Is Christmas celebrated in Morocco?
Not as a national festival. Morocco is a Muslim-majority country and 25 December is not on its list of public holidays, so it is an ordinary day for almost everyone you meet. Banks, shops, the souks, palaces, gardens and museums keep their usual hours, and your driver and guide work as normal. New Year is different: 1 January is a public holiday, and so are 11 and 14 January.
There are small Christian communities, mostly foreign residents and students, and a handful of churches in the larger cities. In Marrakech the Catholic Church of the Holy Martyrs (Église des Saints-Martyrs) stands in Gueliz, the new town. Rabat has St Peter's Cathedral, the seat of the Catholic archdiocese, and Casablanca has several Catholic churches, including Notre-Dame de Lourdes. If you want to attend a Christmas service, check the times locally once you arrive, as they are not always published far in advance.
For most visitors, Christmas in Morocco is simply a warm, quiet holiday somewhere that does not stop for it. That suits travellers who want a break from the season, and it disappoints anyone hoping for lights, carols and a festive atmosphere in the streets.
What will you find in Morocco at Christmas, and what will you not?
You will find Christmas inside some hotels and riads, and almost nowhere outside them. The table below sets out what to expect.
| Thing | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Christmas dinner | Some larger hotels and some riads that cater for foreign guests offer a Christmas Eve or Christmas Day dinner, usually at extra cost. Not all do, so ask when you book |
| Decorations | A tree or lights in some hotel lobbies and riads. Streets, souks and squares are not decorated for Christmas |
| Christmas markets | There are no Christmas markets in the European sense, with stalls of gifts, mulled wine and carols. The souks are the market, and they look the same on 25 December as on any other day |
| Shops, souks and sites | Open as normal on 24, 25 and 26 December |
| Church services | Held at Catholic churches in the larger cities, including Marrakech, Rabat and Casablanca. Check times locally |
| Alcohol | Served only in licensed hotels, restaurants and bars. Drinking in the street is illegal. Many riads and desert camps do not serve alcohol, so ask |
| Gifts and Christmas food | Imported Christmas foods are hard to find. Moroccan crafts from the souks make good presents to take home |
The search for a Marrakech Christmas market is common, so it is worth saying plainly: you will not find one of the kind held in German or British towns. What Marrakech has instead is the medina souks all day and the food stalls of Jemaa el-Fna every evening, which many visitors find a better way to spend 24 December.
Why go to Morocco over Christmas?
Winter sun is the main reason. Spending Christmas in Morocco gives you afternoons around 18 to 21°C in Marrakech and clear skies over the Sahara, a short flight from much of Europe, while northern Europe is dark by mid-afternoon. The school holidays make it one of the few times many families can travel together, and the desert is at its most comfortable for walking and camel rides by day.
Reasons to go at Christmas
- Mild, mostly dry days in Marrakech, the south and the Sahara
- Clear desert skies, good for sunsets, sunrises and stars
- School holidays let families and couples travel together
- A holiday away from the commercial side of Christmas
- Shops, sites and tours all run as normal
What to be ready for
- The week from Christmas to New Year is peak season: riads, camps and flights cost more and fill early
- Desert nights fall to around freezing, and a standard tent is not heated like a hotel room
- Many riads feel cold at night unless the room has heating
- Short days: the sun sets at about 5.30 pm in Marrakech, so long drives end in the dark
- Snow can close the Tizi n'Tichka pass on the road to the desert for hours or longer
For the full month, with weather by region and snow on the mountain roads, see our guide to Morocco in December.
Where is the best place to spend Christmas in Morocco?
Marrakech is the easiest choice and the Sahara the most memorable, and many travellers combine the two. The right answer depends on what you want more: a hotel Christmas with dinner and a pool, or a night under the stars.
| Place | Christmas week weather | Who it suits | One honest drawback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marrakech | About 18 to 21°C by day, 5 to 8°C at night | First-time visitors, couples, anyone who wants a hotel or riad Christmas dinner | The busiest city in the country that week, and riad rooms can be cold |
| Sahara (Merzouga, Erg Chebbi) | About 15 to 19°C by day, around 0 to 4°C at night | Couples and families who want a Christmas night in the dunes | At least a day of driving each way from Marrakech, and very cold nights |
| Agafay Desert | Similar to Marrakech by day, colder at night | Travellers short on time who want a desert evening near the city | Stony desert rather than sand dunes |
| Essaouira | About 18 to 20°C by day, 9 to 13°C at night | A slower Christmas by the sea, walks on the ramparts and fish in the harbour | Often windy, and too cool for swimming for most people |
| Fes | About 15 to 18°C by day, 3 to 6°C at night | Travellers interested in history, crafts and the old medina | Wetter and cooler than the south, and quieter in the evenings |
| Agadir | About 21 to 22°C by day, around 10°C at night | Families who want a beach resort and the mildest weather | A modern resort town with less of the old Morocco, and the sea is cool |
Approximate long-term December averages (1991 to 2020 normals), rounded. Agafay is about an hour from Marrakech and has no long-term station of its own.
Christmas in Marrakech works well as a base. Spend Christmas Eve in the medina and on the square, book a riad or hotel dinner if you want one, and add a day trip to the Agafay Desert or the Ourika Valley. Our day trips from Marrakech all run over the holiday, priced per group on request. Essaouira is about three hours west and makes a calm escape for a night or two.
Can you spend Christmas Day in the Sahara?
Yes, and on a private tour you choose which night is the camp night. Hassan and his team in Marrakech plan the route backwards from the date you want in the dunes, so Christmas Eve or Christmas night can fall in a camp near Merzouga. You ride a camel into Erg Chebbi for sunset, eat dinner at the camp and wake for sunrise over the dunes.
Our shortest routes from Marrakech are the 3-day Marrakech to Merzouga tour and the 4-day Marrakech to Merzouga tour, which adds a hotel night in Ouarzazate so the drive back is shorter. A private 3-day tour costs €500 to €800 per person and a 4-day tour €600 to €900, depending on group size and camp level. All our routes are on the desert tours page.
Do not expect a set Christmas programme in camp. Each camp decides its own evening, and many simply serve their usual dinner with music around the fire. Before you book, ask these questions:
- Is the tent heated? Standard tents rely on heavy blankets. If you feel the cold, a luxury desert camp is worth asking about.
- Is there a private bathroom with hot water? This matters more at 6 am in late December than at any other time of year.
- Does the camp do anything for Christmas? Some may, many will not. Ask rather than assume.
- Is alcohol served? Many camps do not serve it, so check before you go.
- Can you reach the camp by 4x4? Useful if young children or older travellers would rather not ride a camel in the cold.
Tours that work over Christmas
3-day Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour
The shortest way to reach the big dunes of Erg Chebbi from Marrakech, with Ait Ben Haddou, two gorges and a night in a desert camp.
From €500 per person
4-day Marrakech to Merzouga desert tour
The same dunes as the 3-day loop, with the long drive home cut in two by a night in Ouarzazate and a return through the Draa Valley.
From €600 per person
7-day Morocco tour from Marrakech
A week in the south that starts and ends in Marrakech: a guided city day, then a slow loop to the Erg Chebbi dunes and back through the Draa Valley.
From €1,700 per person
What does a 7-day Christmas trip to Morocco look like?
This sample runs from 23 to 29 December and follows our 7-day tour from Marrakech. It loops from Marrakech to the Sahara and back, so you fly in and out of the same airport, and it leaves before the New Year rush peaks. The full day-by-day route is in our 7-day Morocco itinerary.
| Date | Route | Night |
|---|---|---|
| 23 December | Arrive in Marrakech, airport pickup, evening on Jemaa el-Fna | Riad in Marrakech |
| 24 December | Guided day in Marrakech. A Christmas Eve dinner if your riad offers one | Riad in Marrakech |
| 25 December | Over the Tizi n'Tichka pass to Ait Ben Haddou, Ouarzazate and the Dades Valley | Hotel in the Dades Valley |
| 26 December | Todra Gorge, then Merzouga and a sunset camel ride into the dunes | Desert camp |
| 27 December | Sunrise, then a slow day around the dunes | Hotel by the dunes |
| 28 December | The long drive west through Nkob and the Draa Valley | Hotel in Ouarzazate |
| 29 December | Back over the pass to Marrakech, airport or hotel drop-off | Home or Marrakech |
Start on 22 December instead if you want Christmas night in the desert camp. Christmas Day on this sample is a long scenic drive with a stop at Ait Ben Haddou.
A 7-day private tour costs €1,700 to €3,800 per person. Leave early on 25 December to cross the mountains in daylight, and choose an evening flight on 29 December or add a night. If you would rather see in the new year in the desert, read our guide to New Year's Eve in Marrakech and the desert.
When should you book a Christmas holiday in Morocco?
Earlier than for any other week of the year. Demand for Christmas and New Year is high across riads, desert camps and flights, so the best rooms and fares go first. The timings below are a guide, not a rule.
| What | When to book | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | As soon as your dates are fixed | Fares on school-holiday dates usually rise as seats sell |
| Riads and hotels in Marrakech | Ideally by late summer or early autumn | The best riads, especially those with heated rooms, fill first |
| Desert camps near Merzouga | Ideally by early autumn | Better camps and luxury tents book out over the holidays |
| Private tour | With your flights, or soon after | We reserve hotels and camps once you agree the route. Nothing is paid before then |
Booking late is still possible, especially for Christmas itself rather than New Year. You may have less choice of riad or camp level, and the trip may need to start or end on different days.
Is Morocco good for a family Christmas?
Yes, if you plan for the cold evenings and the drives. Children usually love the camel ride and the dunes, and the private vehicle means you stop when you need to. Keep road days short where you can, book family rooms with heating, and pack warm sleepwear for the camp. Every tour can be adapted for families. See all our Morocco tours for routes that suit different ages.
What should you pack for Christmas in Morocco?
Pack for summer at noon and winter at night. A packable warm jacket, thermal layers to sleep in at camp, a hat and gloves, closed shoes and a scarf will cover the desert. In the cities, light layers and long trousers or skirts that cover the knees are the norm. If you plan a hotel Christmas dinner, one smart outfit is enough. Our guide on what to wear in Morocco has a full list.
Is Morocco more expensive at Christmas?
Hotels and flights usually are, and our tours are not. Our private tour prices are the same all year, from €500 per person for 3 days to €3,800 per person at the top of the 7-day range, set by group size, hotel and camp level and what you add. What rises over Christmas is the cost of rooms and seats you book yourself, and the extra charge some hotels add for a festive dinner. The full price table is on our Morocco tour cost page.
Questions people ask
Is Christmas a holiday in Morocco?
No. 25 December is not a public holiday in Morocco, so shops, souks, banks and sites open as normal. 1 January is a public holiday.
Is Marrakech good at Christmas?
Yes, for sunny sightseeing and a relaxed break. Days are usually about 18 to 21°C, evenings are cold, and the city is busy between Christmas and New Year, so book your riad early.
Are there Christmas markets in Marrakech?
No, not in the European sense. The medina souks and the evening food stalls on Jemaa el-Fna run as usual, and some hotels put up decorations.
Is Morocco warm at Christmas?
By day, mostly yes: around 18 to 21°C in Marrakech and about 21 to 22°C in Agadir. Nights are cold, from about 5°C in Marrakech to around freezing in the Sahara.
Can you have Christmas dinner in Marrakech?
Often, yes. Some larger hotels and riads that cater for foreign guests serve a Christmas Eve or Christmas Day dinner, usually at extra cost, so ask when you book.
Can you go to church at Christmas in Morocco?
Yes. Catholic churches in Marrakech, Rabat and Casablanca hold services, and foreign visitors are welcome to attend. Check service times locally.
Can you drink alcohol in Morocco at Christmas?
Only in licensed hotels, restaurants and bars. Drinking in the street is illegal, and many riads and desert camps do not serve alcohol.
Sources
- Public holidays in Morocco (checked October 2026)
- GCatholic: Catholic churches in the Archdiocese of Rabat, including Marrakech and Casablanca (checked October 2026)
- St Peter's Cathedral, Rabat (checked October 2026)
- UK FCDO travel advice for Morocco: safety and security, including alcohol laws (updated 19 August 2026, checked October 2026)
- Climate tables for Marrakesh and other stations (1991 to 2020 normals, via Wikipedia, checked October 2026)
- Climate table for Agadir (Inezgane station, 1991 to 2020 normals, via Wikipedia, checked October 2026)
