Moroccan Culture and Traditions You Should Know

Morocco is layered — Amazigh (Berber), Arab, Andalusian, African and French influences all sit on top of one another. Understanding a few of its customs turns a good trip into a genuinely warm one.

Hospitality is close to an obligation

Guests are treated with a seriousness that surprises many visitors. Being invited in for tea, or offered food you did not ask for, is not a transaction — declining outright can read as a slight. If you genuinely cannot stay, decline warmly and with thanks rather than briskly.

The tea ritual

Mint tea — green tea, fresh mint and a great deal of sugar — is poured from height to aerate it and build a head of foam. It is served three times, and there is an old saying that the first glass is gentle as life, the second strong as love, the third bitter as death. Taking at least one glass is the polite move.

Language

Darija (Moroccan Arabic) is the everyday language, with Amazigh widely spoken in the mountains and the south. French is common in business and cities, and Spanish in the north. English is increasingly spoken in tourism. A greeting in Darija always lands well.

Dress and mosques

Modest dress is appreciated, particularly outside the cities. Non-Muslims cannot enter most working mosques in Morocco — the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca is the notable exception and welcomes guided visits. Medersas (old Quranic schools) such as Bou Inania in Fes are open to everyone and are architecturally stunning.

Ramadan

During Ramadan, most Moroccans fast from dawn to sunset. Tourism carries on and restaurants in tourist areas stay open, but eating, drinking or smoking openly in the street during daylight is discouraged. In exchange you get to experience iftar — the breaking of the fast — which is one of the most convivial meals of the year.

Small courtesies that matter

• Use your right hand for eating and for handing things over.
• Ask before photographing people, especially women and vendors.
• Remove your shoes when entering a home or a tented salon.
• Greet shopkeepers before asking a price — the greeting comes first.
• Public displays of affection are best kept discreet.