Morocco
Capital City: Rabat
Morocco Key Facts
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Flag
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Size
446,550 km²
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Population
33,655,800
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Morocco Location
Northern Africa
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Travel Insurance
For Morocco travel insurance, select worldwide Region
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International Calling Codes
212
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Cities
Marrakesh
Fes
Casablanca
Rabat -
Language
Moroccan Arabic (Darija)
Berber (Amazigh)
French
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Religions
99% Muslim
1% other
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Currency
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Driving
In Morocco they drive on the right side of the road
Tourism website:
visitmorocco.com/en
When is the best time to visit?
The best season to visit Morocco is their High Season (November - March)
- Spring and autumn are the most popular times to visit.
- Accommodation prices are highest.
- Marrakesh and the south are popular at Christmas and New Year, but the north of the country can be chilly and wet.
Transport Information
Morocco has airports, trams, buses, trains and other public transport means.
World Heritage Sites
- Archaeological Site of Volubilis
- Historic City of Meknes
- Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou
- Medina of Essaouira (formerly Mogador)
- Medina of Fez
- Medina of Marrakesh
- Medina of Tétouan (formerly known as Titawin)
- Portuguese City of Mazagan (El Jadida)
- Rabat, Modern Capital and Historic City: a Shared Heritage
Climate Information
The climate varies throughout Morocco with the variety of geography including vast coastline, internal lowlands and highlands.
Generally the climate is moderate and subtropical due to the cool Atlantic ocean breezes. As you head inland the temperature can be more severe with summer being very hot and winders quite cold.
Official Holidays
- 1 January - New Year’s Day
- 11 January - Independence Manifesto
- 1 May - Labour Day
- 30 July - Feast of the Throne
- 4 August - Allegiance of Oued Eddaha
- 20 August - Anniversary of the King’s and People’s Revolution
- 21 August - Young People’s Day
- 6 November - Anniversary of the Green March
- 18 November - Independence Day
Why Visit Morocco?
This North African country is spellbinding - you can wander around the labyrinthine alleys of its medieval medinas, haggle in the bustling open air souqs, gape at its deserts that stretch to the horizon and taste a cuisine that will absolutely delight your taste buds. You won’t ever want to leave!
Moroccan Food
The food you find in Morocco is likely to be fresh, locally grown and homemade, rather than shipped in, microwaved and served semi-thawed. Most Moroccan ingredients are cultivated in small quantities the old-fashioned way, without GMOs (genetically modified organisms), chemical fertilisers, pesticides or even mechanisation. These technologies are far too costly an investment for the average small-scale Moroccan farmer, as is organic certification and labelling – so though you may not see a label on it to this effect, much of the Moroccan produce you’ll find in food markets is chemical- and GMO-free.
Morocco's Travel Safety and Warnings
Morocco is a pretty safe country that can be navigated with a bit of common sense, but there are a few things to be aware of:
- getting lost in winding medina streets
- getting hassled by unofficial guides (known as 'faux guides')
- the widespread use of marijuana (kif), which is grown in Morocco.
City Profile: Marrakesh
If you’re looking for a quiet, calm walk, this place may not be the place for you. It’s crowded, it’s hot and it’s dusty. Having said that, you will have a wonderful time walking and possibly getting lost in the labyrinthine alleyways of the crowded Medina, which is a UNESCO World heritage site. To get your initial bearings, start in Djema El Fna, Marrakesh’s main square – which used to be the site of public executions around AD 1050 (its name translates to ‘assembly of the dead’). Get distracted all day by snake charmers, palaces, mountains of spices, story tellers, food stalls, fortune tellers, street performers, the obligatory carpet and of course the witch doctors (who come out at night). Most of Marrakesh’s monuments are within the Medina ramparts (19km circuit), but if you want more, make sure you also head out to the Koutoubia Mosque with its 70m high minaret and the 16th century Saadian Tombs.
