Last updated: June 2026
Getting the dates wrong in Morocco does not just mean a slightly quieter museum - it can mean a medina that shuts at 4pm, buses packed three days before Eid, or arriving in Fes the week after one of the most remarkable music festivals in the world. Here is what you actually need to know.
I have been travelling to Morocco since 2017 - six trips in, covering everything from a solo winter week in Marrakech to a two-week circuit of the south with my family. Holidays and festivals have shaped almost every itinerary, for better and occasionally for worse. This is a practical guide, not a promotional one.
The Two Types of Holiday You Need to Track
Morocco has two distinct sets of public holidays and they behave very differently.
Secular national holidays fall on the same date every year - they are predictable and mostly low-impact for travellers. The country does not come to a standstill; government offices close, schools close, some shops close, but tourist services run largely as normal.
Islamic calendar holidays shift roughly 11 days earlier each year because the Islamic (Hijri) lunar calendar is about 11 days shorter than the Gregorian one. This means Ramadan, the two Eids, Islamic New Year (Ras as-Sana) and the Prophet’s Birthday (Mawlid an-Nabi) cycle through all seasons over about 33 years. Where they fall in 2026 is completely different to where they fall in 2030. You need to check the actual year you are travelling.
Morocco’s Secular National Holidays (Fixed Dates)
These are the main ones you will encounter:
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | 1 January |
| Amazigh New Year (Yennayer) | 14 January |
| Labour Day | 1 May |
| Throne Day | 30 July |
| Oued Ed-Dahab Day | 14 August |
| Revolution Day (Youth Day) | 20 August |
| Green March Day | 6 November |
| Independence Day | 18 November |
Amazigh New Year was made an official paid public holiday only in 2023. It marks the Berber agrarian new year and is especially celebrated in mountain communities and the south. If you are heading to the Atlas or the Draa Valley around 14 January, expect some local festivities.
Throne Day (30 July) is a big deal. It celebrates King Mohammed VI’s accession and there are official parades, fireworks, and patriotic gatherings across the country. It is a genuinely festive atmosphere - not a day to try booking a long-distance bus without planning ahead.
Green March Day and Independence Day in November mean two public holidays close together. Some businesses take the whole week as a de facto break. Book accommodation in popular cities like Marrakech and Chefchaouen well in advance for this window.
These holidays have minimal impact on the experience of most tourists. Hotels, tour operators, restaurants in tourist areas, and most medina shops stay open. The bigger logistical factor for planning is the best time to visit Morocco in terms of weather and crowds - check that guide alongside this one.
The Islamic Calendar Holidays: What the Dates Actually Are
Always verify these because they are confirmed by official moon sighting, not set astronomically. The dates below are estimates accurate to within a day or two.
2026
- Ramadan begins: around 18 February 2026
- Eid al-Fitr (end of Ramadan): around 20-21 March 2026
- Eid al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice): around 27-28 May 2026
- Islamic New Year (Ras as-Sana): around 17 June 2026
- Mawlid an-Nabi (Prophet’s Birthday): around 25 August 2026
2027
- Ramadan begins: around 7-8 February 2027
- Eid al-Fitr: around 10 March 2027
- Eid al-Adha: around 17 May 2027
- Islamic New Year: around 6 June 2027
You can see the 11-day shift clearly: Ramadan in 2027 starts about 10 days earlier than in 2026, Eid al-Adha in 2027 falls 10 days earlier than 2026. By the mid-2030s, Ramadan will be happening in winter again.
Ramadan: What Actually Changes for Travellers
This is the one that generates the most questions and, honestly, the most misinformation. People either panic unnecessarily or arrive completely unprepared. Let me be straightforward.
Read our full guide to visiting Morocco during Ramadan for the complete picture. The summary here:
What genuinely changes:
- Local restaurants in medinas close during daylight hours. In the tourist zones of Marrakech, Fes, and Chefchaouen, you will find restaurants open - particularly inside riads and hotels, and any establishment clearly aimed at foreign visitors. In smaller towns and more local neighbourhoods, you need to plan where you will eat lunch.
- Shops often open later in the morning, close in the early afternoon, then reopen in the evening and stay open until midnight or later. The timing is unpredictable day to day.
- The hour around sunset (iftar, the breaking of the fast) is the single biggest logistical challenge. Do not try to take a taxi, book an Uber, or move between cities in the 30-45 minutes before or after sunset. Streets empty, then fill chaotically. Be at your next stop before this window.
- Alcohol is harder to find. Most restaurants that usually serve wine stop during Ramadan. Some supermarkets restrict alcohol sales. This is not total prohibition but it is a real change if wine with dinner matters to you.
What does not change:
- Tourist attractions, historic sites, and museums stay open.
- Tour operators run their programmes.
- Domestic flights operate normally.
- Long-distance buses run, though they fill up fast around the last days of Ramadan.
The experience of Morocco during Ramadan is genuinely different - the nights are extraordinary, communal, social in a way that daytime Morocco is not. Many people who visit during Ramadan say it is one of their most memorable trips. Go in knowing what to expect and it is brilliant. See our guidance on Morocco food and culture to understand what iftar actually looks like up close.
Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha: The Two Eids
Both Eids are two-day public holidays in Morocco. They are probably the highest-impact events for travellers in terms of logistics.
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan. The three to four days around it are among the most congested travel days of the year - Moroccans travel home to family, which means intercity buses, trains, and shared taxis are completely full. Book any transport or accommodation for the Eid window at least two weeks ahead. On the Eid days themselves, most shops and services close for at least the first day; by the second day things start to reopen.
Eid al-Adha (the Feast of Sacrifice) is the more significant of the two in terms of religious observance. It commemorates Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son and involves the ritual slaughter of sheep - almost every Moroccan family that can afford it slaughters a sheep at home. In 2026 this falls around 27-28 May; in 2027 around 17 May.
For travellers, Eid al-Adha means: most shops closed for two full days (and many for three to four), transport packed in the days before, and the country’s attention turned firmly inward to family. It is not a great time to try to sightsee in a hurry. If you happen to be in a riad or a rural area, it is quietly fascinating. If you are trying to navigate a medina for shopping or eat at local restaurants, expect frustration.
Planned correctly, neither Eid is a reason to avoid Morocco. They are a reason to slow down and let the trip breathe. Our Morocco itineraries guide has specific suggestions for building in flexibility around these dates.
Islamic New Year and Mawlid
Islamic New Year (Ras as-Sana) is a single-day public holiday. It is a quieter occasion than the Eids - no major celebrations in most of the country, though some families gather. In 2026 it falls around 17 June; in 2027 around 6 June. Impact on tourists is minimal beyond the standard “things may be closed for a day” consideration.
Mawlid an-Nabi (the Prophet’s Birthday) is more festive. In Fes and Meknes especially, there are processions and gatherings. The city of Fes has a long tradition of Mawlid celebrations connected to its status as a centre of Islamic scholarship. In 2026 it falls around 25 August. Worth timing a visit to Fes around if you are interested in religious culture.
The Cultural Festivals Worth Planning Your Trip Around
These are not public holidays - shops stay open, transport runs normally - but they are reasons to choose one month over another. See our Morocco trip planning guide for how to build these into a full itinerary.
Rose Festival, Kelaat M’Gouna - May The Valley of Roses near Kelaat M’Gouna produces the bulk of Morocco’s rose water and rose oil. For a long weekend in May (in 2026 it ran 6-9 May, though dates vary with the harvest), the town holds a festival with parades, music, and rose water everywhere. This is genuinely lovely, not tourist-manufactured. The surrounding Dades Valley is spectacular at this time of year. Worth combining with an Explora Morocco tour through the south.
Fes Festival of World Sacred Music - June One of Morocco’s most respected cultural events. The 2026 edition ran 4-7 June in its 29th year. Performances take place in extraordinary venues - the Bab Makina square outside the royal palace, the Andalusian gardens - and the lineup mixes Sufi music, flamenco, gospel, and classical music from across the world. Book accommodation in Fes months ahead; the medina riads fill up. Even if you are not attending the official programme, the city has a particular atmosphere that week.
Gnaoua Festival, Essaouira - June The 27th edition ran 25-27 June 2026. This is a free festival - the main stages are on the beach and in the main square, and the music goes until very late. Gnaoua is a trance music tradition rooted in the experience of sub-Saharan African slaves brought to Morocco; it has its own ritual and spiritual function. The fusion concerts, where Gnaoua masters (maâlems) play with jazz or blues musicians, are genuinely extraordinary. Essaouira is a beautiful town anyway - the timing of this festival makes June one of the best months to visit.
Marrakech International Film Festival - November The 23rd edition is scheduled for November 2026. This is one of Africa’s most prominent film festivals and it brings significant international attention to Marrakech. The city is at its coolest and most comfortable in November. Screenings take place in the Palais des Congrès and in Jemaa el-Fna itself. If you are a film person, this is a brilliant combination with the cultural richness of the medina.
Practical Planning Advice
Book transport early for the days around Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha - these are the highest-pressure travel windows by some distance. If you have flexibility, avoid arriving or departing Morocco on Eid day itself.
For Ramadan: if you are heading in February or March 2026 (or February 2027), read the ramadan morocco tourists guide and book restaurants for dinner rather than relying on walking into somewhere at night.
For festivals: Fes Sacred Music and Gnaoua in June mean June is a genuinely competitive month for accommodation in both cities. Essaouira fills up a week before Gnaoua. Book months ahead or consider the towns nearby.
For the national holidays in November (Green March Day 6 November, Independence Day 18 November): this window is popular with Moroccan domestic tourists and some European visitors. Marrakech in particular gets busy. The weather is excellent - warm days, cool evenings - so the demand is understandable.
The Morocco trip planning guide covers all of this alongside weather, seasonal pricing, and the debate about high season versus shoulder season. Worth reading alongside this one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does everything close during Ramadan in Morocco?
No, not everything. Tourist riads and hotels serve food all day. Tourist-facing restaurants in Marrakech, Fes, Chefchaouen, and Agadir typically stay open for lunch. What you will find closed or reduced hours are local restaurants (the hole-in-the-wall lunch spots that most of the city uses), some shops in non-tourist areas, and administrative services. In the evening after iftar, the country comes alive - restaurants open late, souks stay open until midnight, and the atmosphere is unlike anything you get in a normal week.
How do I know exactly when Eid falls for the year I am travelling?
You cannot know with 100% certainty until Morocco’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs officially confirms the moon sighting, usually one or two days before. The estimates above are reliable to within a day. For planning purposes, treat the estimated date as correct and allow a day either side. For booking transport, err on the side of earlier - the days leading up to Eid are the busiest.
Is it disrespectful to visit Morocco during Ramadan as a non-Muslim?
Not at all. Many Moroccans will tell you directly that they enjoy having visitors during Ramadan - it connects people across cultures. The expectation is simple: do not eat, drink, or smoke in public during daylight hours in non-tourist areas. Inside your riad courtyard, fine. On the street of a local neighbourhood, not appropriate. In tourist restaurants and hotels, normal service continues. Use common sense and you will be fine.
What is the difference between the two Eids?
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan - it is a celebration of the completion of the fasting month, involving new clothes, family meals, and gifts to children. Eid al-Adha (the Feast of Sacrifice) is the more significant in the Islamic calendar. It commemorates Ibrahim’s act of faith and involves the ritual slaughter of a sheep - almost all Moroccan families participate if they can. The meat is divided between family, neighbours, and those in need. If you are in Morocco during Eid al-Adha, expect to see and hear evidence of the slaughter on the morning of the first day. It is not sanitised. It is also deeply meaningful. Approach it with curiosity rather than squeamishness.
Are the Gnaoua and Fes festivals worth building a trip around?
Yes, in my view. The Gnaoua Festival in Essaouira is one of the most accessible major music festivals anywhere - free entry, beautiful setting, world-class music. The Fes Festival of Sacred Music is more ticketed and formal but the performances in the historic city are extraordinary. Both are in June, which means you could in theory attend both in the same trip. Essaouira to Fes is around four to five hours by road. It is a worthwhile circuit and both cities reward more than a day anyway. Browse the tours available through Explora Morocco for routes that work around both.
What about Amazigh New Year - is it worth timing a trip around?
Yennayer (14 January) is a relatively recent addition to the official holiday calendar but it has been celebrated culturally for centuries, particularly in Berber communities in the High Atlas, the Rif, and the south. If you are in an Atlas village or a predominantly Amazigh town around 14 January, you may encounter traditional foods and small local celebrations. It is not a tourist-facing festival in the way Gnaoua is, but it is a genuine cultural moment and the Atlas in January has its own particular appeal - snow on the peaks, empty trails, few tourists.
