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Sunny days are plentiful in Marrakech. The climate is dry all year round, with thunderstorms in early autumn and occasional downpours in winter. The best times to visit are late spring and early autumn, when the days are still long enough to get plenty of sightseeing in. Winter is pleasant with bright days – and you could even nip up to Oukaïmeden in the Atlas to see the snow. In summer, the temperatures can rise to 40°C and although the days are long, the heat haze masks mountain views. Essaouira has a more temperate climate than Marrakech, rarely rising above 26°C and never less than 10°C. From March to mid-September, the alizé winds blow, to the delight of windsurfers but others can find the constant wind trying. (Winter is a better time for other surfers.) If you want to do some hiking, May and June are a good months. The snows have gone from all but the highest peaks and the heat has yet to come down. The summer low season in Marrakech is a thing of the past – although riad prices tend to be lower. Christmas and New Year are very busy, and May sees large numbers of French visitors taking extra days off work to bridge between bank holidays. Summer is busy with French-born Moroccans back spending time with family. The month of Ramadan is not the ideal time to visit Marrakech. (In 2004, Ramadan begins on 15 October and ends 12 November. The start of the month moves forward 11 days each year.) During this time, Moroccans refrain from eating and drinking during daylight hours, which means that tempers fray and service and driving standards deteriorate somewhat. Life is a bit painful for smokers and those who like a drink, as many bars close too. Two months after the end of Ramadan comes Aïd el Kebir, ‘the feast of the sacrifice’ and the major holiday of the Muslim calendar. The next Aïd will be 31 January 2005. Public transport gets very busy, as this is a time when people take a week’s break to get back to their bled (home towns).
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