Christmas in Morocco: Mass, Weather and Where to Spend It

Christmas in Morocco is a quiet surprise for many travelers. Morocco is a Muslim country and 25 December is a normal working day. However, the week between Christmas and New Year is one of the busiest of the year for visitors. You can hear midnight mass in a century old church or eat a festive dinner in a Marrakech riad. You can also spend Christmas night by a campfire in the Sahara. This guide explains how Christmas in Morocco really works: what is open, where to find a church, the weather, prices and the best places to go.

Is Christmas celebrated in Morocco?

Not as a national holiday. Christmas Day is not on the list of public holidays, so souks and banks keep their normal hours (Morocco public holidays). New Year’s Day is different: 1 January is a public holiday, and banks and government offices close.

Morocco does have a small Christian community. A report on Christmas mass in Morocco puts it at about 30,000 people, mostly foreign residents, students from sub-Saharan Africa and expatriates. For them, and for the many visitors who arrive in late December, churches hold Christmas services in the main cities.

In tourist areas you will also see a festive side. Many hotels and riads in Marrakech decorate for the season and offer special Christmas Eve menus. In addition, the modern Gueliz district feels more European than the medina. Meanwhile, in the medina and the villages, life goes on as usual. That is part of the charm of Christmas in Morocco.

Christmas mass in Morocco: churches by city

If going to church is part of your Christmas, you have real options. For example, churches in Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakech, Tangier, Agadir and El Jadida hold Catholic midnight mass on Christmas Eve.

Rabat: Cathedral of Saint Peter

The Cathedral of Saint Peter is the seat of the Archdiocese of Rabat and holds a midnight mass every Christmas Eve. It sits in the centre of the new town, an easy walk from the imperial city sights.

Casablanca: Notre Dame de Lourdes

This church was built in 1954 and is listed as national cultural heritage. It is famous for its huge stained glass windows by Gabriel Loire, and it hosts midnight mass on Christmas Eve.

Christmas mass in Marrakech: Church of the Holy Martyrs

The Church of the Holy Martyrs in Gueliz was built in 1928. It takes its name from five Franciscan friars who died in Marrakech in 1220. Its bell tower stands on the same street as a mosque. This is the church to visit for Christmas in Marrakech.

Tangier: Saint Andrew’s Church

The Anglican Saint Andrew’s Church was completed in 1894 and consecrated in 1905. It has a Moorish style, with a bell tower shaped like a minaret. The writer Walter Harris is buried in its churchyard.

Where to spend Christmas in Morocco

Christmas in Marrakech: riads and festive dinners

Marrakech is the most popular city for Christmas in Morocco. Stay in a riad in the medina, walk through Jemaa el Fna at night, and book a festive dinner in Gueliz. For something different, take the Agafay desert sunset camel ride and dinner, just outside the city.

Christmas in the Sahara desert: a night under the stars

A night in the dunes of Erg Chebbi is the most memorable way to spend Christmas in Morocco. During the day it is sunny, and after dinner the camp lights a fire under the stars. Our 3 day Marrakech to Sahara tour fits neatly into Christmas week. Alternatively, the 4 day Marrakech Sahara tour adds more time in the valleys and gorges. Read Merzouga in December to know what the nights are like.

The Atlas Mountains: a white Christmas

In a good winter, snow covers the peaks of the High Atlas. Imlil, at the foot of Toubkal, is the best place to feel a snowy Christmas in Morocco, with mountain lodges and log fires. Go for a day with our Imlil and Toubkal National Park day trip, or see Morocco in winter for skiing and snow.

Essaouira and the coast: a mild Christmas

The Atlantic coast is the warmest part of Morocco in December. Essaouira is breezy, relaxed and ideal for a slow Christmas Day by the sea. It is an easy day trip from Marrakech, and our guide to the best beaches in Morocco covers the rest of the coast.

Morocco in December: weather for Christmas in Morocco

December is sunny and dry in most of the country, but the nights are cold everywhere. According to Rough Guides, these are typical December conditions:

• Marrakech: pleasant days around 18°C, cold nights between 4°C and 8°C.
• Sahara: warm days of about 20°C in Merzouga (Merzouga climate data), while nights in the open desert can drop close to freezing.
• Atlas Mountains: snow on the high peaks, and nights below zero.
• Atlantic coast: mild days of 17°C to 22°C in Essaouira and Agadir, often windy.

Because of this, pack warm layers for the evenings, a hat and gloves for the desert, and read what to pack for the Sahara before you travel.

Christmas in Morocco: crowds, prices and booking

The days from 20 December to 2 January are peak season. European families arrive for the school holidays, so flights fill up. As a result, many riads and hotels raise their prices or ask for a minimum stay. Desert camps fill up fast for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

• Book your accommodation and private tour two to three months ahead.
• Travel to the desert on 22 or 23 December, or on 26 December, to avoid the busiest nights.
• Check the real budget in our guide to Morocco desert tour cost.
• Carry some cash for 1 January, when banks are closed. See cash in Morocco.

Staying for the countdown? Our guide to New Year in the Sahara explains how New Year’s Eve works at a desert camp.

Christmas holidays in Morocco: a simple week plan

Here is one easy way to plan Christmas in Morocco with a private driver. Arrive in Marrakech on 23 December and spend Christmas Eve in the medina, with dinner in a riad or midnight mass in Gueliz. On 25 December, leave for the Sahara over the Tizi n’Tichka pass, past kasbahs and palm valleys. Spend 26 December in the dunes, with a camel ride at sunset and a night at camp. Then return to Marrakech or continue to Fes. Finally, finish with a day in Essaouira or Imlil before you fly home.

Prefer a longer trip? The 7 day imperial cities and Sahara tour combines Rabat, Fes and the desert. You can hear mass in the capital and still sleep in the dunes. Also check the best time to visit Morocco if your dates are flexible.

FAQ: Christmas in Morocco

Is Christmas a public holiday in Morocco?

No. In fact, 25 December is a normal working day, and shops, souks and banks are open. New Year’s Day on 1 January is a public holiday.

Can you go to Christmas mass in Morocco?

Yes. Churches in Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakech, Tangier, Agadir and El Jadida hold midnight mass. In Marrakech, go to the Church of the Holy Martyrs in Gueliz.

Is Morocco a good place to spend Christmas?

Yes. The weather is sunny, the cities are lively and you can spend Christmas night in a Sahara camp. Book early, because Christmas week is peak season.

Is it cold in Morocco at Christmas?

Days are mild, around 18°C to 20°C in Marrakech and the Sahara. Nights are cold and can be close to freezing in the desert. There is often snow in the Atlas Mountains.

Is Christmas in Morocco expensive?

Yes, it is the most expensive week of the winter. Riads and hotels raise their rates and fill up early, so book two to three months ahead for the best choice.

Where is Christmas mass in Marrakech?

Christmas mass in Marrakech is held at the Church of the Holy Martyrs in Gueliz. Ask your riad or us to confirm the time a few days before.

Is December a good time to visit Morocco?

Yes. Morocco in December is sunny and dry in most places, with mild days and cold nights. Book early for the Christmas holidays, when prices are highest.

Can I book a Christmas tour in Morocco?

Yes. Private tours with a driver can be booked for Christmas week, including a night in the Sahara. Book two to three months ahead.