Late-December weather: sunny days, cold nights
The 1991-2020 normals for the Marrakech-Menara weather station give December an average high of 20.1 °C and an average low of 7.3 °C; in January, 19.1 °C and 5.9 °C. It rains on about four days in December, for around 24 mm in total: most days are dry and bright. In the afternoon you can have lunch on a terrace in a light jumper, but the temperature drops fast after sunset, and clear nights can approach 0 °C.
Medina houses are built for summer, around an open courtyard: before booking a riad, ask whether every room is heated (reversible air conditioning, a radiator or a fireplace). An unheated riad can be very uncomfortable in late December. Evening outings in the desert or the mountains call for winter clothing, not just a jacket.
The month-by-month detail and how to pick a season are in our guide to the best time to visit Marrakech.
Crowds and prices: the winter high season
The festive period draws large numbers of European travellers. In 2026-2027, the Christmas school holidays run from 19 December 2026 to 4 January 2027 in France, and from 21 December to 3 January in Spain. Between those dates, and especially around 31 December, riads and hotels charge their highest winter rates, flights are expensive and the best-known sites, such as the Jardin Majorelle, are packed.
- Book in the autumn: accommodation, flights and your New Year's Eve dinner.
- Read the terms: some places include a gala dinner in the rate for the night of the 31st, others charge it as an extra; check any minimum stay and the cancellation terms.
- Book your visits: tickets for the Jardin Majorelle, open from 8 am, are sold only on its official website.
Christmas in Marrakech
25 December is not a public holiday in Morocco: shops, souks and monuments operate as usual. The Christmas atmosphere is found mainly in the large hotels, which decorate their lobbies and offer festive menus.
Christmas mass at the Church of the Holy Martyrs
For Catholics, the place to go is the Church of the Holy Martyrs, on Rue El Imam Ali, in Gueliz. Built in 1928 and consecrated in 1929, it is dedicated to the Franciscans martyred in Marrakech in 1220 and is still served by Franciscan priests. Outside the holidays, mass is celebrated at 7 pm on weekdays, at 6.30 pm on Saturdays, and on Sundays at 10.30 am in French and 12.30 pm in English. Times for the Christmas Eve vigil on 24 December and the mass on the 25th are announced by the parish in December: check at the church a few days before and arrive early, as the Christmas services draw a large congregation.
Christmas lunch in a palace hotel
La Mamounia publishes a festive programme. The 2025-2026 programme included a Christmas menu on 24 and 25 December at L'Italien by Simone Zanoni, at MAD 2,800 per person, and a Christmas brunch on 25 December at the Pavillon de la Piscine, at MAD 2,000 per person including a glass of champagne or a non-alcoholic drink. As of 1 October 2026, the programme on display was still the 2025-2026 one: these prices give an idea of the level.
New Year's Eve
31 December 2026 falls on a Thursday, and 1 January 2027 on a Friday. There are several options, from a palace dinner to an evening under canvas.
In a palace hotel: La Mamounia
La Mamounia's New Year's Eve dinners are the most sought-after in the city. For 31 December 2025, prices per person ranged from MAD 4,200 at the Majorelle Gallery to MAD 5,500 at Le Marocain and L'Asiatique by Jean-Georges, MAD 6,000 at L'Italien and L'Œnothèque, and MAD 8,000 at the Mamounia Gallery. On 1 January, a brunch was served at the Pavillon de la Piscine for MAD 2,000 per person. Smart dress is required, as all year round: no shorts after 6 pm and no flip-flops. Places go quickly: book as soon as the 2026-2027 programme is published.
In a camp in the Agafay desert
Some forty kilometres south-west of the city, several camps in the Agafay desert hold a New Year's Eve party: dinner, Gnawa musicians, dancers, then a DJ around the fire. As an example, for 31 December 2025, Les Terrasses d'Agafay charged MAD 2,000 per person for the evening only and MAD 5,000 including the night on site, drinks included, with a glass of champagne at midnight, and full non-refundable payment on booking. Check exactly what the package covers, particularly the transfer from Marrakech and the return time, and bring warm clothes: New Year's Eve is cold on this stony plateau.
In a riad or a hotel
Many riads and hotels prepare a festive dinner for their guests, often with musicians: the simplest option if you want to avoid travelling at night. The bars, clubs and dinner shows of Hivernage also hold parties: how they work is explained in our guide to Marrakech at night.
On Jemaa el-Fna square
Jemaa el-Fna square comes alive as it does every evening, with its grill stalls, musicians and storytellers, and the crowd is especially dense during the end-of-year holidays. The Gregorian New Year is not traditionally celebrated there: come for the atmosphere of the square rather than for a countdown, and without alcohol, which is not served there. Allow around MAD 40 to 80 per person for a meal at the stalls. In the crush, keep your phone and wallet in a closed pocket, and expect a few areas still under works as part of the square's redevelopment.
Alcohol over the holidays
Alcohol is served only in licensed establishments (hotels, bars, some restaurants in Gueliz and Hivernage); many riads do not serve it. If a glass of champagne at midnight matters to you, ask before booking, or do your shopping before the evening of the 31st in the separate section of a supermarket in the new town. The rules are set out in detail in Marrakech at night.
1 January and the January public holidays
1 January is a public holiday in Morocco, as are 11 January (anniversary of the Proclamation of Independence Manifesto) and the Amazigh New Year, celebrated on 14 January in 2027. Banks, government offices and post offices close on those days. The main tourist sites, however, list daily opening: the Jardin Majorelle from 8 am to 6.30 pm, and the Bahia Palace, El Badi Palace and Saadian Tombs from 9 am to 5 pm. As 1 January 2027 is a Friday, some shops in the souks close during the midday prayer.
A day in the snow at Oukaimeden
About 80 km south of Marrakech, the Oukaimeden resort starts at an altitude of 2,620 m: it is the highest winter sports resort in Africa. When there is snow, the trip offers a striking contrast with the palm trees of the city, provided you keep your expectations realistic:
- Snow cover is unreliable. The season runs in principle from December to March, but in some years there is not enough snow in late December. Check the forecast the day before.
- The ski area runs at a reduced level. Since 2020, lift operation and piste maintenance have been minimal, owing to the pandemic, the 2023 earthquake and the lack of snow; the resort's renovation project was relaunched in 2026. Before going to ski, find out which lifts are running.
- Sledging and walking in the snow remain possible without a lift.
- The road runs through the Ourika Valley and then climbs in hairpin bends: go with an experienced driver or on an organised trip.
Before and after the holidays: film festival and marathon
Two major events frame the period without overlapping it.
- The Marrakech International Film Festival holds its 23rd edition from 20 to 28 November 2026, at the Palais des Congrès in Hivernage. Screenings are free, subject to available seats. If your dates are flexible, a late-November trip combines the festival with lower prices than over the holidays.
- The Marrakech International Marathon is run on Sunday 31 January 2027 (37th edition), with a half marathon the same morning and a 5 km race the day before. Entry is listed at €80 for the marathon and €60 for the half, plus a €5 fee. That weekend coincides with the Moroccan mid-year school holidays (24 to 31 January 2027): the city fills up again.
What to pack
- Layers: a jumper for the day, a proper warm jacket, a scarf and a hat for the evenings, Agafay and Oukaimeden.
- Warm pyjamas and thick socks for the riad.
- Sunglasses and sunscreen: the winter sun is strong.
- Closed shoes, waterproof for the mountains.
- Smart clothes for New Year's Eve, and an outfit covering shoulders and knees for mass. See what to wear in Marrakech.
Summary: the holidays in Marrakech at a glance
| Date | What | Where | Price or key info |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 December 2026 to 4 January 2027 | French Christmas holidays, peak visitor numbers | Whole city | Book in the autumn |
| 24 and 25 December | Christmas masses | Church of the Holy Martyrs, Gueliz | Free; times announced by the parish in December |
| 24 and 25 December | Christmas menu and brunch | La Mamounia | MAD 2,800 and MAD 2,000 per person (2025-2026 programme) |
| 31 December | New Year's Eve dinner | La Mamounia | MAD 4,200 to 8,000 per person (2025-2026 programme) |
| 31 December | New Year's Eve party in a camp | Agafay desert, 40 km south-west | Example: MAD 2,000 for the evening, MAD 5,000 with the night (2025) |
| 31 December | Evening on the square | Jemaa el-Fna | Free entry; MAD 40 to 80 for a meal at the stalls |
| 1 January 2027 | Public holiday, monuments open | Whole city | Brunch at La Mamounia: MAD 2,000 (2025-2026) |
| December to March | Snow and sledging | Oukaimeden, 80 km south | Depends on snow; check lifts |
| 11 and 14 January 2027 | Public holidays | Whole city | Banks and government offices closed |
| 31 January 2027 | Marathon and half marathon | Start on Avenue de la Ménara | €80 and €60, plus a €5 fee |
Prices as checked in October 2026; prices for the 2026-2027 holidays will be set by each establishment in the autumn.
Further reading
To choose a neighbourhood to stay in over the holidays, and a well-heated riad, read our guide on where to stay in Marrakech. To estimate your spending in high season, see our Marrakech travel budget, and for a trip for two over the holidays, our ideas for a romantic Marrakech.
