Morocco Local Customs

  aussirose & Howie enjoy Tagine in...
by aussirose
 
  • aussirose & Howie enjoy Tagine in Marrakech
      aussirose & Howie enjoy Tagine in...
    by aussirose
  •   Local Customs
    by Robin020
  •   Local Customs
    by Robin020
  •   Local Customs
    by Robin020
  •   Local Customs
    by Robin020
 

Most Viewed Local Customs in Morocco

1.

Djellabas and kaftans   Marrakesh

Djellabas and kaftans, Marrakesh

 6 Reviews   The traditional Moroccan dress for both men and women is this long hooded garment known as a djellaba. It seems very practical – the body is protected from weather and from the dirt of the street,... 

 See All 104 Local Customs in Marrakesh

2.

Bargain!   Marrakesh

Bargain!, Marrakesh

 9 Reviews  When in Marrakesh expect to have to haggle for everything! Some general tips: - Have a maximum price in mind for the item and offer slightly below it. - If they offer you a ridiculously high price... 

 See All 104 Local Customs in Marrakesh

3.

Henna Ladies   Marrakesh

Henna Ladies, Marrakesh

 3 Reviews  Moroccan ladies desperate to paint henna designs on foreigners' hands and feet seem to be everywhere in the Medina, with the biggest concentration in el Djemaa el Fna. There are two types: natural... 

 See All 104 Local Customs in Marrakesh

4.

Moroccan Wine   Marrakesh

Moroccan Wine, Marrakesh

 2 Reviews  Despite the huge growth in tourism in Marrakech, it's still surprisingly difficult to find places selling alcohol, especially in the medina. On our last night in the city, we wanted to get some wine... 

 See All 104 Local Customs in Marrakesh

5.

Moroccan music   Marrakesh

Moroccan music, Marrakesh

 3 Reviews  The Jmaa El Fna square is a UNESCO heritage site, largely due to the story tellers that pass on stories in Arabic, but also note the musicians and various other stalls. However, be prepared to pay a... 

 See All 104 Local Customs in Marrakesh

6.

Water man   Marrakesh

Water man, Marrakesh

 2 Reviews  Around the Medina and some of the historical sites you will see men in funny looking attire with brass cups hanging off them. These are water men who supply the locals with water usually from local... 

 See All 104 Local Customs in Marrakesh

7.

Public Baths   Marrakesh

Public Baths, Marrakesh

 2 Reviews  Hamman Ziani is just down the road from Palais Bahia. It is a traditional style Hamman catering for tourists. 80Dh for Hammam, Steam, Gommage and Soaping - compared to 150 Dh at our hotel spa. I took... 

 See All 104 Local Customs in Marrakesh

8.

Taking Photos   Marrakesh

Taking Photos, Marrakesh

 1 Review  This advice isn't unique to Morocco, but it's the first time I've been brave enough to try it and it worked a treat: I always look in travel magazines and books and am amazed at the magnificent... 

 See All 104 Local Customs in Marrakesh

9.

The Pink City   Marrakesh

The Pink City, Marrakesh

 1 Review  Well all the houses inside and, nearly all outside are pink ... why??? well the material with wich the outside wall makes the wall be pink, ... nowadays people MUST by law paint their houses that way... 

 See All 104 Local Customs in Marrakesh

Great Prices, Great Rooms
hotels.com We Know Hotels Inside And Out. Click or call now: 1-800-914-6835
Excellent Value Hotels
Select-A-Room.com Online Hotel Reservations Worldwide Great prices, instant availability

Sponsored Links

Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Pastilla

by angiebabe

A traditional sweet-savoury usuallly following the main dishes is pastilla - a tradition that could solve our problem with our over abundance of pigeons in London ha ha?! (and why theres not so many pigeons pooing all over Djma Elfna!?)Traditionally made with pigeon in many places this is now made with chicken instead - and its rather delicious. Layers of pastry with moist pigeon or chicken baked and then icing sugar and cinnamon served over the top.I went to a wedding in Casablanca last year and we had a pastilla with shrimps and fine noodles and other small bits of seafood - it was a very delicious version as well!Anyway pigeon or chicken pastilla is well worth taking the opportunity to try if you come across it on the menu. This photo is taken of a return to Cafe Toubkal at Djma Elfna recently and had pastilla and coffee again.

Tip Photo
Sugar cane

by solopes

I was not expecting to see sugar cane in what I supposed that it would be only desert, but in the coast, near Rabat there were large sugar cane plantations artificially irrigated. A surprise, for me, in Moroccan way of life.

Tip Photo
Schools and education in Morocco

by angiebabe

The literacy rate is said to have been increasing especially the female literacy rate since the present King has been on the throne - by having more schools and that is including the remote areas of which there are many many people and villages in Morocco many miles from cities and with only small or minor road access or even only piste or 4x4 access - apparently more is being done to enable children to get to school but it is not to say that arent cases of children having to walk an hour and an hour home again to receive an education.Add to this that there are many people with very low incomes - enough to survive by herding goats all day or that is the job of the women and girls in the family while the husband stays away in town if hes found a job there - so there are many situations for a family to let their children go to school requires quite amotivation and to be able to continue on...

Sahara Pizza - Rissani

by angiebabe

Found out this year the locals trick to getting Sahara Pizza - go to the souk and get all the bits you need such as the meat you want from the butcher you want (all the fat cut off if you want!), go to the vege stalls and get your red onions and coriander, go the nut stall and get some almonds!!, go to the spice stalls and get your 45 or 55 spices! then take it to who you know - maybe the butcher - and get them to chop or crush it all up in teeny bits and mix it - then take it to the bread man who has the dough and he will in about 2 minutes have your sahara pizza mix turned into a pizza cooking in the oven!Just a great delicious concoction for a start - and you know whats going into it - and its cheaper - a pretty big one that we made that gave 3 people 2 and 3 big pieces for only 70 dirham

Tip Photo
Left over fish? Feed the cat, dawg...

by JamalMorelli

Islam has a special place for cats and so, by proxy, Morocco. There is a story that a cat was sleeping on the sleeve of the Prophet when the call to prayer was heard. Rather than wake the cat to pray, he cut the sleeve off his jellaba so as not to disturb him.Old women will collect left over scraps and dump them somewhere the cats can get to them.SO! Be a cat defender: if any cafe owner has to impress you with what he thinks are your "western" sensibilities (or even expresses his own personal aggressiveness towards them) and is mean to Sidi Qatta bin Meow, fight back - and let him the cat's with you, boo.

Tip Photo
Bargaining in Morocco, pt 2 - Winning the Game

by JamalMorelli

Winning a bargaining battle means you don't get mad.So, to lessen frustration and increase happy bargaining1)Know the price before you get there2)Pay only what you want to pay3)Don't allow emotions to sway you4)Learn arabic or frenchYou are here to have a beautiful journey - don't get lost raging in the sooq. Rage in any language translates to some sort of incompetence. Prepare for your trip.For those who feel that preparing in advance should be done by the seller - well, as we helpfully say on the Riverwalk of New Orleans after you lose your first guessing bet, "Never play another man's game. You can never win at another man's game." Things you will say in this situation: HEAR MOROCCAN ARABIC: Salaam alikoom HEAR MOROCCAN ARABIC: SHUKRAN! HEAR MOROCCAN ARABIC: Smeheliya - excuse me HEAR MOROCCAN ARABIC: la bas? HEAR MOROCCAN ARABIC: Bishal Haddak? - How much?HEAR MOROCCAN ARABIC:...

School Custom: Drop out

by JamalMorelli

In an effort to make the donor activities more responsive to Morocco’s education issues, USAID and the MNE chaired a very well attended session on the serious subject of school drop-out. While Morocco has made great strides in increasing first grade enrollment (92% average), much remains to be done to ensure that those students enrolled complete primary school, let alone middle, or high school. Some 400,000 children dropped out of school during the 2004-2005 school year, which is embarrassingly high (some 5 million total are in the system through high school).The final conclusion of the meeting was the need to create a national observatory, involving relevant parties, including those with field experience, as well as donors. Another outcome was to encourage regional MNE staff to organize “caravans” that would share experiences with the prevention of drop-out or their reintegration in the...

Tip Photo
Bargaining in Morocco, pt 3

by JamalMorelli

This one requires you to be tough, but I'm starting to think you may not be the hopeless wuss everyone makes you to be.1) Fix the price in your head and get the money ready2) Take the item and Hand the amount of money without talkingNow, he doesn't know what you know. He is most likely going to either take all of it or give you change. If he asks for more, take your money back and go. Chances are, it won't come to that and you will have your item.I totally recommend this tip for you regarding buying street food like fruits or nuts - works better than asking which only proves your greeness to them.

Have a massage in Marrakech

by cadzand

While visiting this medical herbs shop, we've got full information about the healing qualities of different medical herbs and oils. If you like you can even get an inexpensive massage.Herboristerie Avenzoar and Ibn Bayas Phone 212 44.42.67.28 212 44.39.14.47 Rue sid el yamani Kssour - Marrakech Medina - Maroc

Music in Morocco

by angiebabe

Get involved with Moroccans - whether they are Arab, Berber or from wherever around Morocco - and you will discover they love music!and in Morocco the music has such a rich range. Berber music, itself with a range from tribe to tribe and thus area to area - and not only the diversities between the Mountain and Desert Berber tribes You can find tapes and CDs for sale at music stalls in pretty much every town around Morocco, and in the cities main squares - such as Djma Elfna in Marrakech - but haggle here as unless youre a local/Moroccan they charge double! (and while here get a copy of the Africa Twareg CD that seems to be in every Moroccans music collection! it is an excellent CD!)Stopping in at stalls in towns around Morocco can also be good also for picking up music from that area eg Khenifra, Rissani, Chefchouen, Imilchil have their own styles of musicIve also bought many tapes and...

Tip Photo
Local traditions and culture in Morocco

Top 3 Hotels in Morocco

Riad Kniza  Marrakesh

 2 Reviews and 563 Opinions  Beautifully decorated room, cozy aura, clean bathroom, delicious food and warmhearted staff. I got... 

 Hotels in Marrakesh

Hyatt Regency  Casablanca

 5 Reviews and 137 Opinions  I worked very hard during the day in a office witout air conditioned. You can understand how I was... 

 Hotels in Casablanca

Villa Maroc  Essaouira

 4 Reviews and 152 Opinions  Suites #27, #29,#30 are built around an open central light well. There is no way to insulate any of... 

 Hotels in Essaouira

1,497 Hotels in Morocco
 
Explore the World
Travel Destinations

The Place

Reviews and photos of Morocco attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Morocco sightseeing.

Experience Morocco
Local Customs: Cities in Morocco
  1. Marrakesh Local Customs
  2. Casablanca Local Customs
  3. Agadir Local Customs
  4. Tangier Local Customs
  5. Fes Local Customs
  6. Essaouira Local Customs
  7. Rabat Local Customs
  8. Ouarzazate Local Customs
  9. Merzouga Local Customs
  10. Agadir Local Customs
  11. Tetouan Local Customs
  12. Meknes Local Customs
  13. Asilah Local Customs
  14. Taza Local Customs
  15. Zagora Local Customs
  16. Rissani Local Customs
  17. Tafraoute Local Customs
  18. Ait Ben Haddou Local Customs
  19. Larache Local Customs
  20. Chefchaouene Local Customs
  21. Telouet Local Customs
  22. El Goumt du Dades Local Customs
  23. Volubilis Local Customs
  24. Tinerhir Local Customs
  25. Atlas Local Customs
  26. Setti Fatma Local Customs
  27. Sale Local Customs
  28. Azrou Local Customs
  29. Erfoud Local Customs
  30. Taroudannt Local Customs
  31. El Kelaa des Mgouna Local Customs
  32. Taghazout Local Customs
  33. Fes al Bali Local Customs
  34. Agdz Local Customs
  35. Safi Local Customs
  36. Oualidia Local Customs

More Cities in Morocco

 

Popular Regions in Morocco

Wilaya de Marrakech Local Customs  Wilaya de Casablanca Local Customs  Province d' Ouarzazate Local Customs  Province de Tanger Local Customs  Province de Figuig Local Customs  Wilaya de Rabat-Sale Local Customs  Province d' Essaouira Local Customs  Province d' Er Rachidia Local Customs  Province d' Agadir Local Customs  Province de Tiznit Local Customs  Wilaya de Meknes Local Customs  Province de Tetouan Local Customs  Province d' El Jadida Local Customs 

More Regions in Morocco

Questions and Answers

robyn66 profile photo

Q:  Hi all, I am a woman traveling solo and would like to take a tour (for safety reasons) to Morocco. I would prefer a small,... 

KShezz profile photo

A: I like to use this site for weather predictions..not only can you get a quite reliable ( I think) weather forecast you can also look up previous years weather to be able... 

Read 6 Replies

postQuestion_button

Click here for best deals for Morocco

Save money, Book now !
Booking.com Excellent choice, Low rates
Save up to 50% off Hotels Everyday
Expedia.com Photos, Reviews and the Guaranteed Lowest Prices
Excellent Value Hotels
Select-A-Room.com Online Hotel Reservations Worldwide Great prices, instant availability
Save money, Book now !
Booking.com Excellent choice, Low rates

Sponsored Links