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What to wear in Morocco, in the city and at the beach
What to wear in Morocco, for men and women: cover shoulders and knees in cities, a bit more in the countryside. Swimwear at the beach, a cover-up to leave it, no topless sunbathing. Hassan II Mosque: shoulders and knees covered. Pack a warm layer for the desert and the Atlas.
What to wear in Morocco comes down to one simple rule for men and women alike: cover your shoulders and knees in cities, and a little more in the countryside. At the beach, swimwear is normal, but you put clothes back on to head into town. The only dress code truly imposed on visitors applies to places of worship open to the public, such as the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca.
Everything else is about respecting local customs, not the law. Moroccans themselves dress in every possible way, from jeans to the djellaba. For the desert and the Atlas, think above all about cold evenings. Information checked in November 2026.
What to wear in Morocco: what governments say
Official advice is consistent and stays general. France Diplomatie (the French foreign ministry's travel advice), on its useful information page updated September 15, 2026, recommends “clothing that respects local customs” and “decent and discreet” behavior (our translation).
The UK government suggests loose-fitting clothing that covers the arms, legs and chest. It points out that Morocco is an Islamic country whose laws and customs differ from those many visitors are used to. The Government of Canada asks travelers to dress conservatively and behave discreetly so as not to offend local sensitivities.
None of these texts lists clothing banned in the street. These are cultural guidelines. Also check the travel advice from your own government.
In bigger cities like Marrakech and Casablanca, you'll find locals in everything from jeans and t-shirts to traditional robes.
In the city: Marrakech, Casablanca, Rabat, Fez
In the big cities, the range is wide. In Casablanca or the modern districts of Rabat and Marrakech, many Moroccans wear jeans and a t-shirt. Others wear the djellaba, a long hooded robe, or a headscarf. Nobody will ask you to dress “the Moroccan way.”
The travel company Intrepid Travel sums up the norm: in the main cities, knee-length pants or a skirt with a short-sleeved t-shirt work fine. It considers short shorts, crop tops and tank tops inappropriate.
For men
Dress advice often targets women, but it applies to men too. Amanda Mouttaki, an American living in Morocco who runs the site MarocMama, answers the shorts question this way: yes, but around knee length.
Our advice
In cities and the countryside, choose a shirt or t-shirt that covers your shoulders, with long shorts or lightweight pants. Save tank tops and very short shorts for the beach or the pool.
For women
Female visitors aren't expected to dress like Moroccan women, Intrepid Travel notes. The same guide adds that very form-fitting clothing can draw negative attention. Flowing pants, a long skirt or a midi dress, with a top that covers the shoulders, work everywhere.
A veil is never required in the street. A large scarf is still useful: against the sun, for a religious visit, or to cover your shoulders in the evening. Safety and harassment are covered in our guide to solo female travel in Morocco.
Medinas, small towns and the countryside
The farther you get from tourist areas, the more covering local clothing becomes. Intrepid Travel suggests tunics and long sleeves in more conservative and rural areas. Climates to Travel advises women to avoid shorts and miniskirts, especially in the countryside and outside tourist areas.
In the medinas of Fez or Marrakech, the alleys are narrow and busy. Loose, covering clothes also protect you from the sun there. Shoes matter just as much: guides recommend worn-in walking shoes with good grip, because the paving is uneven and dusty.
Our advice
Choose loose linen or cotton clothes in light colors. They cover you without making you hot, and a single outfit works for the medina, the museum and the restaurant.
What to wear by place
Here are the key guidelines, based on the sources cited in this article.
| Place or situation | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Big cities (modern districts) | Pants or knee-length shorts, t-shirt | Pants, knee-length skirt or dress, short sleeves |
| Medinas, small towns, countryside | Lightweight pants, shoulders covered | Loose outfit, long sleeves or tunic |
| Public beach | Swim trunks or briefs | Swimsuit (one-piece advised by France Diplomatie), cover-up to leave |
| Hotel pool, private beach | Swimsuit | Two-piece is fine; burkini depends on the rules |
| Hassan II Mosque | Shoulders and torso covered, below the knee | Same, headscarf advised by Intrepid Travel |
| Desert and mountains | Long sleeves, hat, warm layer at night | Same |
At the beach and the pool: Essaouira, Agadir, Taghazout
On the beach, swimwear is normal. France Diplomatie recommends choosing a one-piece swimsuit. Amanda Mouttaki, on MarocMama, writes that there is “nothing that makes this wrong” about wearing a bikini at the beach, even if it draws more looks than a one-piece.
On the beaches, you see women swimming fully clothed, in a burkini or in a bikini, the same author notes. For men, swim trunks and Speedo-style briefs are both accepted. Topless sunbathing, however, is not permitted at any of Morocco's beaches, according to MarocMama.
The Government of Canada warns that women in swimsuits can be harassed on public beaches. It recommends tourist beaches. When you leave the beach for town, put a cover-up, shorts or a shirt over your swimsuit.
Watch out
Many beaches have no lifeguards and drownings are frequent, France Diplomatie warns. The UK advises against swimming in isolated areas.
The hotel pool
At a hotel pool or on a private beach, a two-piece is no problem at all, according to MarocMama. Each pool sets its own rules: some do not allow burkinis. If you plan to wear one, ask the hotel before you book.
Essaouira and Taghazout: wind and surf
Essaouira is known for its wind, which blows all year and especially in the afternoon in summer, according to Climates to Travel. The air stays cool: about 22 °C at most in August, 18.5 °C in January. The same site recommends bringing a sweatshirt, even in summer. The sea ranges from 17 °C to 21.5 °C over the year.
In Taghazout, a surfing hot spot, MarocMama recommends a practical swimsuit, water shoes and a rash guard to protect your skin.
Mosques: the dress code at the Hassan II Mosque
For non-Muslims, the question of mosque dress rarely comes up. France Diplomatie points out that non-Muslims are “strictly forbidden” from entering Muslim places of worship (our translation), apart from major tourist sites. Other mosques are admired from the street.
The great exception is the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, which you visit in a group at set times. Its foundation requires clothing that covers the shoulders and torso and reaches below the knees. “Shorts and sleeveless clothes are absolutely forbidden.” You take off your shoes at the entrance and carry them with you: bags are provided.
The official page says nothing about headscarves. Intrepid Travel advises women visiting mosques to wear clothing that covers from ankle to elbow, with the neckline covered and hair under a scarf.
Visiting hours and prices
According to the foundation (checked in November 2026), foreign adults pay 140 DH. The price is 70 DH for Moroccans, residents and foreign students, 30 DH for children over 6 and Moroccan students, and the visit is free under 6.
| Period | Saturday to Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|
| September 16 to March 14 | 9, 10, 11 a.m., noon and 3 p.m. | 9, 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. |
| March 15 to September 15 | 9, 10, 11 a.m., noon, 3 and 4 p.m. | 9, 10 a.m., 3 and 4 p.m. |
| Ramadan | 9, 10, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. | 9 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. |
The rules also ban smoking and drinks during the visit, as well as video cameras and sound devices. You stay with your group, in silence.
At the hammam
The hammam, the traditional steam bath, has its own codes. In a neighborhood hammam, women generally wear only underwear bottoms, and some wear nothing at all, MarocMama explains in its hammam guide. Men there often wrap a towel around their waist.
In a spa or hotel hammam, you are often given disposable bottoms or briefs. A two-piece swimsuit also works for women, but not a delicate or embellished one: the scrub is vigorous. Men wear swim trunks or shorts. Bring a change of clothes that is easy to slip into, and ask on site, because customs vary from one hammam to another.
What to wear in Morocco during Ramadan
During the month of fasting, the codes tighten. France Diplomatie asks visitors to “wear decent clothing” (our translation). The UK warns that clothing that does not meet local dress codes may cause more offense at this time.
Canada says Ramadan is expected to begin on or around February 7, 2027. It should last until around March 14, according to Hambya's Morocco country guide, and official dates are announced a few days beforehand. During the day, refrain from eating, drinking or smoking in public, Canada advises.
Watch out
During Ramadan, you cannot buy alcohol, let alone drink it in public, France Diplomatie points out.
Dressing for the desert and the Atlas
The Merzouga desert
The desert surprises people with its temperature swings. In Errachidia, the reference town of the province that includes Merzouga, at 1,000 m above sea level, the 1991 to 2020 averages range from 3 °C at night to 16 °C by day in January. In July, they range from 26 °C to 39 °C, according to Climates to Travel.
In summer, the same site recommends loose, light-colored, long-sleeved shirts, long pants, a hat, a desert turban and sunglasses. In winter, pack light clothes for the day, but also a sweater, a warm jacket for the evening and a scarf against wind-blown sand.
To plan your night at a desert camp, read our guide to choosing a desert tour from Marrakech.
The High and Middle Atlas
In the mountains, evenings are cool even in spring and fall. For the High Atlas, Intrepid Travel recommends a light fleece or jacket for temperatures around 10 °C. In winter, Climates to Travel recommends a down jacket and gloves. In Ifrane, in the Middle Atlas at 1,650 m, January averages range from -1 °C to 9 °C, and it can snow.
For hiking, the UK advises bringing water, sunscreen and appropriate clothing.
What to pack for Morocco by season
When deciding what to wear in Morocco year-round, the word every guide repeats is “layers.” In Marrakech, summers are very hot, around 37 °C in July, and winter goes from 19 °C by day to 7 °C at night in January, according to Hambya's Morocco country guide.
| Season | Imperial cities | Atlantic coast | Desert and mountains |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Loose, light-colored clothes, hat | Jeans, sweatshirt and light jacket at night | Light long sleeves, desert turban, layer for the night |
| Winter | Sweater, jacket, warm hat for the evening | Jacket, sweater, raincoat | Down jacket, gloves in the mountains; warm jacket in the desert |
| Spring, fall | Light layers, fleece | Windbreaker, sweatshirt | Fleece for evenings around 10 °C in the Atlas |
For unheated buildings in winter, Climates to Travel recommends thermal leggings, a fleece and a warm hat to sleep in.
The basic list
- two or three pairs of loose, lightweight pants or long skirts;
- t-shirts and shirts that cover the shoulders, including one with long sleeves;
- a large scarf, useful against sun and wind and for visits;
- a swimsuit and a sarong or shirt to leave the beach;
- a fleece or light jacket, plus a down jacket in winter for the desert and the Atlas;
- worn-in walking shoes and sandals;
- a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen;
- a change of underwear for the hammam.
Before you go
Entry requirements depend on your passport: check your case on our Morocco entry requirements page. If you need a visa, apply one to two weeks before departure. Health, money, climate and regions are summarized in our Morocco country guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can you wear shorts in Morocco?
Yes, especially in modern districts, at the beach and at the pool. MarocMama advises men to wear knee-length rather than short shorts. For women, Climates to Travel advises against shorts and miniskirts in the countryside and outside tourist areas.
Do you have to cover your hair in Morocco?
No, no rule requires female visitors to do so in the street. A scarf is advised for visiting a mosque open to the public, such as the Hassan II Mosque.
Can you wear a bikini in Morocco?
Yes, at the beach, at the pool and on private beaches. France Diplomatie recommends a one-piece on public beaches. Topless sunbathing is not permitted on any beach, and you cover up to leave the sand.
What to wear in Morocco in winter?
Layers: a sweater and jacket in cities, a raincoat on the coast, a down jacket and gloves in the mountains. In the desert, January nights drop to around 3 °C on average in Errachidia.