It is the coastal wind – the beautifully named alizee, or taros in Berber – that has allowed Essaouira to retain its traditional culture and character. For most of the year, the wind blows so hard here that relaxing on the beach is impossible, meaning that the town is bypassed by the beach tourists who descend on other Atlantic Coast destinations in summer. The‘Wind City of Africa’ attracts plenty of windsurfers between April and November, but the majority of visitors come here in spring and autumn to wander through the spice-scented lanes and palm-lined avenues of the fortified medina, 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. (Lonely Planet)

These images have been scanned from the original 35mm Fujichrome or Ektachrome transparencies, so the quality is variable.