The pretty seaside city that’s a £38 flight from UK and 21C in March

Known as the ‘Wind City of Africa’, the ancient port city of Essaouira lies in the west of Morocco on the Atlantic coast. Until the 1960s the little-known town was known as Mogador, its Portuguese name.

And while you may not have heard of Essaouira you might recognise the ramparts of the 18th-century Skala de la Ville. They had a starring role in Games of Thrones as Astapor. In real life these ramparts protected the medina from the crashing Atlantic waves, and its row of 19 bronze cannons from a host of seafaring marauders.

Today it’s a peaceful place for adventurous tourists to take in the ocean views and a prime sunset-watching spot.

The city’s wide sandy beach attracts plenty of windsurfers between April and November and its size makes it ideal for walking and kitesurfing, but sunbathing and swimming can be difficult when the winds are strong so be warned!

The majority of visitors like to come here in spring and autumn, not just for the beach but to wander through the spice-scented lanes and palm-lined avenues of the fortified medina.

There they can browse the many art galleries and boutiques, relax in some of the country’s best hotels and watch fishing nets being mended and traditional boats being constructed in the hugely atmospheric port.

Surrounded by dramatic, wave-lashed ramparts, the narrow streets, souqs, street vendors and galleries of Essaouira’s walled medina make it a wonderful place to stroll.

Dating from the late 18th century and added to Unesco’s World Heritage list in 2001, it was famously used in the opening scene of Orson Welles’ 1951 film Othello and, more recently, in Game of Thrones.

The town’s large working port is noisy, pungent and hugely atmospheric. Along with the flurry of sea-blue wooden boats arriving and departing, nets being repaired and the day’s catch being landed, you can see traditional wooden boats being made.

The boatbuilders supply fishing vessels for the entire Moroccan coast and even as far away as France, as the design is particularly seaworthy. It’s also worth visiting the fish auction which takes place in the market hall just outside the port gates.

Just off the coast lies the Île de Mogador, which is actually two islands and several tiny islets. They are also known as the famed Îles Purpuraires (Purple Isles) of antiquity: the Romans used the purple dye extracted from molluscs plucked from the bay to dye their imperial togas.

The uninhabited islands are a protected sanctuary for Eleonora’s falcons, which can be easily seen through binoculars from Essaouira Beach – you can’t land on the islands without special permission.

Other attractions to see are the Simon Attius Synagogue, a beautifully restored 19th-century synagogue, filled with the scent of fragrant cedar wood.

In the rooms off the main patio is a fascinating exhibition covering all aspects of Jewish culture in Essaouira, from clothes to religious artefacts and the Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah Museum houses a small collection of jewellery, costumes, embroidery, woodcarving and weapons from the region. 

British holidaymakers looking for a cheap flight to some winter sun can rely on budget airlines Ryanair and easyJet to fly them direct to Easaouira (ESU).

The cheapest price of a one-way ticket from London to Essaouira is £38. Round trip fares cost between £70 at the lowest and £261 at most. Travellers usually depart from Heathrow, Gatwick, London Stansted, Luton, or London City when they travel from London to Essaouira.

The flight between London (STN) and Essaouira (ESU) typically takes about 3 hours and 13 minutes. There are two direct flights between London and Essaouira every week.