How windy is Morocco, and where?

Wind in Morocco is intensely local. Most of the country, the imperial cities, the sheltered valleys, the desert basins, is calm most of the time, but a few places are defined by their wind, and Essaouira is the king of them. The town is nicknamed "Windy City Afrika" for good reason: the alizé trade winds funnel down the Atlantic coast and hit it almost relentlessly, especially in spring and summer. It is why the beach is a world-class windsurfing and kitesurfing destination, with the bay full of sails on a strong afternoon.

That same wind is also why Essaouira is so pleasant in high summer when inland Morocco bakes, the constant breeze keeps it cool and fresh. The trade-off is that lounging on the beach can mean getting sandblasted, and I always tell people who picture a calm sunbathing day that Essaouira is more about atmosphere, seafood, ramparts and the surf scene than still-air beach relaxation. If you want a sheltered swim and sunbathe, Agadir further south is calmer.

The broader Atlantic coast is breezy as a rule, which is a blessing for summer comfort and part of why the marine air feels fresh. The desert has its own wind character, mostly the hot, dry chergui blowing off the Sahara in spring and early summer, which can kick up dust as I mentioned, and the cooler steady breezes that make dune evenings so comfortable. Up in the high mountain passes the wind can be sharp and cold, another reason to layer up there.

Inland, though, calm is the norm. Marrakech, Fes, the Drâa and Dadès valleys and most sightseeing routes are not windy places day to day. So when people ask how windy Morocco is, my honest answer is: barely at all where you will spend most of your time, and seriously so in the one or two places, above all Essaouira, where the wind is actually the main event and the reason to go.