Essaouira Souks

The souk quarter of Essaouira is compressed into a handful of lanes behind Place Moulay Hassan — spices, silver jewellery, argan oil, thuya wood, and the occasional Gnawa instrument. Less overwhelming than Marrakech, more legible. The spice sellers here carry coastal varieties — dried sea herbs, preserved lemons, the particular ras el hanout blend of the Atlantic south.