Morocco Travel Guide

Practical Info

Important things to know before you visit Morocco

At 174th place, Morocco ranks very low in our Good Trip Index, which is our guide to travelling ethically, sustainably and well. To help make travelling responsibly less of a hassle, we pulled together seven of the definitive country-level indices that cover the main ethical issues UK holidaymakers told us were important to them when deciding where to go on holiday, including women's rights, LGBTQI+ rights and quality of life.

Many of Morocco's laws and customs are very different to those in the UK. It's important to familiarise yourself with what is and what's not appropriate to avoid offending anyone or inadvertently breaking the law. This is especially true if you're travelling to less-touristy areas where attitudes are more conservative.

• Avoid public affection. Public displays of affection, including holding hands and kissing, are considered offensive, so it's best to wait until you're back in your accommodation before snuggling up with your partner.
• Dress modestly. Outside of beaches, resorts and more progressive neigbourhoods it's worth dressing more conservatively so you don't offend anyone. Shorts are usually fine as long as they're not too revealing, but as a general rule avoid exposing much of your skin, including your shoulders and thighs. This is especially true for women. And try to stick to fairly neutral colours – homosexuality is illegal in Morocco, so LGBTQ+ travellers should avoid wearing clothes that reveal their sexual orientation.
• Sex outside of marriage is illegal. Although rare, hotels can ask couples to show evidence of marriage when they check in, and can insist on you staying in seperate rooms if you don't have any. It's worth unmarried couples being discreet.
• Respect the rules of Ramadan. During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to sunset. The opening hours of shops and restaurants may be affected, and hotels and restaurants that do provide food during fasting hours may seperate you from Islamic guests with screens. It's especially important to follow local dress codes at this time, and to keep in mind that driving may be erratic – especially around dusk. And it's best to avoid eating, drinking, smoking, chewing gum, playing loud music, dancing and swearing in public.
• No drinking alcohol in public spaces. It's illegal to drink alcohol in public, so make sure to keep your boozing to licensed bars and restaurants. Bear in mind that alcohol is widely considered to be banned in Islam, Morocco's predominant religion, which means drinking is often frowned upon.
• Avoid taking photos of people without permission. As you're snapping away, be cautious of people in your frame. Many Moroccans are reluctant to have their picture taken for cultural and religious reasons. Avoid taking pictures near sensitive political and military sites, and bear in mind you'll need permission from the Moroccan government for commercial photography and to use a drone.
• Harassment of tourists is common. It's common for touts and people posing as tour guides to try and sell you things at popular tourist sites and the medina quarter (historic district) of towns and cities. Watch out for pickpockets and be vigilant when using ATMs and asking for directions.

Culture and etiquette

Religion

99% of the Moroccan population are Muslim, with almost all of them being Sunni.

Tipping

A service charge is often included in restaurants, but if not you should round up the bill or leave a few dirhams.

Smoking

Smoking is very common in Morocco, but is banned in enclosed public spaces.

Jabs, visas and other advice

The FCDO currently advises against travel to certain parts of Morocco, namely parts of the disputed Western Sahara territory. For up-to-date advice on jabs, visas and other foreign advice, we recommend following the government's website.

Emergency numbers

For fire or ambulance call 150, and for police call 190.

Is Morocco safe for LGBTQ+ travellers?

Homosexuality is illegal in Morocco, and sex between two men can result in up to 3 years jail time. These laws are unlikely to be enforced on LGBTQ+ travellers, but to keep safe it's important to be discreet. Public displays of affection between same-sex couples – and anyone, for that matter – will likely cause unwanted attention.

We use the Spartacus Gay Travel Index to inform the LGBTQ+ rights score in our Good Trip Index. In 2023 Spartacus ranked Morocco 174th out of 199 countries, taking into account the laws and living conditions for members of the queer community in the country in question.

If you'd prefer a safer holiday to a place where you don't need to hide who you are, read about some of the top LGBTQI+ friendly destinations in the world.

Is Morocco safe for female travellers?

It's common for women to recieve unwanted attention from men, particularly when travelling alone. Wearing loose-fitting clothing that covers the arms, legs and chest can lessen the harassment, as can travelling as part of an official guided tour.

There's plenty to reward female travellers in Morocco, but if it's somewhere you'd prefer to avoid here are some of our favourite destinations for women.

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What's the weather like in Morocco?

Morocco is a geographically diverse country, so the weather you can expect depends where you travel. Summer temperatures along the coast in popular destinations like Casablanca, Essaouira and Tangier regularly reach the high 20s, which paired with a pleasant sea breeze and very little rain feels like perfect beach weather.

Move inland and it starts to get hot – and cold. It's fair to say that, with highs just shy of 40°C, summer in Marrakech can be quite unbearable. Spring and autumn might be a better shout, when the heat cools off a bit and there's still not much rain. Up in the mountains it actually gets quite cold – less than two hours from Marrakech you'll find Oukaïmeden ski resort, which is usually layered in snow from January to late March.

But Morocco's probably better known for its deserts than its ski resorts. Believe it or not it gets rather hot in Morocco's desert regions in summer, so layer up with sun cream if you're heading out into the sandy wilderness.

Getting to Morocco

The easiest way to get to Morocco from the UK is to fly. Flights from London to Marrakech take 3 hours 40 minutes, and it takes 3 hours 20 minutes to get to Casablanca.

Morocco's also a popular cruise destination, and you'll find ports at Tangier, Casablanca and Agadir.

Getting around Morocco

You've got a few options if you want to travel around while you're in Morocco. You could catch an internal flight – it takes less than an hour to fly from Casablanca to Marrakech, for example. Driving's an option too, but with high accident rates and speed traps hiring a car is not for the faint-hearted.

Perhaps the best way to travel around Morocco is by train. Morocco's Al Boraq high-speed trains are the fastest in Africa and link Tangier, Rabat and Casablanca. Classic train lines will get you from Tangier and Casablanca to Meknes, Fes and Marrakech too.

If you're staying in Marrakech or Tangier, considering hopping on a sightseeing bus to get around. Trams are the preferred option in Casablanca and Rabat.

Where to visit in Morocco

Marrakech

To say Marrakech is a sensory overload is a bit of an understatement. But bustling past market vendors, street performers and horse-drawn carraiges through the medina's souks, lantern-lit alleys and squares is all part of the charm.

Don't miss the Jardin Majorelle, Koutoubia Mosque and Bahia Palace, and in between the lovable chaos take time to relax in some of the country's best hammams.

Aït Ben Haddou

You've probably seen this 11th-century ksar before – but it's even better in person, we promise.

Aït Ben Haddou is a popular filming location made famous from Game of Thrones, with the region also appearing in Gladiator and Prison Break. You'll find it on a former trading route between Marrakech and the Sahara Desert, which is well worth the trek.

Essaouira

For the best of Morocco packaged up in one port city, look no further than Essaouira. Think sandy beaches, a well-preserved medina and delicious, freshly-caught seafood.

While the beach is gorgeous, it's not really a sunbathing kind of beach. Instead, the high winds make it perfect for watersports like windsurfing. If you really want to laze on the beach, head there in September and October when the winds usually calm down.

Fes

Walk around Fes and you'll find plenty of proof that it's the oldest city in Morocco. After getting lost in its huge, crumbling medina you'll stumble across the world's oldest university, Al-Karaouine, which also houses the world's oldest library.

Ancient history is everywhere you look in the world's largest car-free urban area, and so are the unfiltered sights, smells and souks you'd recognise from any one of Morocco's former capitals.

Chefchaouen

Nestled in the Rif Mountains, the first thing you'll notice about Chefchauen is that it's quite blue. But why is it so blue? Some say the buildings are painted blue to repel mosquitos, others say it's just to attract tourists. Another theory is that it's to do with the Jewish population that used to live here, as to many Jews blue symbolises the sky and reminds people of Heaven and God.

Either way, these artsy blue-washed buildings make Chefchaouen one of Morocco's prettiest cities. There's a strong Andalusian influence here – the Spanish Mosque provides possibly the best view of the city.