Essaouira is a town on the Atlantic coast of Morocco. It is a town that has a undeniable charm and laid back atmosphere. It has a very impressive beach and the old fortifications cocoon the town. The port is a hive of activity today just as it has been for many centuries. This section of coast has been a port of call since the 7th century BC for the Phoenicians, then the Carthaginians and then the Romans. In the 15th century the Portuguese made themselves at home and called it Mogado. By 1765 it was in Arab control and the Sultan of the time renamed it Essaouira (after his french architect had his way with the town). When the French took over in 1912 they called it Mogador once more. With Moroccan independence the town once again became Essaouira.
