ART & CRAFTART & CRAFTART & CRAFTART & CRAFTBOOKSEssaouira also has a reputation as an artists’ hub, and several galleries around town sell works
by local painters. It’s a mixed bag of talent and you may need to look in all of them before
finding something you like.
Galeries Frederic Damgaard
Offline map Google map (www.galeriedamgaard.com; Rue Oqba ben Nafi) This gallery is the bestand oldest in town and features the work of local artists.
Association Tilal des Arts Plastiques
Offline map Google map (4 Rue de Caire) Up-and-coming artists.Espace Othello
Offline map Google map (9 Rue Mohammed Layachi; 9am-1pm & 3-8pm) Up-and-comingartists.
Galerie Sadiqi
Offline map Google map (cnr Rue Laalouj & Rue Touahen) Latifa Boumazzourh shows her naive
paintings at this small gallery.
Galerie Aida
(2 Rue de la Skala) Run by a former New Yorker, this place stocks a small but good selection
of English-language books and some funky junk.
Information
For planning advice, author tips and traveller reviews, head to Lonely Planet
(www.lonelyplanet.com/morocco/the-atlantic-coast/es saouira).
Dangers & Annoyances
Essaouira is still mostly a safe, relaxed tourist town but you should be on your guard in the
backstreets of the mellah after dark. Although the town, and particularly the mellah, have been
much cleaned up in recent years, there are still problems with drugs and drinking. Drug dealers
and junkies hang out in the backstreets in an area north of Ave Zerktouni and east of Ave Sidi
Mohammed en Abdallah, making this the least salubrious part of town.
Emergencies
Medical emergencies ( 0524 47 57 16)
Police ( 19, 0524 78 48 80; Rue du Caire) Opposite the tourist office.
Internet Access
There are internet cafes all over town. Most open from 9am to 11pm and charge Dh8 to Dh10
per hour.
Cyber Les Remparts ( 12 Rue du Rif)
Espace Internet (8 bis, Rue du Caire)
Mogador Informatique (5 Ave de l’Istiqlal)
Maps