Christmas in Morocco: Everything You Need to Know in 2024

The cool thing about Christmas in Morocco is that you can make it as festive or as low-key as you like.

After all, Morocco is a predominantly Muslim country. Therefore, most locals do NOT celebrate Christmas and treat it like any other day of the year.

That being said, you can find traces of the holiday in more modern parts of the country. You know, places that foreign tourists and expats living in Morocco frequent.

So, head to malls and large, western-style hotels in places like Agadir (FYI it’s easy to get to Agadir from Essaouira), Marrakech, Casablanca, and Rabat to find Christmas decorations as well as Christmas-inspired menus at hotel restaurants.

Many cities are also home to several churches. They like to host special holiday events and even have mass if you want to attend a religious service.

Therefore, how you celebrate Christmas in Morocco is totally up to you. You can embrace the holiday, like I do in Essaouira, or ignore it altogether.

Just head to the Medina or visit traditional small villages and you’ll quickly forget that Christmas exists.

But, as someone who has lived in Morocco for a while, I tend to be a Christmas enthusiast. I love to head to La Mamounia and the Royal Mansour in Marrakech to see all the fabulous Christmas decor.

That’s mainly because I’m from NYC originally and I sometimes miss the over-the-top Christmas decor and fun holiday activities that you find in the USA.

In this guide, I’m going to share with you everything you need to know so that you can plan the perfect trip to Morocco at Christmas. So, let’s swan dine into this post and take a look at Christmas in Morocco traditions.

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Is Morocco Good to Visit at Christmas?

Christmas is a great time to visit Morocco. In fact, many Europeans come here to escape the cold weather in Europe. As a result, Christmas is peak season in Morocco. You have to visit Marrakech in January if you hate crowds.

Therefore, expect large crowds and high prices when it comes to tours, hotels, and flights to some of the safest cities in Morocco.

Due to the large number of people in the country between Christmas and New Year’s in Marrakech and Morocco, I would book your flights, hotels, and tours at least two months in advance, especially if you want to stay at a riad.

Many of these old buildings have ten rooms MAX, so rooms fill up quickly at this time of year.

However, the benefit of visiting at this time of year is that the weather in places like Marrakech is quite warm. So, you can escape the snow and cold and walk around in a t-shirt on Christmas day in Marrakech.

But, if you’re a snow bunny at heart and find yourself in Marrakech in December, then you can always go skiing in Oukaïmeden.

This town is located just two hours from Marrakech, making it a great day trip from Marrakech, and is home to the highest ski resort in Africa.

The facilities are a bit outdated, but the resort sits at 2,600 meters (8530 feet) and is home to 3 green, 4 blue, 8 red, and 3 black runs. It’s a great place to go if you want to enjoy a white Christmas since the ski season starts in December.

How is Christmas Celebrated in Morocco?

TBH, Christmas really isn’t celebrated in Morocco. So, unless you go to a big city you won’t find anything Christmas-related.

In most parts of the country, Christmas is just another day. Kids go to school, parents go to work, and life goes on as it normally does since Morocco is a Muslim country and Christmas is a Christian holiday.

However, there are a lot of Christian tourists and expats in Morocco. Therefore, if you visit places like Casablanca, Agadir, Rabat, and Marrakech you’ll find Christmas decorations in large hotels and malls.

In fact, many BIG western hotels have special Christmas menus so you can enjoy a special Christmas lunch or dinner in Morocco. Many cities also have churches where you can attend holiday-related events and Christmas mass.

Where is the Best Place to Spend Christmas in Morocco?

The best place to spend Christmas in Morocco really depends on you and what you want from the holiday. If you’re looking for lots of Christmas decorations and nice Christmas vibes then Rabat is the place to be.

The city is the capital of the country and many Moroccan digital nomads live there since there are a lot of foreign embassies and Westernized hotels in the city. This city is also just nice and super modern and well-suited to foreigners.

However, another great place to spend Christmas in Morocco is Marrakech.

The weather is warm (you can walk around in a T-shirt during the day if you know what to wear in Marrakech) and you can find nice Christmas decor/meals at both La Mamounia and the Royal Mansour Marrakech.

Overall, the Royal Mansour Marrakech is a great hotel and is one of the most luxurious riads in Marrakech.

You can also head to local malls in Gueliz, as well as the Menara Mall, to see lots of beautiful holiday decorations.

Now, if you do not want to embrace the Christmas spirit, head to smaller villages where literally no one celebrates the holiday. You could also enjoy a nice holiday by the beach in places like Dakhla, Agadir, and Mirleft.

Just know that temperatures are not quite warm enough to swim unless you have a wet suit or really don’t mind cold water.

Other options for a very non-Christmas-feeling holiday in Morocco include doing a camel trek through the Sahara in Merzouga or relaxing at a desert camp in the Agafay Desert.

Yes, the desert can get a bit cold in the evening. However, if you add lots of warm clothes to your Morocco packing list then this can be the perfect time to visit the desert.

You could also try hiking through the Atlas Mountains in Imlil (it’s located just 90 minutes from Marrakech) or heading to Ifrane as you drive through Morocco.

This town has cute Swiss chalets and you can watch the snow fall before visiting the local Barbary Macaque (monkeys) in Ifrane National Park.

What is Christmas Like in Morocco?

When traveling to Morocco for Christmas, here’s what to expect. Firstly, any Christmas decorations that you find will likely have a very European feel to them.

That’s because most expats in Morocco are European and they obviously bring their holiday traditions with them when they move to Morocco.

As a result, you’ll probably find a lot of French-inspired Christmas desserts in local bakeries at this time of year.

My personal fave is the buche de Noel. It’s basically this chocolate Christmas cake that is designed to look like a Yule log. It’s really good and I love ordering it for the holiday.

You can also find Christmas decorations in larger hotels that cater to westerners. So, if you stay in a small, tradtional riad you probably won’t find any Christmas decor.

But, if you stay in Nobu in Marrakech you’ll likely see lots of holiday decor all over the place. Therefore, stay at a bigger resort if you’re a fan of Christmas decor.

These resorts are also great because many have on-site restaurants that offer special Christmas menus. So, if you stay at one of these larger hotels then you could absolutely enjoy a traditional Christmas lunch or dinner.

However, the one thing you definitely won’t be able to find is Christmas markets. You may discover some small ones at local churches but, overall, Christmas markets aren’t a thing in Morocco.

I know La Mamounia has one that runs from December 10th through December 23rd. It’s a great place to pick up Christmas ornaments and various other decorations for your tree after exploring the souks of Marrakech. However, that’s the only one I really know of.

Finally, you should be able to find Catholic churches and churches of other denominations in most major cities. Many churches tend to be Catholic, but they should have a Christmas service if you want to attend mass.

You can find information on mass times and church locations here. Just remember that churches are really only found in bigger cities in Morocco.

Conclusion

Overall, Christmas in Morocco is kind of like a choose-your-own-adventure novel. You can make the experience as Christmasy or as non-Christmasy as you like depending on your personal preferences.

However, regardless of what you decide to do for the holiday, be sure to plan ahead. Contrary to popular belief, Christmas is very much peak season in Morocco.

So, be sure to book all of your tours, hotels, and flights well in advance. Also, expect large crowds since everyone from Europe is trying to escape the cold winter weather.

Do this and you will have an amazing time in Morocco this Christmas season. If you liked this post, don’t forget to join my email list and Facebook group for even more awesome travel advice.