For Muslim travellers
Halal Travel Morocco
A Muslim-majority country where halal food is the norm, the adhan sounds from every neighbourhood, and twelve centuries of Islamic heritage stand in its cities.
The Hassan Tower, Rabat. Photograph: Grace Tankard, CC BY 2.0
- Food
- Halal by default
- School
- Maliki
- Mosques open to all
- Hassan II, on tours
- Languages
- Arabic, Amazigh, French
Why Morocco is Perfect for Muslim Travelers
Morocco is a Muslim-majority country, so most of a Muslim traveller's practical questions answer themselves. Food is halal by default, there is a mosque in every neighbourhood, and modest dress is the norm.
Beyond the practical ease, Morocco is a chance to see an Islamic civilisation of more than twelve centuries: Al-Qarawiyyin in Fes, the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, the holy town of Moulay Idriss and the Almohad mosques of the Atlas. Morocco follows the Maliki school of jurisprudence, and the tradition of hospitality to guests runs deep.
Halal Dining Guide
Almost everything you eat in Morocco is halal. Here is where to ask.
- Street food
- Halal by defaultTagine stalls, msemen, harira, brochettes and bissara in the souks and medinas are prepared with halal meat.
- Local restaurants
- Halal by defaultCasual "snacks" and sit-down restaurants serve halal food; family-run places in the medinas are the surest. Look out for Friday couscous, pastilla, rfissa, mechoui and, in Marrakech, tanjia.
- Riads
- Home cookingMost riads include breakfast and cook dinner on request, prepared by local cooks with market produce. Order dinner in the morning.
- International restaurants
- AskItalian, Asian and French restaurants in the cities mostly use local, halal meat, but some international hotel restaurants import meat. Ask where the meat comes from. Halal certification is uncommon, because halal is the default.
Mosque & Prayer Facilities by City
The adhan sounds five times a day in every neighbourhood. You are never far from a place to pray.
- Marrakech
- Koutoubia, Ben Youssef, Mouassine, KasbahMosques in every quarter of the medina, all with ablution facilities, and public fountains throughout.
- Fes
- Al-Qarawiyyin, the Andalusian Mosque, the Zaouia of Moulay Idriss IIThe spiritual capital, with mosques throughout Fes el-Bali and historic fountains in its lanes.
- Casablanca
- Hassan II MosqueThe landmark, with modern ablution facilities; neighbourhood mosques across the city.
- Rabat
- As-Sunna MosqueThe capital's mosques are well kept and spacious.
- Chefchaouen
- The Grand MosqueMany small mosques in the medina. The Spanish Mosque on the hill is a viewpoint, not a working mosque.
Top 10 Islamic Heritage Sites in Morocco
Mosques, madrasas and monuments from twelve centuries. Check ticket prices and opening hours locally.
- Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca
- Guided tours for all faithsBuilt on a promontory over the Atlantic, with one of the tallest minarets in the world and a retractable roof. It holds 25,000 worshippers inside and many more on its esplanade. It is one of the few mosques in Morocco open to non-Muslim visitors, on guided tours.
- Al-Qarawiyyin, Fes
- Founded 859 by Fatima al-FihriGuinness World Records lists it as the oldest existing, continually operating university. Its library, restored in recent years, holds early manuscripts. Muslim visitors can pray inside; others can glimpse the courtyard from the doorways.
- Tin Mal Mosque, High Atlas
- Closed for restoration after the 2023 earthquakeThe 12th-century mosque of the Almohads, the dynasty that went on to rule North Africa and Al-Andalus, stands in a remote valley south of Marrakech. It was one of the few mosques open to non-Muslims, but was badly damaged in the September 2023 earthquake and is being rebuilt. Check its status before you go.
- Koutoubia Mosque, Marrakech
- Exterior and gardensMarrakech's great mosque and landmark. Its 77-metre Almohad minaret is a model for the Giralda in Seville and the Hassan Tower in Rabat. The gardens beside it are quiet at any hour.
- Hassan Tower and Mausoleum of Mohammed V, Rabat
- Open to allThe 44-metre unfinished minaret of a 12th-century Almohad mosque meant to be among the largest of its time, over a field of column stumps. Beside it, the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, in zellige, carved cedar and marble, is open to all visitors.
- Bou Inania Madrasa, Fes
- Open to allA mid-14th-century Marinid madrasa of carved stucco, cedar screens, zellige and a marble courtyard, and one of the few religious buildings in Fes open to visitors of all faiths.
- Moulay Idriss Zerhoun
- Near MeknesMorocco's holiest town, built around the tomb of Moulay Idriss I, founder of the first Moroccan dynasty in the 8th century. The sanctuary is closed to non-Muslims; Muslim travellers can visit the tomb. The annual moussem is usually in August or September.
- Medersa Ben Youssef, Marrakech
- Open to allOne of the largest madrasas in Morocco, founded in the 14th century and rebuilt under the Saadians in the 16th. Its courtyard of geometric zellige, carved stucco and cedar is one of the best-known spaces in the country.
- Chellah, Rabat
- Open to allA walled Marinid necropolis on the site of the Roman town of Sala Colonia, with a mosque, a madrasa and royal tombs of the 13th and 14th centuries, damaged by the 1755 earthquake. Storks nest on the minaret.
- Saadian Tombs, Marrakech
- Open to allA 16th-century royal necropolis walled off for centuries and rediscovered in 1917. The Hall of Twelve Columns has Carrara marble columns, muqarnas vaulting and zellige.
Traveling During Ramadan
With a few adjustments, Ramadan is one of the most rewarding times to visit.
Restaurant hours change
Many restaurants close by day; hotels serving tourists usually stay open. Supermarkets open as usual. After sunset, restaurants reopen and the streets fill.Iftar
Sunset brings harira, dates, chebakia (honey pastries), boiled eggs and msemen. Many restaurants serve an iftar menu, and riads often lay one on for guests.Respect the fast
Whether fasting or not, do not eat, drink or smoke in public during the day. Eating in your hotel is fine.The nights
After iftar, families come out, souks stay open late, and tarawih prayers fill the mosques.Shorter hours
Shops, sights and offices may keep shorter hours. Plan sightseeing for the morning and the evening.Travel around iftar
Trains and buses fill just before sunset as people head home. Avoid travelling then.
Hammam Etiquette for Muslim Travelers
Separated by sex
Public hammams have separate sections or separate hours for men and women.A place of purification
Many Moroccans go to the hammam before Friday prayer. Hot and cold water are always on hand.Awrah stays covered
Men keep the navel-to-knee area covered; women keep their underwear on. Full nudity is not the custom.Timing
Hammams are busiest on Thursday evenings and Friday mornings, before Jumu'ah. Weekday mornings are quieter.
Islamic Art & Architecture
- Zellige
- Throughout MoroccoHand-cut glazed tiles set into geometric mosaics, in mosques, madrasas, riads and fountains. Fes is the centre of the craft, where master craftsmen (maâlems) still cut by hand.
- Muqarnas
- Fes, Marrakech, MeknesHoneycomb vaulting in carved plaster or cedar. The Saadian Tombs in Marrakech and the Bou Inania Madrasa in Fes have fine examples.
- Calligraphy
- Mosques, madrasas, museumsQuranic verses and poetry carved into stucco, wood and stone; the bands of inscription in the Bou Inania Madrasa are among the finest.
- Geometry
- Throughout MoroccoPatterns built on symmetry and tessellation cover the surfaces of the historic buildings, nowhere more richly than in the Marinid monuments of Fes.
- Cedar carving
- Fes, Marrakech, MeknesAtlas cedar carved into screens (mashrabiya), ceilings, doors and panels. The painted and carved ceilings of the Bahia Palace in Marrakech are a fine example.
Modest Dress & Shopping
- What Moroccan women wear
- Everything from niqab to Western fashionIn Casablanca and Rabat you see the full range; in medinas and small towns dress is more modest. The djellaba, a long hooded robe, is worn by men and women alike.
- Where to buy
- The souks, and the Habous in CasablancaThe souks of Marrakech, Fes and other cities sell djellabas, kaftans and scarves. The Habous quarter of Casablanca is good for traditional clothing, and modest-fashion boutiques are opening in Casablanca and Rabat.
- At religious sites
- Covered and looseCover shoulders and knees, women cover their hair, and shoes come off at the door. On the Hassan II Mosque tour modest dress is required of all visitors.
- At the beach
- Burkinis are commonPublic beaches are mixed. Many Moroccan women swim in modest swimwear or clothing, and burkinis are common and accepted.
Halal-Friendly Accommodation
Traditional riads
Family-run guesthouses in the medinas. Many do not serve alcohol, cook halal meals at home and can provide a prayer mat on request, and a mosque is rarely more than a few lanes away.Halal-friendly hotels
Some hotels describe themselves as halal-friendly: alcohol-free minibars, qibla markers, prayer mats, sometimes separate pool or spa hours. Check what is offered before you book.Small guesthouses in smaller towns
Usually alcohol-free, with simple home-cooked meals and a neighbourhood mosque close by.International hotels
Usually serve alcohol in their bars and restaurants. Riads can often remove the minibar from your room on request.
Islamic Holidays in Morocco
Dates follow the lunar calendar and move about 11 days earlier each year.
- Ramadan
- The month of fastingFasting from dawn to sunset. Restaurants close by day, hours shorten, and the nights are lively.
- Eid al-Fitr
- End of RamadanFeasting, family visits and new clothes, with sweets like kaab el ghazal and chebakia. A public holiday: many businesses close and transport is very busy, so book ahead.
- Eid al-Adha
- The Festival of SacrificeThe most important holiday of the year, when families share the meat of a sacrificed sheep with neighbours and the poor. A public holiday: most businesses close and restaurant choice is limited.
- Mawlid an-Nabi
- The Prophet's birthdayPrayers, religious songs and family meals; some towns hold processions. A public holiday.
- Islamic New Year
- 1 MuharramA quieter day of prayer and family. A public holiday with little disruption to travel.
Alcohol-Free Zones & Practical Tips
The medinas
Few restaurants in the old cities of Fes, Marrakech and Chefchaouen serve alcohol, and many riads do not. The medina is the easiest place to avoid it.The new towns
Bars, shops selling alcohol and licensed restaurants are mostly in the ville nouvelle and the tourist districts.Restaurants
A restaurant needs a licence to serve alcohol, and most do not have one, especially in medinas and small towns. Traditional Moroccan restaurants are the surest choice.Hotels
International chain hotels usually serve alcohol; traditional riads usually do not. Check the property description or ask.During Ramadan
Many bars and licensed restaurants close or stop serving alcohol for the month.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Is all food in Morocco halal?
Almost all of it. Morocco is a Muslim-majority country and meat sold for local tables is slaughtered according to Islamic law, so street food, local restaurants and riads serve halal food. The places to ask are international hotel restaurants and venues serving tourists, which may use imported meat, and anywhere that serves alcohol.
Can non-Muslims enter mosques in Morocco?
In general, non-Muslims cannot enter working mosques in Morocco. The main exception is the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, which runs guided tours for visitors of all faiths. Muslim travellers can pray in any mosque in the country: perform wudu and enter respectfully.
What are prayer times in Morocco and how do I find them?
The five daily prayers (Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha) follow the sun, so times change through the year. The adhan sounds from mosques across every town, and Morocco follows the Maliki school. For exact times use a prayer-time app or ask at your riad.
Is it a good idea to visit Morocco during Ramadan?
Yes, with some planning. Many restaurants close during daylight hours, while hotels serving tourists stay open. Iftar at sunset is a highlight, and the streets are lively after dark. Do not eat, drink or smoke in public during fasting hours, whether you are fasting or not.
Are there alcohol-free hotels in Morocco?
Yes. Many traditional riads in the medinas do not serve alcohol, and small guesthouses in smaller towns usually do not either. Some properties describe themselves as alcohol-free. Check the property description or ask before you book.
What should Muslim women wear in Morocco?
Many Moroccan women wear hijab, but it is not legally required, and women travellers in hijab will feel at home. Modest dress (covering shoulders and knees) is appreciated in medinas and at religious sites. Western clothing is common in the modern districts of Casablanca, Rabat and Tangier. Djellabas and scarves are sold in every souk.
Where can I find wudu (ablution) facilities?
Every mosque has ablution facilities, and there are mosques in every neighbourhood, so you are never far from one. Many shopping centres and train stations have prayer rooms, and riads can usually point you to the nearest mosque or provide water for wudu.
Is Morocco safe for solo Muslim women travelers?
Morocco is generally safe, and the shared faith often makes for easy conversations with locals. The usual precautions apply: avoid unfamiliar areas alone late at night, use registered taxis or arranged transport, and stay in well-reviewed accommodation. In an emergency call 19 for the police in towns, 177 for the Royal Gendarmerie outside towns, 15 for an ambulance, or 112 from a mobile.