic structures to visit (besides the Kasbah) since you can only see a recreation of the Medina.

So, if you’re looking at Agadir vs. Essaouira, I would probably pick Essaouira for a short trip. The city is a bit more cultural and has nice historic structures that visitors would love. it also doesn’t feel QUITE as touristy as Agadir.

However, I would choose Agadir if you prefer big cities, if you have kids (so many family-friendly activities here), love giant beach resorts, don’t mind crowds, and never want to run out of things to do.

Essaouira is great but because Agadir is just so much bigger, there are naturally more things to do. We also probably prefer the quality and variety of cuisine available in Agadir too.

However, that is just a general overview. Let’s dig a little deeper and do a full-on comparison between Agadir and Essaouira. This way you’ll be able to choose the perfect destination for your next trip to Morocco.

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Quick Guide: Agadir or Essaouira

Essentially, go to Essaouira if you are a culture vulture, enjoy history, love walkable cities with cute architecture, and are looking for a chill holiday by the beach at one of the best cities in Morocco.

Also, be prepared for serious wind since Essaouira is probably the windiest city in the country.

Visit Agadir if you love big cities, have kids, don’t mind taking buses/taxis around the city, don’t want to run out of things to do, enjoy a wide variety of international cuisine. and are looking for a nice all-inclusive beach resort.

Now, to make things even easier, I have created a detailed chart below It outlines all the similarities and differences between these two amazing cities. This way, you’ll know exactly where to go for your next beach holiday.

If you opt to use a Morocco tour company then many will start in Agadir and take you to Essaouira. So, you won’t have to choose. The same goes if you are deciding on Marrakech or Agadir.

Just do yourself a favor and get the best SIM card in Morocco before you visit. This way it is easy to stay in touch.

	Agadir	Essaouira
Safety	Agadir is safe. Take the same safety precautions you would in any major city and be careful walking around at night alone.	Essaouira is a bit safer than Agadir. You should have no problem walking around at night alone.
Public Transportation	Agadir has a lot of buses (no train) but I would definitely rent a car in Morocco here to make getting around easier.	Essaouira is a super small, very walkable city. However, you can use the bus to enjoy cool Essaouira day trips to places like Sidi Kaouki.
Best Time to Visit	Spring and Fall. The weather is mild but not super hot.	September through May, with winter being the least windy time of year, albeit a bit cold.
Temperature	A less windy and a bit more cloudy city with highs varying between 21°C and 26°C.	A windier city with a bit more sun than Agadir. Highs vary between 20°C and 25°C.
Highlights	The Crocopark, the Medina, Agadir Beach, the cablecar, Agadir Oufella, and Souk El Had.	The Medina, Essaouira Beach, Surfing, Kite Surfing, the Old Skala, Scala de Port, quad biking, etc.
Food	I think the food is better in Agadir. Tons of good restaurants to choose from and you can enjoy nice Moroccan food and seafood. Can also get good international cuisine too.	Known for its seafood. Good restaurants are harder to find but are around if you know where to look. Also good vegan restaurants in Essaouira.
Accomodations	Not as many hostels and riads. Have a lot of great all-inclusive beach resorts that are nice for families.	A nicer selection of riads to choose from if you want to stay somewhere historic. But have nice hostels and hotels too.
Day Trips	Better day trips. Can visit Taghazout, Taroudant, Paradise Valley, Tiznit. Souss Masa National Park, Marrakech, and Essaouira.	Can visit Sidi Kaouki, Marrakech, Safi, Diabat, Imsouane, Agadir, Taghazout, etc.
Activities	Feels a bit more touristy but can walk around the city, hang out at the beach, jet skiing, shopping, and go sightseeing.	Surfing, Kite surfing, quad biking. exploring the Medina, and hanging out at the beach.
Medina	None but you can visit a recreation. You can also go shopping in Souk El Had. Great place to shop.	Beautiful blue and white Medina that is an amazing place to walk around.
Shopping	Souk El Had is huge and will have everything you need. However, it feels a bit more commercial.	Store feel a bit more independent when shopping in Essaouira. But, the selection isn’t as big.
Overall Feel	Much bigger, modern, and touristy city with a nice beach. It’s also big and can be tricky to get around.	A much quieter city that is very walkable. Has a beautiful old Medina that will transport you back in time.

1. Getting to Agadir and Essaouira

Agadir is a bit more well-connected than Essaouira. That’s because Agadir has a bigger international airport (Agadir Al Massira Airport) with more flights arriving daily from Europe.

There is also an airport shuttle bus that will take you from the airport to the city center. It costs 50 Dirhams ($5.00) and the journey takes around 50 minutes.

Additionally, Agadir has more bus stations and more buses arriving in the city from around the country. However, like in Essaouira, there is no train service.

So, when departing/entering the city, we typically use Gare Agadir Al Massira (bus station). However, always check which bus station you are departing from (especially when using Supratours) since there are many different stations in the city.

In contrast, Essaouira is much smaller. Therefore, the airport is easier to navigate. However, it also only receives direct flights from Paris London, Brussels, Madrid, Gran Canaria, Dusseldorf, Bordeaux, Marseille, etc.

So, flights are a bit more expensive and less frequent. However, you can take the number 2 bus from the airport to the Medina for just 7 Dirhams ($0.70).

On the plus side, Essaouira is very walkable. So, you can easily walk to the CTM bus station or Supratours station if you want to visit Marrakech, Agadir, Casablanca, etc.

TBH, I really like that Essaouira is so much more walkable since you don’t need a rental car to get around like you do in Agadir.

Local Tip: Remember, Essaouira is much easier to get around than Agadir. You can easily walk around Essaouira whereas you will definitely need a car (or a lot of taxis) if you want to thoroughly explore Agadir.

2. Accommodations

TBH, I like the accommodations in Essaouira WAY better than the accommodations in Agadir. Not only are they cheaper, but there are a lot of really nice riads in Essaouira to choose from.

I like staying in a Riad because it is a traditional Moroccan home where beautiful rooms surround a traditional central (indoor or outdoor) courtyard that features a garden, pool, or fountain.

Additionally, riads can only be found in Morocco. So, it is an authentic, one-of-a-kind experience that you can only have in this amazing country.

Finally, because riads only have a limited number of rooms, the service tends to be better and more personal than in larger Essaouira hotels.

However, if you are on a budget then there are a ton of hostels in Essaouira for you to stay at as well. Many feel like historic riads except that they have dorms instead of private rooms.

In contrast, Agadir doesn’t have a wide variety of accommodation options available. There are a ton of big, all-inclusive beach resorts available but that is pretty much it.

I know because we tried to look for a riad to stay in and there were really only a couple of options – not like the hundreds of different riads packed into the Medina of Essaouira.

We then tried to find a hostel and the only ones we could find were in Taghazout, which is about 30 minutes away We didn’t want to do that because we had literally just stayed in Taghazout.

So, unless you want to stay in a giant all-inclusive beach resort, there are a limited number of places available in Agadir.

Don’t get me wrong, you’ll have a few places to choose from. But, you won’t have the variety of accommodations that you would in other Moroccan cities.

3. Food

We were actually surprised by how good and reasonable the food was in Agadir. Basically, every place we went we actually really enjoyed our meals.

Restaurant Al Walima was a particular fave and we actually went back a couple of times for delicious tajine and tiramisu.

So, I definitely think Agadir is a great city to eat in, especially if you are looking for good-quality international cuisine that you can’t really find in other cities.

I know we had amazing Italian, Asian, and Lebanese cuisine that was WAY better than anything we have eaten in Essaouira.

Additionally, Agadir is a solid choice if you like fast food (KFC, Pizza Hut, and McDonald’s) or are not into Moroccan food and just really want to stick with good quality Western cuisine.

In contrast, Essaouira doesn’t really have any fast food chains. However, there are a lot of lovely, locally owned, seafood-focused restaurants where you can enjoy a nice meal inside a restaurant brimming over with fantastic ambiance.

So, if you are not into international cuisine and really just want to try some amazing Moroccan seafood, then the restaurants in Essaouira are a solid choice.

4. Shopping

When it comes to shopping, Agadir’s claim to fame is Souk El Had. This incredible market is home to upwards of 6,000 vendors and sells pretty much anything you can imagine.

So, if you’re searching for something super unique then this is the place to go. I know we found a 1+ case for my phone that we literally could not find anywhere else.

However, I didn’t think walking through the streets and looking at the goods was all that fun. The market just kind of lacked personality, a lot of the goods were the same, and the shop owners could be a bit pushy.

Conversely, I love shopping in Essaouira. The shop owners are super chill and don’t bother you as you walk around looking at things.

I also love that the stores have a super indie feel and sell a lot of really cool souvenirs that you won’t find anywhere else.

So, I prefer shopping in Essaouira unless I want something really specific that Essaouira probably won’t have. Then I’ll go to Agadir since the souks have a much better selection of goods.

5. Agadir Attractions

I’ll be the first one to admit that Agadir has some pretty cool attractions. The problem is that you need a car, or taxi, to access most of them.

So, if you want to visit the crocodiles at the Crocopark, see a reconstruction of the old Agadir Medina (the original was destroyed in the 1960s), or watch the dolphins at Dolphin World, then you’ll need a car.

Otherwise, you can stay in the center of the city and visit the beautiful Marina before walking along Agadir Beach.

You could then head over to the cable bar and use the country’s only cable car to climb up to the Oufella. It’s a great place to watch the sunset since you’ll enjoy incredible views of the beach.

While you’re here, grab a ticket for the Kasbah and walk around the ruins of one of the most ancient buildings in the city.

Afterward, hop in a cab and go shopping at Souk El Had. It is the city’s largest souk and is a great place to shop since it is home to upwards of 6,000 vendors.

So, yes, there are a ton of attractions in Agadir. However, many of them do feel pretty touristy and somewhat kid-focused since many of the city’s most historic landmarks were destroyed by a horrible earthquake in the 1960s.

Local Tip: The beach here is nice since it is protected from the wind and is perfect for sunbathing. Just be careful with kids in the water since there is an undertow. People selling things on the beach can also be quite pushy.

6. Essaouira Attractions

Essaouira is a charming coastal town that offers visitors a much more intimate experience when compared with the bustling streets of Agadir.

So, while the city lacks lots of “big name” attractions, you can still stroll through the picturesque alleys of the medina and admire the many blue and white buildings here.

Afterward, unwind as you stroll along Main Beach and gaze out at the ocean’s beauty from the top of the Skala de Port.

You can also catch some amazing sunsets from the Old Skala, participate in a fun Essaouira cooking class, and relax in a local hammam before harnessing the local winds as you do a bit of kitesurfing and surfing.

Overall, there are lots of cool things to do in Essaouira. But, Essaouira is very much a super chill, super small beach town where you can relax by the ocean and slowly watch the waves roll in as you sip on an ice-cold drink.

Local Tip: The beach in Essaouira is not great for sunbathing due to the wind. However, it is perfect for a sunset stroll or to try fun activities like surfing, kitesurfing, camel riding, and quad biking.

7. Weather in Agadir Vs. Essaouira

TBH, the weather in Agadir and Essaouira is fairly similar. Both cities sit along the Atlantic coast and have daily highs/lows that hover around the same temperature.

In reality, Essaouira is probably a degree or two colder than Agadir. However, Essaouira can feel A LOT colder since the winds in the city are much stronger.

However, every time I have visited Agadir the city tends to be a bit cloudy and overcast. So, I don’t think the weather in Agadir is as sunny as the weather in Essaouira.

So, if you hate wind and like to relax on the beach without heaps of sand blowing in your face then go to Agadir. Otherwise, go with Essaouira if you prefer lots of long sunny days and don’t mind a bit of wind.

Conclusion

That just about wraps up this guide comparing Essaouira and Agadir. I hope you found my local tips useful and now understand whether Essaouira or Agadir is right for you.

Remember, Essaouira is the place for you if you love chill, small-town, hippe beach vibes and just want to relax by the beach all day.

Otherwise, Agadir is great if you are looking for tons of cool things to do, enjoy international cuisine, and don’t mind driving around the city.

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