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Culture & etiquetteBy Clever Tourists · Published · Last updated
Wear loose, breathable clothes that cover your shoulders and knees, men included, and carry a warm layer for evenings, the mountains and the desert. Morocco has no legal dress code for visitors, and you will see tourists in shorts in Marrakech, but covered clothing draws less attention in the medinas and is cooler in strong sun. Marrakech averages 38°C by day in July and 19°C in January, and desert and Atlas nights are far colder than city afternoons. Women travellers get more attention in the souks than men, and long, loose layers plus a scarf make the day easier. We travelled Morocco from 26 August to 19 September 2022, from Tangier and Chefchaouen through Fes and Rabat to Marrakech and two nights at Erg Chigaga in the Sahara, so the late-summer advice is first-hand.
Average daily highs and lows for Marrakech and Fes (1991–2020 averages for the Marrakesh Menara and Fès–Saïs airport stations). Marrakech is hotter and drier; Fes, higher and further north, gets most of its rain from October to April. The Atlantic coast (Essaouira, Rabat) is milder and often windy, while the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara swing from hot afternoons to cold nights.
Ramadan 2027 is expected from about 8 February to 9 March. It changes opening hours and when people eat, not what visitors wear, though covering up is the more respectful choice then; see visiting Morocco during Ramadan 2027.
| Month | Marrakech | Fes | What to wear |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 19 / 6°C | 16 / 4°C | Warm jacket, sweater and closed shoes. Riads can be cold at night, so pack something to sleep in. |
| February | 21 / 8°C | 17 / 4°C | As January. Ramadan 2027 is expected to start around 8 February. |
| March | 24 / 10°C | 20 / 7°C | Light jacket and layers; a warm coat for the Atlas. |
| April | 26 / 12°C | 22 / 8°C | Long sleeves or T-shirts with a layer for evenings. |
| May | 29 / 15°C | 26 / 12°C | Loose long trousers or skirts, light tops and a sun hat. |
| June | 34 / 18°C | 31 / 15°C | Loose linen or cotton, sun hat and sunglasses. Avoid tight synthetics. |
| July | 38 / 21°C | 35 / 18°C | The lightest covering clothes you own. Marrakech is at its hottest. |
| August | 37 / 21°C | 35 / 18°C | As July, plus a fleece for any desert night. |
| September | 33 / 19°C | 30 / 16°C | Light covering clothes by day, a warm layer for the desert and the mountains. |
| October | 29 / 16°C | 26 / 13°C | T-shirts and long trousers, a sweater for evenings. |
| November | 23 / 11°C | 20 / 8°C | Layers and a light waterproof jacket; rain is more likely in Fes. |
| December | 20 / 7°C | 17 / 5°C | Warm coat for evenings, sweater and closed shoes. |
As a woman: loose trousers, midi or maxi skirts and dresses, and tops that cover the shoulders and upper arms work everywhere, from the Fes medina to a Marrakech rooftop. A long cardigan or light shirt over a T-shirt is the easy fix for hot days. A headscarf is not expected of non-Muslim women outside the few mosques open to visitors, but a large scarf is worth carrying for sun, dust in the desert and covering up when you want less attention. Tight and low-cut clothing is legal but draws more looks and comments in the medinas; in Essaouira, beach clubs and hotel pools the mood is more relaxed, and swimwear is fine at the beach and the pool, not in the streets.
As a man: long trousers or knee-length shorts and a T-shirt are fine. Moroccan men rarely wear shorts in town, so long trousers blend in better in the medinas and are required at the mosques that admit visitors. Shirtless walking is for the beach only.
Clothing will not stop the hustle in the souks; knowing how it works will. See is Morocco safe, our souk haggling guide and what is considered rude in Morocco.
Most Moroccan mosques do not admit non-Muslims at all, which is different from Turkey or much of the Muslim world. The main exception is Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, visited on a paid guided tour, where men and women need covered shoulders, torso and knees and shoes come off at the door; a headscarf for women is welcomed but not enforced. Our Morocco mosque dress code guide and Hassan II Mosque visit guide have the details.
Historic madrasas such as Bou Inania in Fes are open to visitors with a ticket. Dress there as you would for a mosque visit: shoulders and knees covered. The same goes for shrines and zawiyas you pass in the medina, most of which are closed to non-Muslims; look from the doorway rather than stepping in.
• Loose long trousers or skirts: two or three pairs in light fabric do most of the trip.
• Tops that cover the shoulders, plus one long-sleeved shirt for sun and modesty.
• A large scarf: sun, desert wind and sand, and covering up.
• A warm layer: a fleece or light down jacket for desert camps and the Atlas, even in summer.
• Closed walking shoes: medina lanes are uneven, steep in places and shared with donkeys and handcarts. Sandals for the riad and the coast.
• Sun hat and sunglasses, and swimwear for riad pools and the beach.
• In winter: a proper coat and something warm to sleep in; read Morocco in winter before you pack.
We crossed from Spain to Tangier on 26 August 2022 and travelled through Chefchaouen, Fes, Rabat, Casablanca and Essaouira to Marrakech, Ouarzazate and two nights at Erg Chigaga, finishing in Marrakech on 19 September; the full route is in our 24-day Morocco itinerary. Our photos from the Fes souks in early September show what visitors actually wore in the late-summer heat: T-shirts, long trousers and caps.
Chefchaouen, up in the Rif mountains, and the desert camp are where an evening layer matters on that route; in Marrakech and Fes by day it is about shade and loose fabric. For the Sahara leg, our Erg Chigaga vs Merzouga guide covers the trip itself.
No. A headscarf is not expected of non-Muslim women on the street. Carry a scarf anyway for sun, desert dust and the few mosques open to visitors.
It is legal and you will see tourists in shorts in Marrakech, but long, loose trousers or skirts draw less attention in the medinas and are required at the mosques that admit visitors.
Light, loose covering clothes for the day and a warm layer for the evening. Marrakech averages 33°C by day and 19°C at night in September, and desert nights are colder.
Loose covering clothes and a large scarf by day, and a fleece or light down jacket at night, even in summer. The desert is much colder after sunset than the cities.
A warm jacket, sweater and closed shoes. Marrakech averages 19°C by day but 6°C at night in January, and riads can be cold inside.
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