Essaouira or Mougadir that means a fortress city or Souira from the Berber “little picture”. With the brilliant whiteness of its lime-washed walls and the sight of women enveloped in voluminous Haiks, Essaouira, formerly Mogador, is a quintessentially Moroccan town and one of the most enchanting places in the country. By virtue of its location on the stretch of the Atlantic coast, the town enjoys a particularly pleasant climate. It is a prime location for surfing, and increasingly, kitesurfing, but has managed to escape mass tourism. A Mecca or haven was and still for hippie backpackers and Gnawa musicians.