RYAD DES NOMADES

Forty-eight steps of medina alleyway separate Ryad des Nomades from the Skala ramparts, its rooftop terrace catching the same Atlantic wind that has carried Essaouira's fishing fleet for centuries. Behind a plain door on Rue Ali Ibn Abi Taleb, the riad opens onto a fireplace-warmed sitting room and a kitchen guests can use for their own cooking.

Rooms keep a dining table and coffee machine rather than a minibar, suited to travellers staying multiple nights. A cooking class runs from the same kitchen on request.

The walk to Place Moulay Hassan and the port takes under ten minutes, making the riad a quiet base clear of the square's evening crowds.