Drinking Alcohol in Morocco: What You Need to Know in 2024

Since Morocco is a Muslim country, a lot of people freak out when it comes to drinking alcohol in Morocco. Well, do NOT freak out. It is LEGAL to drink alcohol in Morocco.

You just need to remember that you cannot drink in public. Nor can you be drunk in public.

You also must be at least 18 years old to get alcohol in Morocco and you can only drink in private or in places that are legally allowed to sell alcohol.

Therefore, you are allowed to drink in any restaurants, clubs, and hotels that serve alcohol. You can also purchase alcohol at supermarkets (like Carrefour) and even in some liquor stores outside the Medina.

These liquor stores are usually pretty low-key and have covered windows and little signage. So, they can be hard to find if you don’t know where they are.

I would just be very careful about drinking in a riad or an Airbnb. These are people’s homes and private property. So, I would always ask permission before purchasing alcohol and bringing it back to your hotel room.

After all, alcohol is very taboo in Morocco. Most people don’t drink and many people do not even feel comfortable touching a liquor bottle.

That’s because most people in Morocco are Muslim and the Quran (their religious text) expressly forbids Muslims from drinking alcohol.

However, there is religious freedom in Morocco. So, alcohol has been in the country for centuries since Jewish Moroccans have used it in religious services. I also think legalizing alcohol is just good for tourism.

Anyway, I live here and have a ton of experience when it comes to drinking alcohol in Morocco. I am going to share everything I know so that you can feel good about drinking in Morocco and are fully prepared for your trip.

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DISCLAIMER

I have lived in Morocco since January of 2023 and am very familiar with drinking in Morocco. However, I am not a lawyer and I do not know the ins and outs of Moroccan law since it is only available in French and Darija.

Therefore, I am ONLY sharing my personal experience and am not giving legal advice. My only goal here is to share my experience so that you can make better decisions when drinking alcohol in Morocco.

Please use my advice at your own risk and seek legal counsel if need be. I assume no liability should you read this article and get into legal trouble.

Can You Drink Alcohol in Morocco?

Yes, you can drink alcohol in Morocco and it is readily available in most major cities in Morocco. You’ll want to get it at bars and restaurants that are licensed to serve booze, which are usually outside the Medina.

Yeah, the Medina can be a bit of a no-go when it comes to alcohol since people consider the Medina a sacred space. However, you can sometimes find restaurants serving alcohol in Marrakech and in other cities if you’re inside the Medina.

If you want to purchase alcohol by the bottle then you can get it in non-descript liquor stores or in “The Cave” at Carrefour. I would just be discreet when buying alcohol since many Muslims have very strong negative feelings towards it.

I usually put my bottles in a bag and kind of keep it at my side when I am buying alcohol in Essaouira.

You also must be at least 18 to drink and you are not allowed to drink or be drunk in public. So, no drinking on your hotel balcony. Basically, drink in private or only in places that sell alcohol.

Lastly, there is a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to drinking and driving. So, don’t do it.

Honestly, it’s not hard to follow the rules. But, if you’re unsure, just drink where you see other people drinking. I also like to avoid drinking around locals since it can be seen as quite offensive.

Therefore, I really only drink in more Westernized areas. But, if you’re still not sure, you can also avoid drinking altogether. Just order some mint tea and enjoy some of the other amazing things to do in Morocco.

Otherwise, have a look at the Moroccan penal code. It’s 252 pages long, is in French, and has everything you need to know about Moroccan law.

Local Attitudes Towards Alcohol

My partner is Moroccan and he is Muslim. He doesn’t drink and neither does his family. However, I have met plenty of Moroccans who do drink. So, it depends on the person and their religious views.

However, the vast majority of Muslims in Morocco do NOT drink alcohol. That’s because alcohol is seen as “haram” or is forbidden.

In fact, Islam is so important here that shapes some of the laws in Morocco. These laws are known as Shari’a and are laid out in the Quran (sacred text for Islam).

They are used as a basis for living life so that you can reach paradise. Therefore, most people try to avoid alcohol since the Quran says it was created by the devil to spread evil.

It’s also not great that alcohol impairs your judgment, increasing the likelihood that you’ll do other things that the Quran prohibits.

Alcohol is so forbidden that locals are actually not legally allowed to purchase alcohol in Morocco during Ramadan.

Local Tip: If you hear a local say they are drinking, “Berber Whiskey” that’s just another name for mint tea. It has zero alcohol in it but is absolutely delicious.

Drinking Alcohol During Ramadan

Ramadan in Marrakech, Ramadan in Essaouira, and Ramadan in Morocco occurs during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is the holiest month of the year and entails fasting from sunrise to sunset.

Because the holiday follows the Islamic calendar, it usually starts and ends at a different time of year every year. Generally, though, the holiday starts and ends about two weeks earlier than it did the year before.

So, the holiday started during the second week of March in Marrakech and Morocco in 2024 and will probably start at the end of February in 2025.

Personally, I don’t drink/eat in public (unless it’s at an open restaurant) nor do I drink alcohol during Ramadan. It’s basically the holiest month of the year and out of respect for locals, I opt out of drinking.

However, alcohol is served and sold during Ramadan. I would just be discreet about buying it and drinking it since drinking at this time of year can make locals very uncomfortable.

But, when I stayed at a camp in the Agafay Desert, locals were serving alcohol at the bar and had no issues with it.

So, you should be able to find alcohol in Morocco during Ramadan. However, some places may stop selling it and staff at Carrefour may ask you to hold and scan the bottle since they don’t want to touch it.

Yeah, it’s haram to touch alcohol during Ramadan. You may even need to present your foreign passport when purchasing alcohol since locals are not allowed to buy it at this time of year.

Local Tip: Please be discreet when consuming alcohol during Ramadan since this can be very offensive to locals. There is also no way of knowing when Ramadan will start before it does.

Google will give you an estimate but they can be off by a few days. The start of the holiday is actually sounded across the country the night before. So, don’t be surprised if Google gets it wrong.

Where Can You Buy Alcohol in Morocco?

Believe it or not, there are tons of places you can buy alcohol in Morocco. What a lot of people do is head to Carrefour. They have this separate area called “The Cave” where you can shop for alcohol and purchase anything you like.

Atacadao is another chain of supermarkets where you can purchase alcohol in a separate part of the store.

Additionally, there are also liquor stores in Morocco. They are usually pretty well hidden and won’t have a giant sign out fron that says “liquor store”.

But, they should have everything you need. Just look them up on Google and you should be able to find one. Champion and Victoria are two chain stores that sell alcohol, with Champion being the cheaper of the two.

Restaurants also sell alcohol. However, most of these places will be found in newer more modern parts of major cities. After all, the Medina is considered a sacred space and generally does not have a ton of alcohol.

You’ll also have a hard time buying alcohol in smaller towns and villages where people are more conservative and no one is drinking/selling liquor.

You also may want to try exchanging money in Morocco since some places don’t accept cards.

Local Tip: You can absolutely go to cheap local bars but I do not suggest women go alone. Most of these bars are frequented by men and the women that do go there are “working girls”. So, you may feel uncomfortable if you go alone.

If you want to find nice bars in Morocco, go to hotels. You will find many cool bars in the lobby of hotels. Additionally, when you order a beer or wine at a lot of bars, you will usually get a selection of tapas.

Think olives, popcorn, beans, etc. Generally, you won’t get a ton of food in Marrakech but you will get a lot in Tangier. So, don’t eat before going to the bar in Tangier.

Must-Try Alcohol in Morocco

Even though alcohol is not a big thing in Morocco, the country still creates some of its very own booze. Therefore, some drinks you should try while you’re in Morocco include:

• Beer – The French brought beer production over to Morocco in the 20th century. Therefore, some local beers you can try while you’re here include Flag Speciale, Stork, and Casablanca. By far and a way Casablanca is the best beer in Morocco and is an absolute must-try. Yes, it is a bit more expensive but it is totally worth it.

• Wine – If you only try one wine in Morocco, let in be gray wine (vin gris). It’s basically like a rose and is absolutely delicious. However, the regions the East, Meknès/Fès, the Northern Plane, Rabat/Casablanca, and El-Jadida produce reds that are worth trying too. Standout brands include Berkane, Gerrouane, and Beni M’Tir.

• Mahia – Mahia is made from dates and aniseed. It is pretty hard to find but tastes a bit like brandy. It was also historically used by Morocco’s Jewish population for religious services. Basically, once Morocco’s Jewish population declined, so too did the production of Mahia.

Overall, beer and wine are the most popular drinks in Morocco. So, be sure to enjoy some delish Moroccan gray wine while at the best bars in Marrakech or while enjoying the nightlife in Essaouira.

It’s probably one of the best drinks/food to try in Morocco.

Can You Bring Alcohol into Morocco with You?

You are allowed to bring alcohol in Morocco, but there are limitations. Generally, you are only allowed to bring about a liter of alcohol into the country at any given time.

However, always check the latest entry requirements to see if things have changed. Honestly, though, I don’t think it’s necessary to bring alcohol into the country.

You can get it in a lot of places once you get here. Then, you don’t have to worry about the bottle breaking in your bag and can enjoy some of the best rooftop bars in Marrakech.

Is Alcohol Expensive in Morocco?

Having grown up in NYC, I’ve definitely paid A LOT for drinks. In fact, It’s not unusual for me to spend $20.00 on a cocktail and $10.00 on a beer when I’m stateside.

But that’s to be expected since NYC is one of the most expensive cities in the world. However, given the cost of living in Morocco, you’d expect alcohol be super cheap. But, it isn’t.

When I go out with friends in places like Marrakech, I can spend anywhere between $10 for a beer and $20 for a cocktail. So, if you want to drink in Morocco then get ready to spend some cold hard cash.

Local Tip: If you want to save money on drinks then just head to smaller (and cheaper) local bars. This is where a lot of my friends like to drink alcohol in Marrakech.

Conclusion

I hope you feel a lot better about drinking alcohol in Morocco and during your 3 days in Marrakech. TBH, it’s not really a huge deal since you can find alcohol in a ton of different places.

Generally, I find that the locals who work in bars, restaurants, and hotels don’t really care since that is part of their job. So, I never really feel too weird about ordering alcohol in some of the safest cities in Morocco.

I just generally don’t drink during Ramadan and avoid drinking in more local places where there are more negative attitudes toward alcohol.

Just don’t drink, or get wasted, in public and you should be just fine. I would also 100% ASK before you bring alcohol into a riad or hotel that does not serve any.

Many locals live in riads and it would be super rude and disrespectful to drink on their property. Other than that, live la vida loca and enjoy your time in Morocco.

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