Essaouira Medina hosts Andalousies Atlantiques from 29 October
Published on 10/24/2026 at 16:39 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSFestival programme and historic setting
- Association Essaouira-Mogador stages fifteen concerts and meetings in Essaouira from 29 to 31 October 2026.
- Bayt Dakira hosts the Forum des Andalousies on 30 October, linking the programme to a place of memory.
- UNESCO describes the medina as an eighteenth-century fortified town and international trading port.
- Dar Souiri hosts the Piyut and Gnaoua meeting on 31 October 2026.
Essaouira Medina (Médina d'Essaouira) will host the Festival des Andalousies Atlantiques in Essaouira, Morocco, from 29 to 31 October 2026. The 21st edition brings fifteen concerts and musical meetings under the theme Alif and Alef, with the Association Essaouira-Mogador organising the programme.
The festival connects the historic setting with a programme centred on Arab, Jewish and Andalusian musical traditions. Its venues include Dar Souiri and Bayt Dakira, two named sites in the old town programme, while the closing event brings Piyut and Gnaoua performers together on 31 October.
Andalousies Atlantiques brings fifteen events to Essaouira
The festival opens on 29 October with Moshé Louk and Marouane Hajji performing around Matrouz, a form associated with dialogue between Jewish and Arab traditions. The opening programme also includes a tribute to Rabbi Haïm Louk and Abderrahim Souiri, followed by a midnight performance by the HaPiyut Ensemble at Dar Souiri.
On 30 October, Bayt Dakira hosts the Forum des Andalousies on the theme The importance of place, the importance of connection. The programme also includes Andalusian music, flamenco, Malhoun and a meeting at Dar Souiri between Paytanim of the Matrouz and Madihiyine of Essaouira.
The final day, 31 October, continues at Dar Souiri and Bayt Dakira. Olga Pericet is scheduled to appear at the festival for the first time, while the closing performance joins the HaPiyut Ensemble with Maâlma Hind Ennaira for Piyut and Gnaoua, a meeting between Jewish-Moroccan liturgical singing and Gnaoua music.
Essaouira Medina puts the programme in a fortified port
The old town is an eighteenth-century fortified settlement on Morocco's Atlantic coast. UNESCO describes it as an example of European military architecture adapted to a North African context, with ramparts, an urban layout and a long history as an international trading port.
That setting gives the October programme a precise cultural connection rather than serving only as a backdrop. Bayt Dakira's forum addresses memory and place on 30 October, while Dar Souiri hosts musical encounters that bring Jewish, Arab, Andalusian and Gnaoua traditions into the medina's historic fabric. UNESCO's description of the medina records its fortified character and international trading history.
Who organises the October festival programme
The Association Essaouira-Mogador carries the festival, according to reporting on the 2026 edition. The programme continues an initiative launched in 2003 by André Azoulay and uses music to explore links between Jewish and Muslim traditions.
The announced schedule combines concerts with meetings, forums and cross-generational collaborations. The 2026 programme details include the dates, fifteen events and the participation of artists such as Moshé Louk, Olga Pericet and Hind Ennaira. The closing collaboration is scheduled for 31 October at Dar Souiri.
Visiting Essaouira Medina: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The Festival des Andalousies Atlantiques takes place from 29 to 31 October 2026 at Dar Souiri, Bayt Dakira and other named festival venues in Essaouira.
- The programme includes concerts, forums and musical meetings; the 30 October forum is at Bayt Dakira and the 31 October closing meeting is at Dar Souiri.
- Essaouira is on Morocco's Atlantic coast, and the medina is a walled historic town with an urban fabric shaped by eighteenth-century fortifications.
- French is an official language of Morocco, and the national currency is the Moroccan dirham.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Essaouira Medina
When does the Festival des Andalousies Atlantiques take place at Essaouira Medina?
The festival runs from 29 to 31 October 2026 in Essaouira, with events at Dar Souiri, Bayt Dakira and other named venues.
What is Essaouira Medina?
It is an eighteenth-century fortified town on Morocco's Atlantic coast and a former international trading port recognised by UNESCO.
Where is Essaouira Medina and how do you get there?
It is in Essaouira on Morocco's Atlantic coast. The festival sources identify the old town venues Dar Souiri and Bayt Dakira as programme locations.
