Now and again on Trips100 we follow a travel blogger from another country through the four seasons. After all they know their patch better than anyone. This week we take a Marrakech adventure with Amanda Ponzio-Mouttaki who blogs at MarocMama.com.
A Marrakech adventure
Marrakech is an excellent destination for all seasons, but for very different reasons. Come experience Marrakech through the seasons with me!
Spring
In spring Marrakech comes to life. Most of the year the colours brown, red, and yellow are center stage but in the spring the green comes. Everything is blooming from flowers to grass and the fruit trees. The spring season starts in March and stretches through May. It’s my favourite time of year. The weather is perfect! In early spring we love to head to the nearby Atlas Mountains to walk and taste the first spring fruits like cherries. A visit to the Majorelle Gardens is lovely any time of year but especially in the springtime. Due to the beautiful weather you’ll have no trouble spending all day exploring the city. To take in all of Marrakech and the surrounding areas during this wonderful time of year book a hot air balloon experience!
Summer
Summer is the one time of year I often advise people against visiting. Early summer (June) is bearable but July and August are very hot and uncomfortable. Temperatures can and do reach the high 40’s and sometimes low 50’s during the day. While rihads and hotels have air conditioning not many other places do. People are (understandably) a bit more on edge and grumpy during summer. Also, many places close in August for summer holidays. If you do plan to come, you must book something with a pool and plan to spend a good portion of the daylight hours in the shade. If you go outside the city to some of the hotels near and in the High Atlas Mountains the temperatures are much cooler.
Fall
Once children go back to school the rhythm of life returns to the city. September through November are, like spring, a nice time to visit the city. You’ll have smaller crowds! Chances are you’ll be better able to get a good deal if you want to do some shopping in the fall. Shop owners are anxious to make sales after the slow season in the summer. So go buy a rug!
Winter
We don’t have winter, at least not what most people who live north of us think of as winter. It never snows in Marrakech and if the temperatures drop to 5C it’s a VERY cold night! But, you’ll see that Morocco has a very diverse landscape and climate ranges. In the mountains it snows and so it’s completely possible to go skiing in Oukaimden (about 45 minutes from the city) during winter months. Winter is also our rainy season but don’t be too concerned. Most of the time it rains earlier in the mornings or late in the evenings and only occasionally would it rain all day long.
For those on a budget visiting Marrakech during winter is where you will net the best deal. Over Christmas and New Year, it’s expensive but the rest of the winter is quiet and you can not only get a steal on a rihad but airfares are typically much lower during this time. The Marrakech International Film Festival is held in December bringing big names in film from around the world to the city as well as live public screenings of many big name and indie films.
Moroccan Holidays
Morocco is an Islamic calendar and so the major Muslim holidays do not follow the same calendar as the western world. This means major festivals like Ramadan and Eid al-Adha change when they happen every year. It is important for you to pay attention to when these festivals happen because it will impact your time in Marrakech. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims do not eat or drink from sunrise to sunset. When the time for breaking the fast is near, EVERYTHING will close for about 2-3 hours. You also may experience more shops and activities being closed or having limited hours. For Eid al-Adha (which happens 40 days after the end of Ramadan), everything will again close for at least 3 days and possibly more.
Additional resources to read
On my blog I write a lot about different things to do and see in Marrakech, as well as having an ebook available giving my perspective to visitors of the city. This insiders guide to Marrakech has a great map and more information on good places to eat and things to see when you visit, anytime of year!
More about the blogger:
Amanda is an American expat living in Marrakech with her husband and two boys. She writes the blog MarocMama.com and owns Marrakech Food Tours with her husband, where they show people the authentic side of Marrakech’s’ food culture. You can follow their daily life on Instagram or check into Facebook for regular updates.
