Visiting Essaouira in May: what to expect: Eid al-Adha

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May in Essaouira sees average daytime temperatures warming to a very lovely 24°C, although with the increased wind, the weather can be rather unpredictable from calm sunny days to cloudy windy days (rain is very unlikely). Eid al-Adha falls at the end of the month, when the city slows down for a couple of days.

May is a wonderful time to visit Essaouira and for northern Europeans seeking sunshine, it’s a good time to visit.

However, the weather can be rather changeable over May; one day it will be sunny with a strong wind, the next day it’s sunny with no wind, and then the next day the sea mist will roll in off the Atlantic and blanket the town so that you can’t see from one end of the beach to the other, and the island just off the coast of Essaouira disappears.

At the end of the month (26th and 27th in 2026), Eid al-Adha, ‘the feast of the sacrifice’, takes place. Businesses and shops close during this time, and animals (typically sheep and goats) are sacrificed on rooftops. The city dramatically slows down for a couple of days and if you take a stroll around the medina, you might have it all to yourself.

If you are visiting Essaouira for a week or more, you will definitely experience clear sunny days. But if you are just planning one day in Essaouira, it can be pot luck with what the weather dishes up that day.

Essaouira weather in May

Temperatures in Essaouira in May hover around a very pleasant 22°C, dropping to 15°C in the evening, although the wind can make it feel much cooler, especially on the exposed beach.

There is very little rain in May, and you are guaranteed sunshine almost every day. The question more to the point is whether it’s windy or not; Essaouira is coined ‘The Windy City of Africa’ for a reason! One of the best things to do in Essaouira is kite-surfing, so those windy days will be good for a lesson. If the wind drops, grab the surfboards instead.

And then there are those strange days when the drop in wind brings in a thick sea mist that cloaks the town; the island off the coast disappears, and you can’t see from one end of the beach to the other. In fact sat on the beach on a day when the sea mist rolls in, it’s so thick that you can’t see a few metres in front of you and your clothes, skin, and hair feel damp from sitting in a cloud, although it still feels warm. It really is quite eerie and magical!

But really there are only a handful days like this in Essaouira in May. Most days the glorious sun will be shining.

At this time of year in Essaouira, it’s always handy to have a light jumper handy, especially early in the morning or evening, or when you’re sat at an Essaouira restaurant in the shade.

But don’t forget the swim suit as afternoons can be lovely and warm, and sunbeds are laid out on the beach, inviting you to relax with a good book (you may need to angle your sunbed with your back to the wind though).

Is Essaouira busy in May?

Not at all. The tourists from the European Easter holidays have left, and it’s still a while until the high season, which commences in July.

The mornings are especially quiet walking through the medina, and in the evenings for a sunset stroll you may have the beach to yourself, except for a few local lads playing football at low tide.

Eid al-Adha in Essaouira

READ OUR GUIDE: What to expect in Essaouira during Eid al-Adha

For 2026, Eid al-Adha in Morocco will begin on the evening of Tuesday 26th May and continue to Wednesday 27th May.

On the couple of days running up to Eid al-Adha, the medina of Essaouira will feel exceptionally busy with locals buying food and last minute items for the festival (think how busy Christmas Eve is in Christian countries). Public transport is also very busy for the few days leading up to the festival as people are travelling to see family.

Eid al-Adha is officially a two day public holiday across Morocco. During these two days, banks, post offices, and public offices are closed, along with many shop and restaurants, and other businesses (including Carrefour). In fact, many businesses close for up to five days as people take an extended holiday. Shops selling alcohol close at least two days before the festival, and reopen 2 to 3 days after Eid.

If you had planned to do any Essaouira activities such as kite-surfing or quad-biking, note that these business will be closed over Eid al-Adha.

Typically everything is closed on the first morning of Eid; Muslims are attending special prayers and sermons at the mosque, and sheep/goats are being sacrificed. So, especially if you are self-catering, make sure you have any food essentials in. The Essaouira hotels will be serving meals as per usual.

By the afternoon/evening of the first day, some cafes and smaller businesses (particularly those relying on tourism) start to reopen, and you will see a few street vendors. The beach will also start to get busy later in the day as families take a stroll.

An important part of Eid al-Adha is the sacrifice of an animal, usually a sheep. Starting in the morning of Eid al-Adha, you can expect to see sheep and and goats heads being BBQ’d on the street and in doorways, with acrid smoke filling the air. There are also discarded sheep skins and animal parts left on the streets to be collected. It’s a rather primeval sight for modern day Morocco and a fascinating contrast to usual everyday life in Essaouira. Admittedly this isn’t for everyone, and some Western travellers may find the scenes disturbing. 

Is the sea warm enough for swimming?

READ OUR GUIDE: Swimming in Essaouira

If you enjoy an invigorating swim, then yes. This is the Atlantic Ocean after all, and so it’s never warm like the Mediterranean Sea. But it’s still definitely swimmable, and if you are visiting Essaouira with kids, they’ll still have fun in the sea.

Is May a good time to visit Essaouira?

May is definitely one of our favourite times to visit Essaouira and makes for a great May half term break from Northern Europe if you’re looking for a sunshine holiday. Just remember that there will be strong winds off the Atlantic, and that Essaouira isn’t really your laying-on-the-beach-to-sunbathe type holiday.

Just be wary of dates for Eid al-Adha as this will definitely affect your visit in some way.

However, we love those breezy sunset strolls along the beach with barely anyone else around at this time of year.

Thinking about visiting Essaouira another time?

Check out our monthly guides to Essaouira:

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

… or read our guide on the best time to visit Essaouira.