Car Rental at Essaouira Airport

Airport travel guide

Located on Morocco’s Central Atlantic coast, Essaouira is one of the most atmospheric cities in the country. Primarily known for its picturesque old town and relaxed atmosphere, it also offers easy access to a number of other destinations in the area. With that in mind, these are four of the most interesting attractions in and around Essaouira:

• Medina. The historical, walled center is why most visitors come to Essaouira - a UNESCO World Heritage site, and it is home to most of the city’s landmarks. Many of Essaouira’s best restaurants can also be found here. There are plenty of accommodation options, too, although Essaouira is a rather compact city and plenty of more budget-friendly options can be found just a short walk (or drive) away.
• Port. Essaouira started as a port town, a heritage that is honored to this day - most of the city’s tourism booklets and videos feel incomplete if the characteristically blue fishing boats are not featured. Known for the impressive coastal fortifications, the harbor area is fun to explore and is also the location of a fish market where freshly caught seafood is available.
• Water sports. Essaouira is not just a picturesque and historic city; it is also a big hub of windsurfing and kitesurfing. There are a number of popular spots where you can rent equipment or hire an instructor. Many (although not all) of them are located around Cape Sim, about a 25-minute drive south of the city center.
• Taghazout. Located a good three hour drive down the coast – so perhaps more of a ‘next destination’ than ‘day trip’ - Taghazout all the same deserves a mention if you’re in this part of the country. A historic berber fishing village on the Atlantic, over the last half a century it has reinvented itself as one of the nicest surfing spots in Morocco and arguably beyond, all the while not losing too much of its original ambience. Taghazout is just a short drive from Agadir further south, as well as other interesting and accessible destinations like the Paradise Valley.

Top international routes

• Paris
• Brussels
• Bordeaux
• Madrid
• Dusseldorf
• Barcelona
• Marseille
• Seville
• London
• Malaga
   

Main airlines

Royal Air Maroc Express, the regional brand of Royal Air Maroc, provides connections from Casablanca which can be reached from many countries. Essaouira can be reached from France with easyJet. Ryanair provides seasonal service between the airport and Brussels, London, and Marseille. Transavia France connects the airport with Paris. Finally, TUI fly Belgium provides service from Charleroi.

Terminals

Currently, there is just one terminal and it is very small. There are plans for the construction of a new terminal able to handle more passengers. When this is completed, the current terminal will be turned into a lounge. No date for completion has been announced.

Location

Essaouira Airport is located approximately 17km (11 miles) southeast of downtown Essaouira, a drive that takes roughly 20 minutes.

Most popular types of rental car

• Small cars - from $27 per day
• Medium cars - from $23 per day
• Vans - from $41 per day
• SUVs - from $47 per day
• Large cars - from $37 per day
• Premium cars - from $50 per day
• Station wagons - from $39 per day

Car rental desks

Almost all rental companies have desks inside the airport’s terminal. You won’t have trouble finding them since the airport is quite small.

AirCar is the only rental company that does not have a rental desk at the airport. It offers a meet and greet service whereby a representative meets the customer at the airport.

Services and facilities

Essaouira Airport is a small airport and therefore does not have all of the services and facilities as a major international airport, such as Casablanca Airport, would.

Nearest gas station

The nearest gas station to the airport, a Total station, is located on the left side of the road when coming from the city. It is just before the traffic circle with National Route 1. Though it is 8km (a 9-minute drive) from the airport, there are no closer stations. If returning to the airport from the south, you will have to pass the airport and go towards the city to reach the aforementioned station, as the closest station on Route 1 to the south is almost 30km away.

Popular one-way rentals

• Agadir (166 km / 103 miles)
• Marrakesh (186 km / 116 miles)
• Casablanca (387 km / 240 miles)
• Rabat (467 km / 290 miles)
• Fez (691 km / 429 miles)
• Ouarzazate (416 km / 258 miles)