Just off one of the main streets in Essaouira, take the narrow staircase to the first floor and you'll find a small restaurant full of 60s/70s retro memorabilia with a welcoming owner, laidback atmosphere and unbelievably good food. As a (free) appetiser you are brought flatbreads and delicious dips; the main courses are a mix of tagines and French-style dishes, all amazingly good; puddings - if you can fit one in - imaginative and indulgent. House wine is very good, prices fair, service deliberately relaxed - it's easy to spend a whole evening here and I recommend that you do. Definitely the best food we had in Morocco.

Le Restaurant Elizir
1 rue d'Agadir
Essaouira
Tel 024 47 21 03

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Essaouira is full of riads and hotels catering to the large number of visitors that make their way here each year. If you’re looking for somewhere to stay though, you can’t do much better that this cute little traditional guesthouse in a great location near the harbour and beach.

Like everywhere in the Medina itself, it can be a bit tricky to find so arm yourself with a decent map before you start looking (note: Lonely Planet’s offering doesn’t begin to cover it...). It’s small enough to feel like a house rather than a hotel and the French-style breakfasts on the roof terrace are a great way to start a lazy day in the sunshine.

www.hostelbookers.com/hostels/morocco/essaouira/16246/

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Spending a few impromptu September days in this relatively remote surf spot has to be one of my most memorable travel experiences.

Precariously strapping two surfboards to the roof of a taxi, driving some distance south of Essaouira and asking the driver to pick us up in a couple of days (and he showed up on time!) was a true adventure.

The surf was choppy with strong undercurrents, but we had the beach and dunes literally to ourselves. Keep a keen eye out for each other if you attempt this because there are no lifeguards!

We stayed on the "campsite" - a patch of stony ground with trees for cover and a tap. Sidi Kauki doesn't have much by way of facilities, but eating delicious tagine in a hut by the beach was a simple pleasure.

20km south of Essaouira

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For those who are tired of the constant hassle of Marrakech take a trip to this lovely seaside town on the Atlantic coast of Morocco. A three hour drive away, you will find the people friendlier, the goods cheaper and superb fish meals - a great change from the ubiquitous tagines! A great place to eat is the Restaurant du Port by the harbour. There you can enjoy superb fish under the watchful eye of the restaurant cats and seagulls! Enjoy!

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