Essential Morocco Travel Tips for an Unforgettable Trip

Nov 06, 2025 0

Planning a trip to Morocco? Whether you're drawn to its rich history, diverse culture, or stunning landscapes, knowing what to expect can make your journey smoother. Here are essential Morocco travel tips to ensure you get the most joy-and the least amount of hassle and frustration-out of this once-in-a-lifetime travel adventure.

Practical Advice for Flights from Chicago to Morocco

If you’re planning a trip and looking for flights from Chicago to Morocco, you’re in the right place. Several airlines operate flights from Chicago to Morocco, with both direct and connecting flights available. While direct flights can save time, connecting flights via European hubs like Paris or Madrid often offer more flexibility and lower prices.

Pro tip: Use Google Flights to compare prices and find the best deals. To get the best rates, try booking your flights at least 2-3 months in advance.

Essential Things to Know Before Visiting Morocco

For some visitors, Morocco can be a huge culture shock, but with some awareness and understanding, it is possible to appreciate these differences, connect more deeply and see the country through a different lens without trying to change it. Here are some of the things you should know before visiting for a smooth trip.

1. Keep Your Itinerary Loose and Flexible

Research the places in Morocco you’d like to visit but leave wiggle room for changes along the way and enjoy the spontaneity. While it’s possible to prebook tours and activities, it’s usually just as easy to reserve them when you arrive in the country.

2. Learn Some of the Lingo

A mixture of French, Arabic, Amazigh, and English is spoken in Morocco, depending on where you are in the country. Don't expect everyone to speak English. Apps like Google Translate can be useful, but learning some basic Arabic phrases will reward you with feeling more connected and engaged with people you meet.

3. Get Cash on Arrival

The Moroccan dirham (Dh) is a closed currency, which means you cannot get it outside the country. Morocco’s rural areas still operate on a cash economy, but cards are widely accepted in towns and cities, so you'll need to carry both. Major airports and banks in Morocco provide competitive exchange rates.

4. Make Bookings Before Going to Marrakesh

Marrakesh is the most popular city in Morocco for visitors, so prebook entrance tickets to major attractions such as Jardin Majorelle and Musée Yves Saint Laurent online to avoid waiting in line. The Marrakesh medina comes to life around 5 pm, but the "pink city" is more than just the medina - spend time exploring Gueliz and step off the main boulevards onto the leafy side streets to discover pretty street cafes, bistro restaurants and small indie boutiques.

Traveling Around in Morocco

1. Take Public Transport, Especially in Cities

Getting around Morocco is easy, even without a car. An excellent train network links many cities, including Africa’s first high-speed train, Al Boraq, between Casablanca and Tangier. A comfortable and reliable bus network connects towns big and small. Book train and bus tickets a day or two in advance to ensure the travel time you'd like. Driving in cities such as Casablanca and Marrakesh is best left to the locals. Public transportation in Morocco is affordable, and you can take a train from Casablanca to Marrakech or other cities.

The Train from Marrakech to Casablanca, Morocco: Our Experience

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2. Driving Safely in Morocco

In Morocco, you drive on the right side of the road and seatbelts are mandatory, even though some taxis don't have them. Car horns are used often - not in an aggressive way, but as a means of communication.

Important Driving Tips:

Watch out for people, bicycles, motorcycles, and animals coming from all sides.
Avoid driving at night because some vehicles do not have or use their headlights.
Take notice of the speed limits and the roundabouts that have stoplight systems.
If you’re stopped for speeding (police speed checks are common) or other penalties, paying fines in cash - usually between Dh150 (US$16) and Dh300 (US$33) - is preferable to going to a local police station.

3. Enhance Your Trip by Booking Professional Guides

To get the most out of your trip to Morocco, use a guide who has in-depth expertise and speaks your language. In cities, check with the local tourism office or your accommodations for recommendations for licensed guides in the area. If you’re surfing, you can check qualifications are valid using the ISA’s directory. Hiking guides are mandatory for climbing Mt Toubkal in the High Atlas. Check with Bureau des Guides.

Etiquette Rules and Cultural Traditions in Morocco

1. Practice the Art of Bargaining in Souqs

Haggling is a game and part of the shopping experience in Morocco. Try not to get frustrated - the ideal scenario is that both sides come away feeling like they got a fair price.

Tips for Bargaining:

For big purchases, do your research, have a price in mind, or shop around until you do.
Sometimes vendors say to pay what you feel like, so if you don't have a price, ask some questions: how many hours did it take to make? Where did the materials come from and at what price?
Souqs are filled with fake products. Many Moroccans don't care whether their Nikes are original; they just want the best price for the latest styles.

2. Show Respect for Islam and the King

The words "God, king, and country" are etched on hills around the country. Islam is the state religion, and the rules of Islam are applied to personal matters in the same way that state law works in other countries. It is illegal to speak disrespectfully about religion or the king. Non-Muslims are not permitted to enter mosques or cemeteries, except the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca.

Friday is a holy day across the country, and most people take a few hours off in the afternoon to go to the mosque and eat couscous with their families afterward. If you're heading to a particular place on a Friday, check business opening times before you visit. The holy month of Ramadan and the celebrations of Eid offer a different cultural experience, and during these times many places will be closed.

3. Dress Code Considerations

To visit the Hassan II Mosque and other religious sites, visitors - both men and women - must cover from their shoulders to their knees. Dress modestly in cities and towns to avoid unwanted attention. At bars and nightclubs, almost anything goes, but in rural areas, cover up and be respectful of the local customs. At the beach, you can wear shorts, dresses, vest tops, and swimwear including bikinis. Pack comfortable footwear that’s suitable for uneven roads and a scarf to cover your shoulders.

4. Ask Before Taking Photos of People

No matter where you are in the world, it’s best to ask permission before taking someone’s photo. Many people are fine with it, but others aren’t. Some may ask for money. Do not take photos of military or government buildings. Drones are not allowed in Morocco without special permission.

5. Dealing with Hassle

Simply ignore people who offer goods that you do not want. There's no need to be polite to everyone who wants to sell you something. By not reacting, they'll get bored and walk away.

In some places you may receive comments and, at worst, inappropriate behavior, but shouting "Police!" will send these people away. In Marrakesh, there's also a high chance you will alert the undercover tourist police.

6. Availability of Alcohol

Even though alcohol is forbidden by Islamic law, it is widely available and sold in licensed wine shops and international grocery stores. Not all bars and restaurants serve alcohol.

7. Eating with Your Right Hand

Moroccan cuisine, such as tagines and grilled fish, are traditionally eaten with bread using your right hand. The left hand is considered unclean because it’s typically the hand used when going to the toilet.

8. Getting Lost and Asking for Help

Getting lost is part of the joy of exploring Morocco with its unmarked roads, the maze of souq alleys, and areas of no cell phone reception. Relax but be aware of your surroundings and ask for help if you need it. In medinas, it’s helpful to know that if the street sign is a hexagon, it's a dead end. If it’s a square, it’s a through street.

Health and Safety in Morocco

1. Don’t Drink the Tap Water

Morocco’s tap water is not safe to drink. Bring a water bottle with a filter to avoid buying plastic.

2. Bring Tissues for Public Toilets

Some public toilets do not have toilet paper. Unless you are comfortable using water to clean yourself, keep a pack of tissues and some antibacterial hand gel or wipes on you.

3. Street Animals

Street cats and dogs are everywhere and part of the community. It’s best not to feed street animals from your table because they might not leave, but you can keep leftovers and feed them elsewhere on the street. If you're an animal lover, find out if there is a rescue center where you're staying and show your support with a donation or by volunteering your time.

Additional Morocco Travel Tips

Obey speed limits: Our driver constantly pointed out cops hiding roadside behind rocks and other hidden areas. Even he was pulled over once.
Know the currency and exchange rate: Morocco uses Moroccan dirhams. When we visited, the exchange rate was nearly 10 dirhams for one USD. You’ll find that most restaurants accept credit cards.
Hire a private driver/tour guide: We visited Morocco as a couple with our adult daughter and my elderly mom and felt like our two weeks in the country was enhanced so much this way.
Take a cooking class: There are oodles of cooking classes you could take in places like Marrakesh but our experience at Atelier de Cuisine with Chef Tarik was truly something special.
Friday is holy day: Families often lunch together on Fridays or gather with friends in celebration. So plan ahead if a particular attraction is on your list that may be closed on Friday.
Morocco has a tipping culture: If you get great service, be generous (but not over the top).
Bring change and toilet paper for restrooms: You’ll be happy to know that much of Morocco-at least “tourist Morocco”-has western size toilets. However, you’ll also find plenty of squat toilets in small cafes and on roadside options.
Visit a mosque: However, if you’re not Muslim, there is only one you are permitted to visit inside. That’s the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca…the main reason to include Casablanca on your Morocco itinerary, in my opinion.
Book a hamam experience: If there’s one experience you just can’t miss when you’re in Morocco, it’s a hamam. I highly recommend Maraja Spa in Marrakesh where we enjoyed this mind-blowing experience.
Visit artisans in Fes: Everywhere you go in Morocco, you’ll be simply astounded by intricate tile patterns…in the riads, in ancient UNESCO sites, and pretty much everywhere you look. You’ll want to visit Chouara Tannery while you’re in Fes, too.
Yes, you can drink alcohol: However, they don’t tend to drink socially, say, to have a glass of wine with dinner as in other countries though. It’s true that it’s not available at most restaurants…even in many of the five star hotels, as we found out.
Know how to haggle: If you feel uncomfortable bargaining, you’re going to need to get over it. Haggling for a final price that both the seller and buyer can live with is an art and is an expected part of the process.
Learn a few words of Arabic or French:
Eat tagine: Tagine is Morocco’s national dish and most famous dish. You’ll find it everywhere…with lamb or chicken, and vegetables (zucchini, carrots) and cous cous. We ate tagine all over Morocco and found quality varied quite a bit.
Try the mint tea: Jokingly called “Berber whisky,” mint tea seems to lubricate most of the goings-on in Morocco. Moroccans drink it like water throughout the day.
Bring the right adapters for charging: Morocco uses the same converters as most of Europe so if you have those, you’re already set.
Ask permission before taking photos: First, it’s just good etiquette. Secondly, aniconism is a thing in Morocco. So be respectful and ask.
Ride a camel in the desert: Before you book, be sure you ask about how the camels you’ll be riding are treated. Ethical animal experiences are important.
Visit the Sahara in spring or fall for best weather: So plan on lots of layers if you’re heading to the Sahara in winter.
Wear a head scarf in Sahara: This particular style of head covering is known as a “tagelmust” and it’s essential for anyone trekking in the desert…wherever you come from.
Visit a Nomadic Berber family: While the world knows them as Berbers, Morocco’s indigenous people prefer to call themselves “Amazigh” to identify the tribe they are from.
Taste Berber pizza: Vegetarian options are available too.
Dress conservatively: When you’re visiting a Muslim country like Morocco, expect to see many women mostly covered, from head to toe.
Don’t drink the tap water:
Don’t stress too much about your personal safety: Sometimes safety is a matter of perspective. Theft can be an issue in bigger cities in Morocco, just as it can in places like Paris, NYC or other busy places. Be smart and always keep a hand on your phone or put it in a purse or pocket.
There are so many wonderful places to see in Morocco: Much like in Spain, Moroccans tend to eat a bit later, anywhere from 7 pm to as late as 10:30 or 11 pm.

Tipping Guide

Tipping is customary in Morocco. Here’s a general guide:

Service	Tip Amount
Restaurants	10% (optional)
Baggage handlers/maids	20 MAD ($2 USD)
Half/full day tour guides	100 MAD ($10 USD)