Morocco Travel Guide: Best Time, Safety, Money and Tours

Morocco is a North African country with an Atlantic coast, a Mediterranean coast, the Atlas Mountains and the dunes of the Sahara, all a short flight or ferry ride from Europe. Morocco sits about 14 km (8.7 mi) from Spain across the Strait of Gibraltar, close enough to pair with Andalusia in one trip.

This Morocco travel guide is written for independent travellers planning a first or second trip. It answers the questions we get asked most: when to go, whether Morocco is safe, how to get there and around, what things cost, where to stay, what to eat, and which festivals and etiquette rules to know.

The first-hand notes come from founder Sofie Couwenbergh’s December trip to Marrakech and Essaouira, and the guide links to our deeper Morocco posts where they help.

Morocco quick facts

The Morocco quick facts below cover the basics before you book: capital, languages, currency, government, area, time zone, plugs and geography.

Morocco guides on Wonderful Wanderings

The Morocco guides on Wonderful Wanderings go deeper than this hub on packing, itinerary planning, facts and food. The 4 guides are listed below, most useful first.

1. What to wear in Morocco: what to wear in Morocco by season, based on what Sofie packed in December, with advice for women.
2. Morocco itinerary for one week: a Morocco itinerary for one week in Marrakech and Essaouira, day by day, from Sofie’s own trip.
3. Facts about Morocco: 48 surprising facts about Morocco that do not fit in this hub.
4. Marrakech Food Tours review: a Marrakech food tour review of the company run by Sofie’s closest friend and her Moroccan husband.

Older posts sit in the archive. Browse all Morocco posts when you want the full list.

Best time to visit Morocco and weather by season

Spring (April and May) and autumn (September to November) are the months to visit Morocco, when the cities, the coast and the desert are all warm without the summer heat. The same shoulder seasons answer the single-month question: April or October gives you comfortable days in every region.

Morocco’s weather varies by region because the country stretches from the Mediterranean to the Sahara. The 4 climate zones are listed below.

• Coast (Tangier, Rabat, Essaouira, Agadir): mild winters and breezy summers; Essaouira is windy all year.
• Inland cities (Marrakech, Fes, Meknes): hotter and drier, with July and August the hottest months.
• Atlas Mountains: cold winters with snow and nights below 0°C (32°F).
• Sahara and the far south (Merzouga, Zagora): hot, dry days year-round and winter nights close to freezing.

The 4 seasons are listed below.

• Winter (December to February): the coolest and wettest months, with snow in the Atlas; Sofie visited in December and packed layers.
• Spring (March to May): mild everywhere, with almond blossom around Tafraoute and the Rose Festival in May.
• Summer (June to August): very hot inland and in the Sahara, cooler on the Atlantic coast.
• Autumn (September to November): the second shoulder season, with the Imilchil moussem in September and the Erfoud date festival in October.

Is Morocco safe?

Morocco is generally safe for travellers, including solo women, as long as you take the precautions you would in any large city. Morocco’s violent crime against tourists is rare; petty theft, overcharging and persistent “guides” are what you are more likely to meet. The 4 risks to plan for are listed below, most common first.

1. Pickpocketing in crowded medinas and on Jemaa el-Fna: carry little cash and lock valuables in your accommodation.
2. Faux guides who offer directions or “no charge” help and then demand money: a firm “no, thank you” and a steady walk on works better than arguing.
3. Shop and tea invitations that turn into hard selling: accept only if you have time, and remember that you never have to buy.
4. Unwanted attention for women: dressing conservatively, sticking to busy streets after dark and joining a guide or a small group in the medinas reduces it a lot.

Morocco can feel intense at first for first-time solo travellers and women travelling alone, because the sensory overload of a medina is real; a guided tour on day one eases you in.

How to get to Morocco

You get to Morocco by plane to one of 6 main international airports or by ferry from Spain, France or Italy. Land entry is possible only through the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla or from Mauritania, because the border with Algeria is closed.

Flights to Morocco

Flights to Morocco land at Casablanca Mohammed V (the hub of the national carrier Royal Air Maroc), Marrakech Menara, Agadir Al Massira, Fes-Saïss, Tangier Ibn Battouta and Rabat-Salé. Pick the airport closest to your first base, such as Marrakech for the south and Tangier for the north. Compare fares on Trip.com for flights to Morocco once you know your dates.

Ferries to Morocco

Ferries to Morocco run from Algeciras to Tangier Med and from Tarifa to Tangier Ville, with longer routes from Barcelona, Sète and Genoa. The Algeciras crossing takes between one and one and a half hours, and Tangier Med lies about 45 km (28 mi) east of Tangier city, so check which port your ticket names. Book ahead in high season and around Spanish and French holidays; cars go on board for an extra fee, and you need an exit stamp when you leave Spain. Compare ferry routes and prices to Morocco before you fix a date.

You can also arrive overland by train to Algeciras via Paris and Madrid and then the ferry; London to Tangier takes under 48 hours this way, and Interrail and Eurail passes do not cover Morocco.

Entry requirements for Morocco

Check the current entry rules for your passport before you book, because they change. As a rule, travellers from the EU, the UK, the US and Canada do not need a visa for tourist stays of up to 3 months, but they need a passport valid for the whole stay (6 months of validity is the safe assumption) and a return or onward ticket. Do not overstay, because an overstay means a fine and a court appearance before you can leave. No vaccinations are required, but hepatitis A and tetanus jabs are advised.

How to get around Morocco

You get around Morocco by train between the big cities, by CTM or Supratours bus wherever the trains do not go, by taxi within and between towns, and by rental car or hired driver for the mountains and the desert. The 5 transport options are listed below.

1. Trains: ONCF runs the network; the Al Boraq high-speed line links Tangier, Kenitra, Rabat and Casablanca in about 2 hours 10 minutes, and regular trains connect Casablanca, Rabat, Fes, Meknes, Marrakech and Oujda. First class is worth the small upgrade.
2. Buses: CTM and Supratours are the reliable intercity operators, bookable online, and they reach towns without rail such as Essaouira, Chefchaouen and Merzouga.
3. Petit taxis: small metered city taxis, a different colour in each city, limited to 3 passengers and to the city limits.
4. Grand taxis: shared cars on fixed intercity routes carrying up to 6 passengers; pay per seat or buy all the seats, and agree the price first.
5. Trams: Casablanca and Rabat-Salé have modern tram lines.

The network thins out in the High Atlas and the desert, so plan those legs with a tour or a car.

Morocco tours: when a guide is worth it

Morocco tours are worth booking for the souks, the Sahara and any first day in a big medina, because a guide removes the navigation stress and keeps the faux guides away. Morocco’s most booked tour types are listed below.

1. Medina walking tours in Marrakech and Fes: a licensed guide explains the souks, medersas and tanneries and takes you into workshops you would not find alone.
2. Sahara trips from Marrakech or Fes: a multi-day road trip via Ait Ben Haddou to the Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga, with a camel ride and a night in a desert camp.
3. Food tours and day trips: the Marrakech food tour reviewed on this site, Essaouira from Marrakech and Chefchaouen from Fes.

Book with a licensed operator and check that transport and entry fees are included.

Renting a car and driving in Morocco

Renting a car in Morocco makes sense for the Atlas, the coast and the desert routes, less so for the imperial cities, which the train connects. Morocco drives on the right, and an international driving permit is recommended alongside any licence not printed in the Latin alphabet. The rental and driving rules are listed below.

• Rental conditions: a driving licence held for at least one year, a passport and a credit card for the deposit; the minimum age is usually 21, with a surcharge under 25.
• Insurance: third-party cover is included, and a collision damage waiver reduces the excess; check the excess before signing and photograph the car at pick-up.
• Price: roughly €25-35 ($27-38, £21-30) per day for a small car in low season.
• Speed limits: 60 km/h (37 mph) in towns, 100 km/h (62 mph) on open roads and 120 km/h (75 mph) on motorways; follow the posted limit where it differs.
• Alcohol: the legal limit is 0.2 g/L, in practice zero.
• Roads: motorways (autoroutes) are tolled and well surfaced; rural roads are narrow, with livestock, mopeds and unlit carts, so avoid driving at night outside cities.
• Fuel and emergencies: petrol stations have attendants and prefer cash outside cities; call 19 for the police in cities, 177 for the Royal Gendarmerie and 15 for ambulance and fire.

What Morocco costs

Morocco costs less than Western Europe for food, transport and mid-range hotels, while imported goods and alcohol cost about the same or more. Morocco’s prices below are approximate and move with the season and the exchange rate.

Money in Morocco: cash, cards and ATMs

Morocco is still a cash-first country, so carry dirhams for souks, taxis, small cafés and anything outside the cities, even though hotels, larger restaurants and supermarkets take cards. Morocco’s dirham (MAD) is a closed currency that you cannot buy at home, so withdraw or exchange on arrival. As a rough guide, 100 MAD is about €9 ($10, £8); check a live converter before you travel. The 4 money habits are listed below.

1. Use ATMs in cities, where they are everywhere, and decline “dynamic currency conversion” at the machine, because that rate is poor.
2. Exchange at banks, airport bureaux or hotels, compare rates and keep the receipts, because you need them to change leftover dirhams back.
3. Pay in dirhams even where prices are quoted in euros, because shops that accept euros, dollars or pounds round up.
4. Tip in cash and discreetly: round up taxi fares, leave 5-10% in restaurants and give a few dirhams to porters and bathroom attendants. Our tipping in Morocco guide has the full breakdown.

Where to stay in Morocco: riads or hotels

A riad is a traditional Moroccan house built around a courtyard, and a riad is the most memorable place to stay in Marrakech, Fes, Essaouira or Chefchaouen. Riads sit inside the medina, so a taxi drops you at the nearest gate and you walk the last stretch; most have a few rooms around a patio, a rooftop terrace and breakfast included. Hotels in the modern districts and resorts on the coast (Agadir, Taghazout, Saïdia) suit travellers who want a pool and parking.

Booking sites do the filtering for you. We use Booking.com to find hotels and riads in Morocco, because its filters turn hundreds of riads into a short list that matches your criteria, and Vrbo when an apartment suits the trip better. Book riads early for spring and autumn, because the good ones are small.

What to eat in Morocco

Morocco’s national dish is tagine, a slow-cooked stew named after the conical clay pot it is cooked in, and tagine leads the 10 dishes and drinks listed below.

1. Tagine: chicken, lamb or vegetables slow-cooked in the clay pot with spices, served with bread.
2. Couscous: hand-rolled semolina steamed over a stew of 7 vegetables and meat, traditionally the Friday family meal.
3. Harira: tomato, lentil and chickpea soup, the dish that breaks the fast during Ramadan.
4. Pastilla (b’stilla): a sweet-savoury pie of pigeon or chicken and almonds, a Fes speciality.
5. Tanjia: meat slow-cooked in a clay urn, found only in Marrakech.
6. Mechoui and brochettes: whole roast lamb, and grilled skewers.
7. Street food: makouda potato fritters with harissa, snail broth and sfenj doughnuts.
8. Zaalouk and taktouka: smoky aubergine salad and pepper-and-tomato salad, served as starters.
9. Msemen, baghrir and harcha: flatbread, “thousand-hole” pancakes and semolina griddle bread, the breakfast trio.
10. Mint tea: green tea with fresh mint and a lot of sugar, poured from height to make foam and offered everywhere.

Argan oil, from the trees between Essaouira and Agadir, appears on the table as a dip for bread.

The food tour we recommend in Marrakech takes you where Moroccans eat. Book it with Marrakech Food Tours: Sofie’s closest friend Amanda and her Moroccan husband run it, and Sofie’s parents took the tour and loved it too.

Festivals and public holidays in Morocco

Morocco’s festival calendar runs almost all year, from the Amazigh New Year in January to the Marrakech film festival in late November or December, and Morocco’s public holidays mix fixed national dates with Islamic holidays that move each year. Dates shift from year to year, so check the current programme before you plan a trip around an event.

The fixed-date public holidays are 1 January, 11 January (Independence Manifesto Day), Yennayer in mid-January, 30 July (Throne Day), 14 August (Oued Ed-Dahab Day), 20 August (Revolution Day), 21 August (Youth Day), 6 November (Green March Day) and 18 November (Independence Day). Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, the Islamic New Year and Mawlid follow the lunar calendar and move about 11 days earlier each year, and many cafés close in daytime during Ramadan.

Culture and etiquette: the unspoken rules in Morocco

Dress conservatively, use your right hand for eating and greeting, and say yes to mint tea: those 3 habits cover most of Morocco’s unspoken rules. Morocco’s other rules are listed below.

1. Cover shoulders and knees, men and women alike, and more near mosques; a light scarf lets women cover their hair when it feels right.
2. Greet with a handshake followed by a hand to the heart, and use your right hand for eating from a shared dish and passing things, because the left hand is considered unclean.
3. Stay out of mosques unless you are Muslim; the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca is the main exception, open to visitors on guided tours.
4. Keep affection private, because kissing and hugging in public are frowned on.
5. Haggle in the souks politely, and ask before photographing people, because the performers on Jemaa el-Fna expect a tip for a photo.
6. Drink alcohol only where it is served, in licensed bars, hotels and some restaurants, and avoid eating or drinking in the street in daytime during Ramadan.
7. Give a firm “la, shukran” (no, thank you) to unwanted guides and touts, then keep walking.

Beaches and regions of Morocco in brief

Morocco’s regions number 12 (down from 16 after a 2015 reform), and for a first trip the 4 places to see are Marrakech, Fes, Chefchaouen and the Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga. Morocco’s 12 regions and their draws are listed below, north to south.

1. Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceima: Tangier, the blue-washed town of Chefchaouen in the Rif and walled Tétouan.
2. Oriental: Oujda, the resort beach of Saïdia and the oasis town of Figuig.
3. Fès-Meknès: Fes’s medieval medina and medersas, the University of al-Qarawiyyin (founded in 859, the oldest continuously operating university), Meknes and Roman Volubilis.
4. Rabat-Salé-Kénitra: the capital Rabat, with the Kasbah of the Udayas, Roman ruins and museums.
5. Béni Mellal-Khénifra: the Ouzoud Falls and the Middle Atlas lakes.
6. Casablanca-Settat: Casablanca, the largest city, with the Hassan II Mosque, and Portuguese-built El Jadida.
7. Marrakech-Safi: Marrakech, the red city, with Jemaa el-Fna and the souks, plus Essaouira on the coast; Sofie spent a week between the two, and that trip became our Morocco itinerary.
8. Drâa-Tafilalet: the Todgha Gorge, the Valley of Roses, Ait Ben Haddou, Ouarzazate’s film studios and the Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga, Morocco’s most visited stretch of the Sahara.
9. Souss-Massa: Agadir, the surf beaches of Taghazout, the Souss-Massa National Park and the argan country.
10. Guelmim-Oued Noun: Guelmim, the “gateway to the desert”, Sidi Ifni and the rock arches of Legzira beach.
11. Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra: mostly within Western Sahara, a disputed territory, with Laâyoune as its main city.
12. Dakhla-Oued Ed-Dahab: also within Western Sahara, with the Dakhla kitesurfing lagoon; the United Nations lists Western Sahara as a non-self-governing territory, so check your government’s travel advice before going south of Guelmim.

Morocco’s beaches split between the two coasts: on the Atlantic, Essaouira (wind and kitesurfing), Taghazout and Agadir (surf and resorts), Oualidia (a lagoon known for oysters), Asilah (a white-washed art town near Tangier), Legzira and Dakhla; on the Mediterranean, Saïdia’s resort beach and the coast around Al Hoceima.

What to pack for Morocco

Pack modest, breathable clothing in every season, a refillable water bottle and, for women, a wide scarf, then adjust the layers to the season. The 3 year-round essentials are listed below.

1. Modest clothing that covers shoulders and knees, especially for women.
2. A refillable water bottle, because you cannot drink the tap water and buying plastic all day adds up.
3. A wide scarf for women; a light pashmina covers hair, shoulders or legs when needed.

Summer needs sun protection and loose layers. Add a hat, sun cream, lightweight loose-fitting trousers, walking sandals, long-sleeved cotton shirts, swimwear for the hotel pool and a light sweater. Spring and autumn need a jacket, a scarf and comfortable sneakers. Winter is covered in our what to wear in Morocco in winter list, which covers everything Sofie packed and needed in December, the coldest season.

Staying connected in Morocco

You stay connected in Morocco with a local SIM or an eSIM, or with a portable hotspot if you travel with several devices. Roaming from Europe or North America is expensive unless your plan includes Morocco. The 3 options are listed below.

1. A local SIM card: buy one at the airport or in a phone shop; it is usually the cheapest option for a week or more.
2. An eSIM installed before you fly: data from the moment you land; compare the current Morocco plans before you travel.
3. A data eSIM: a Belgian SIM pays roaming charges in Morocco, so Sofie travels with an Airalo eSIM and buys day passes only for the days she needs; it doubles as a backup when a phone plan runs out of data. Use code HARRY5578 for €3 off your first eSIM.

Travel insurance for Morocco

Travel insurance for Morocco covers the things you cannot plan for: a cancelled flight, an illness or injury on the road, a stolen phone or a broken camera. Sofie has had ongoing travel insurance since she started travelling, so every trip is covered. The insurer we use is SafetyWing, whose SafetyWing Nomad Insurance plans can be bought while you are already on the road.

Basic Arabic phrases for Morocco

A handful of Moroccan Arabic phrases go a long way, starting with the greeting “Asalam Alekum”. Morocco uses the Arabic alphabet, so the pronunciation column below is written in the Roman alphabet.

A short history of Morocco

Morocco’s recorded history starts with Phoenician trading posts around 1,000 BC, and Morocco has since been ruled by Berber, Arab and European powers and, since the 17th century, by the Alaouite dynasty. The 4 key periods are listed below.

1. Antiquity: Phoenicians and Carthage traded along the coast, the Berber kingdom of Mauretania followed around 400 BC, and Rome ruled until the 5th century AD, leaving Volubilis behind.
2. Islam and the Berber empires: Arab armies brought Islam in the 8th century, the Almohads reached into Spain in the 12th century, and the Marinids gave Fes its medersas.
3. The Saadis and the Alaouites: the Saadi dynasty ruled from the 16th century under sultans such as Ahmed el-Mansour, and the Alaouite dynasty, the family of today’s king, took over in the 17th century and kept Morocco independent until the 20th century.
4. Protectorate and independence: France, with Spain in the north and far south, ruled Morocco as a protectorate from 1912 to 1956; King Hassan II reigned from 1961 to 1999, and his son Mohammed VI succeeded him.

Morocco travel FAQ

Is Morocco friendly to American tourists? Yes. Morocco recognised the United States in 1777, one of the first countries to do so, it is considered a major ally of the United States today, and Americans arrive without a visa for tourist stays (check the current rules).

What is the best month to travel to Morocco? April and October are the two months to pick, with warm days in the cities, comfortable nights in the desert and no summer heat.

What should you not do as a tourist in Morocco? Do not wear revealing clothes in the medina, do not eat or hand over money with your left hand, do not photograph people without asking, do not follow anyone offering “free” directions, and do not enter a mosque unless you are Muslim.

Do I need a visa for Morocco? Most visitors from the EU, the UK, the US and Canada do not need a visa for a tourist stay of up to 3 months, but they need a passport valid for 6 months beyond the trip and a return ticket; check the Moroccan consulate website for your nationality, because rules change.

How many days do you need in Morocco? One week covers Marrakech plus one other base such as Essaouira, which is the trip in our Morocco itinerary; 10 days to 2 weeks adds Fes, Chefchaouen and a Sahara camp at Merzouga.

About the author. This guide is written and maintained by the Wonderful Wanderings editorial team. Wonderful Wanderings was founded in 2012 by Sofie Couwenbergh, and the first-hand notes in this post come from her December trip to Marrakech and Essaouira. The team covers Morocco for independent travellers, including the tours, riads and hotels, car rental, packing gear and travel insurance worth booking, and updates this page when prices, dates and rules change.