Travel tips · Marrakech · Morocco
Marrakech travel tips: what to know before you go
The etiquette, money and practical details that make the first day easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Boris Macek, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Marrakech is a conservative, mostly Muslim city with deep Amazigh (Berber) and Arab roots, where commerce runs on bargaining and hospitality on mint tea. Darija, Moroccan Arabic, is the everyday language, French is widely used in business and tourism, and English is spoken in most riads and shops.
Key facts
- Language
- Arabic (Darija), Tamazight (Berber) and French
- Currency
- MAD
- Plugs
- Type C and E sockets, 220 V, 50 Hz
- Tap water
- Tap water is treated, but most visitors drink bottled water to avoid stomach…
- Emergency
- 19 police, 15 ambulance and fire
Things to know
- Dress modestly in the medina, covering shoulders and knees, out of respect and to reduce unwanted attention.
- Non-Muslims cannot enter most mosques, including the Koutoubia.
- Ask before photographing people; performers and water sellers in Jemaa el-Fnaa expect payment for photos.
- Bargain with good humour, but don't start haggling over something you don't intend to buy.
- During Ramadan, avoid eating, drinking or smoking in public during daylight hours.
- Use your right hand for eating, passing things and greeting.
- Book Jardin Majorelle ahead: Entry is by timed ticket bought online, and slots sell out in high season; book a few days ahead.
- Book Sunrise hot-air balloon flight ahead: Book a few days ahead in high season; flights depend on the weather and are sometimes rescheduled.
- Carry small notes and coins; change for large notes is often hard to find in the souks and taxis.
Tipping
Leave about 10% in restaurants and small tips for porters, riad staff, guides and drivers; keep small coins for musicians, parking attendants and toilet attendants.
Language
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Salam alaikum | Hello (peace be upon you) |
| Shukran | Thank you |
| La, shukran | No, thank you |
| Bshhal? | How much? |
| Safi | OK / that's enough |
| Inshallah | God willing |
| Bslama | Goodbye |
What to wear
Loose, light clothes that cover shoulders and knees suit both the heat and local customs; bring a warm layer for winter nights and for evenings in the desert or mountains.
Practical details
- Plugs and voltage
- Type C and E sockets, 220 V, 50 Hz
- Drinking water
- Tap water is treated, but most visitors drink bottled water to avoid stomach upsets.
- Emergency number
- 19 police, 15 ambulance and fire
- Phone and internet
- Local SIM cards from Maroc Telecom, Orange and inwi are inexpensive and sold at the airport; riads and cafés usually offer Wi-Fi.
- Time zone
- Africa/Casablanca
The most common problems are persistent touts, unofficial guides who claim a lane is 'closed' to steer you to a shop or tannery, and pickpocketing in Jemaa el-Fnaa and the souks. Scooters speed through the medina lanes, and summer heat can be extreme, so carry water and rest at midday.
Entry requirements
Visa and passport rules depend on your nationality and change often. Check Morocco's official government guidance and your own government's travel advice before booking.
Plan the trip
Questions travellers ask
+Do you tip in Marrakech?
Leave about 10% in restaurants and small tips for porters, riad staff, guides and drivers; keep small coins for musicians, parking attendants and toilet attendants.
+Can you drink the tap water in Marrakech?
Tap water is treated, but most visitors drink bottled water to avoid stomach upsets.
+What plugs are used in Marrakech?
Type C and E sockets, 220 V, 50 Hz
+What language is spoken in Marrakech?
Arabic (Darija), Tamazight (Berber) and French.