Best Time to Visit Marrakech

General & Geography

Marrakech is an important city in the African state of Morocco. It’s the fourth largest city in the country.

Marrakesh is the capital of the economic region Tensift-El Haouz and the most important of all former imperial cities. Berbers lived in this town during the Neolithic period. Abu Bakr ibn Umar, the chief and cousin of the king of the Almoravids Yusuf ibn Tashfin, founded Marrakech in 1062.

The Almoravids built many schools and mosques in the city. Marrakech has the name “Red City” because much of it consists of red sandstone. The metropolis quickly grew in size and became a cultural, religious and commercial center for sub-Saharan Africa. One of the parts of the city, Jemaa el-Fna, is the busiest part of Africa. The mayor of Marrakech, Fatima Zahra Mansouri, is the second mayor of Morocco.

The Moroccan currency is the dirham. The Moroccan Dirham is a restricted currency, which means it cannot be taken out of the country and is also not available abroad (with a few exceptions). However, the Moroccan currency is fairly stable and unaffected by large exchange rate fluctuations.

Marrakech has an international airport, which is served by numerous cities in Europe.

Climate in Marrakech

In the southern interior of the lowlands, the Moroccan metropolis has an average winter temperature of 18 °C and a summer temperature of 37 °C. The hottest months of the year are July, August and September. Since the air in the region is very dry, the temperatures are usually perceived as well bearable.

However, Marrakech and the lowlands of Morocco can become oppressively hot in summer, often in the midday sun even above 38 °C, when the desert winds blow from the Sahara (known as the Schirokko or Chergui). It’s sunny most of the year. Winters are mild, but bring some wetter rainy days with them.

Spring brings a breath of fresh air to the Red City. The surrounding valleys show a multitude of bright flowers. Sunshine prevails and the average daily highs are between 23 °C to 27 °C. Rain showers can be a factor in April and May, so pack an umbrella to be on the safe side.

In summer you should make sure you have sufficient breaks in the shade and a good water supply. Despite the high temperatures, summer is considered the main season in Marrakech. In October it then cools down slowly, whereby the daily values still remain far above the 25 °C mark.