Question 1

Why are the fishing boats in Essaouira painted blue?

Accepted Answer

The wooden fishing boats of Essaouira are traditionally painted bright blue, a colour long associated with the town's harbour. Carpenters in the port's small shipyard still build and paint them by hand, and the blue fleet is one of the most photographed sights in the city.

Question 2

What is the Skala du Port in Essaouira?

Accepted Answer

The Skala du Port is an 18th-century fortified bastion guarding the entrance to Essaouira's harbour. It has a large square tower and an artillery platform lined with bronze cannons, and its ramparts give panoramic views over the medina, the blue boats and the Atlantic.

Question 3

Do you need a ticket to visit the Port of Essaouira?

Accepted Answer

The open quays, fish market and shipyard of the working harbour are free to walk through. The Skala du Port bastion has its own separate, ticketed entrance, so buy a ticket there if you want to climb the tower and ramparts for the views.

Question 4

What is landed at the fishing port of Essaouira?

Accepted Answer

Essaouira is one of Morocco's major fishing harbours, with catches that are especially rich in sardines and conger eel thanks to the cold coastal upwelling driven by the trade winds. The daily catch is landed on the quay, sorted and auctioned beside the boats each morning.

Port of Essaouira & Skala du Port

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