Things you need to know before travelling to Marrakech

Marrakesh not the capital of Morocco, but one of the main tourist destinations in Morocco, and that’s what convinced us to visit. The plan was to do a longer road trip, but we took the opportunity of cheap air tickets and the few days of vacation we had to explore Marrakech and the surrounding area. To help you plan a trip like this, I’ve put together some key information to make your trip easier.

To enter Morocco, you’ll need a valid passport, and if you’re not from one of the 90 countries exempt from visa requirements, you’ll also need a visa. Generally, citizens from the US, EU, China, Australia, and most South American countries are exempt. However, it’s always a good idea to check with your country’s government or official institutions before traveling, as entry requirements can change and may impact your plans.

In Marrakech, the official language is Arabic, while Berber is often the native language of the locals. To add to the mix, all official documents are in French. Confusing? Perhaps at first! For tourists, French is the most widely spoken language and often the easiest to use, as Morocco is a French-speaking country due its colonial legacy . However, don’t worry if you’re not fluent—English is commonly spoken in riads, hotels, restaurants, bars, and tourist hotspots like the souks. That said, learning a few basic words in French or Arabic, such as greetings and expressions of gratitude, can go a long way in enhancing your experience. Although, please note that if you opt for Arabic, they use their own dialect named Darija, which is in many ways different than basic Arabic expressions.

In Morocco, the official currency is the Moroccan Dirham (MAD). Credit cards are accepted in major shops, restaurants and hotels, but cash is still the most popular in smaller bars and markets, so make sure you have plenty of cash. In the larger cities you can easily find an ATM where you can withdraw cash in dirhams.

At Marrakech airport, you’ll find several currency exchange offices, but their rates are typically less favorable than those in the city, and they often require a minimum exchange of €50. We noticed that they accept euros without any problems – both in taxis, buses and shops. So there is no need to rush to change money immediately on arrival. The exchange rate “on the street” is 1€ : 10 MAD, which is in any case more favourable than at the exchange office at the airport. For the best exchange rate, we recommend the Bureau de Change Hotel Ali, located in the main square of Jemaa el-Fnaa. Usually there is a long queue up front, which you can try to bypass and go in the underpass on the other side of the building. There is another exchange office with an equally good exchange rate. This exchange office also offers the possibility to change dirhams back into euros at the end of your trip.

Morocco is generally considered a safe destination for tourists, as confirmed by the color-coded safety rating from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From our experience, Marrakech is a safe city for travelers, but like any popular tourist destination, it’s wise to stay vigilant with your personal belongings, as petty theft can occur.

Before our trip, we came across several blogs warning about common scams. For example, some individuals in the medina approach lost-looking tourists, offering to guide them and later demanding payment. Others mentioned women who begin drawing henna on hands without consent and then insist on being paid. In Jemaa el-Fnaa square, snake charmers, monkey handlers, and other performers often ask for money—even for photos. We avoided these situations by politely declining offers and focusing on exploring independently.

Despite reading numerous accounts of unpleasant experiences, we encountered none ourselves. A golden rule is to respect local customs and privacy, such as not taking photos of people without their consent. In our opinion, the key to enjoying Marrakech is to remain confident, stay aware, and avoid engaging in conversations or situations that feel overly intrusive.

Respect local traditions Morocco is a predominantly Muslim country, so pay attention to your attire and behaviour, especially in the medina.

If you need internet access, buy a physical SIM card or an e-sim. We chose the latter option, 5 days unlimited data via Holafly for €26.90.

In Marrakech, Wi-Fi is available in hotels and riads, but not necessarily in all cafés and restaurants, nor do they have city internet access.

If you decide to purchase Holafly eSIM through our link, you will receive a 5% discount, and we’ll earn 500 HolaCoins to help support our content creation. Thank you for your support—it means a lot to us!

The top seasons to visit Marrakech are spring (March-May) and autumn (September-November). In summer, especially in July and August, it can be extremely hot, with daytime temperatures often exceeding 40 °C. According to the advice of the guide we had to explore the Berber community, the best time to visit Marrakech is in October.

We visited Marrakech in mid-January and experienced almost all four seasons in a single day. The nights were chilly, making warm clothes an absolute necessity. By contrast, daytime temperatures soared to a pleasant 25°C, making it almost too hot under the sun, while the shaded, narrow streets of the medina offered the perfect conditions for exploring.

As we ventured toward the town at the foot of the Atlas Mountains, the scenery changed dramatically. We were greeted by snow-capped peaks and wintery landscapes that looked stunning in the distance. However, the temperatures there were much colder, so dressing appropriately for the shift in weather was essential.

There are plenty of options for getting from Marrakech airport into the city, catering to different needs and budgets. As you exit the terminal, you’ll find taxi drivers waiting, eager to negotiate fares. Alternatively, if you walk across the road to the car park, you’ll find an airport shuttle bus—a more budget-friendly option.

The airport bus is particularly convenient, with a one-way ticket costing just MAD 30 per person. It takes you directly into the city, stopping first at the main Jemaa el-Fnaa square and then at two additional stops heading north around the medina. While the service is excellent, it’s important to check how close your accommodation is to these stops, as you might still need a taxi for the final leg of your journey.

For our airport transfer, we opted for the airport bus. However, since our return flight was at 7:05 am, we booked a private taxi through Booking.com for €11. We scheduled the pickup for 4:30 am and, despite some initial skepticism due to the early hour, the taxi arrived on time and got us safely to the airport. Interestingly, even at that hour, we noticed plenty of yellow taxis waiting at major intersections, so it seems there’s always a way out of Marrakech. So there goes our hope for mistakenly being left stranded in Marrakech :)

One of the best ways to explore the narrow streets of the Medina is on foot. In addition, many of the narrowest streets are closed to cars, which means that walking is not only the best way, but often the only way.

Apart from walking, we consider taxis to be the second most convenient and efficient means of transport in Marrakech, especially if you want to explore places outside the medina. There are many taxi stations around the city where taxi drivers wait for passengers, but otherwise, just raise your hand and the first available taxi will stop for you.

We recommend that you agree on a price before you start as most taxi drivers do not use taximeters. By negotiating, you can get a good price and avoid unpleasant surprises at the end of the ride.

When taking a taxi, we recommend that you stick to the price you have been quoted. We managed to get the price from 100 MAD to 50 MAD for the same journey – the taxi driver initially refused and we walked, but after a few minutes he caught up with us and accepted our offer. We also found that smaller and older taxis are often cheaper, so we recommend them for shorter journeys.

In Marrakech, there’s an app called inDrive, which operates on a unique model where you propose a fare, and taxi drivers can choose to accept or decline. We used it ourselves and found the prices significantly lower, with an overall positive experience—at least initially. However, we did encounter a hiccup: after waiting 15 minutes for a driver, they canceled the ride, leaving us without transportation. When we shared this experience with the staff at our riad, we discovered that inDrive and similar ride-hailing services are actually illegal in Marrakech.

So if you don’t have the time or don’t want to take the risk, take a classic taxi, even if it costs a bit more. Sometimes, paying a little extra is worth the peace of mind. Although, hand on heart, getting around Marrakech is always an adrenaline rush – that’s the charm of this city!

We also wanted to try the city bus, as it is the cheapest transport option – just a few cents per ride. Unfortunately, buses are rare, their route never coincided with ours, and they were always completely full when we looked at them. Perhaps we will get the chance another time.

But if you decide to do it yourself, we would be very happy if you could share your impressions with us! You can leave a comment below this post and tell us how you found the local bus ride in Marrakech. Your opinion means a lot to us and other readers.

Marrakech is a food lover’s paradise, with cuisine that combines rich flavours, spices and local ingredients.

The most famous meal is Tagine, which is prepared in a distinctive clay pot. It is most often meat (chicken, lamb or beef) with seasonal vegetables and spices. The taste is rich and the dish is served directly in the pot in which it is cooked. Vegetarians won’t go hungry here either, as there is couscous with steamed vegetables on every corner. For the main course or as a dessert at the end, you can have a Briouat. These are small triangles or puff pastry rolls filled with meat, vegetables or sweet fillings, fried in oil and drizzled with honey.

In the Riad, we had a wide variety of hummus for breakfast every morning, Moroccan pastries similar to our marble pastries, and Moroccan msemen pancakes.

Although Moroccan tea technically does not exist and is just a story, mint tea is the national drink and a symbol of hospitality. It is made from green tea, fresh mint and plenty of sugar. It is served in elegant teapots, with a ceremonial way of pouring it into a glass. Freshly squeezed orange and pomegranate juices are also available on the streets.

In Morocco, the tap water is not safe to drink, so buy bottled water.

While the food in Morocco is incredibly delicious, it’s important to be cautious about hygiene of the stalls, particularly when it comes to raw foods and seafood.

I hope that with this basic information I have given you a good enough introduction to Morocco, or more specifically Marrakech, so that you can create your own unforgettable trip full of colours, sounds and tastes.

You can read more about our experience in Morocco here.