How Does Dress Code Work in Morocco?
Last verified: 2025-06 · Middle East
1The Quick Answer
Dress modestly throughout Morocco — cover shoulders and knees especially in medinas, souks, and rural areas.
2What You Need to Know
Morocco is a conservative Muslim country and modest dress is not just respectful but reduces harassment significantly, particularly for women. Cover shoulders and knees when walking through medinas, visiting towns, and in all rural areas. Beachwear should stay at the beach or pool. Marrakech and Casablanca are the most relaxed cities, but even there, very revealing clothing in medinas draws unwanted attention. Men should also avoid shirtless walking in non-beach areas. During Ramadan, modest dress is even more important.
3Practical Tips
Practical Tips
- 1Women travelling solo should pack loose-fitting, light fabrics that cover arms and legs — this dramatically reduces street harassment in medinas and souks.
- 2A lightweight scarf is invaluable: it serves as a head covering when visiting religious sites, a shoulder cover, and protection from desert sun.
- 3In Agadir and other resort towns, Western-style beachwear is widely accepted at hotels and beach clubs, but cover up when walking into town.
Important Warning
Women travelling alone in conservative areas and medinas face persistent verbal harassment regardless of dress, but revealing clothing significantly increases its frequency and intensity.
How does this compare?
Dress Code rules in nearby and similar countries:
Dress modestly in public. Shoulders and knees should be covered in malls, markets, and public areas. Swimwear is only for beaches and pools.
Cover shoulders and knees in most public areas; swimwear is fine at Red Sea and Mediterranean resorts.
Foreign women are no longer required to wear an abaya, but modest dress covering shoulders and knees is expected in public.
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