A festive holiday in Morocco

Morocco is a land of endless beaches, atmospheric towns with age-old alleys and colourful souks, imposing snow-capped mountains and expansive deserts. It truly is one of those timeless destinations, drenched in every exotic image your mind can conjure, and before you know it, you’ll be caught in its bewitching spell.

Many visitors to Morocco come to enjoy the warm weather and beautiful beaches, camel treks through the desert, shopping at the souks, the stunning spas or simply to explore the historic towns like Marrakech or Fes. There’s another reason to want to visit Morocco: its festivals! One of the most iconic and definitely most widely-celebrated festivals is the Islamic New Year or Fatih Mouharam. This year, Fatih Mouharam will be celebrated around November 4th, a great excuse to swap the cold (and wet) European autumn for some sunshine and fun. Fatih Mouharam is celebrated with style in Morocco and you will never forget this wonderful experience.

Fatih Mouharam

Fatih Mouharam, or Islamic New Year, is celebrated at different times depending on where you live. It follows the lunar calendar and is usually celebrated on the crescent of the new moon. Although this is a religious festival, non-Muslims are welcome to participate and you will never feel out of place. Moroccans really enjoy the Islamic New Year and the whole country has the day off as a public holiday. You will certainly see a different side to the usually hardworking Moroccans and they will encourage you to join in with the celebrations. Some of the fireworks here have to be seen to be believed and you’ll certainly hear them whether you like it or not.

Getting there

Morocco has a myriad of airports and you should be able to find a flight at short notice, but it’s recommended to book in advance. You should think about basing yourself in one of the major cities such as Marrakech, Agadir or Rabat. First Choice fly direct to Marrakech from Birmingham, Bristol, Gatwick, Stansted and Manchester. The Islamic New Year is celebrated all over the country and you’ll soon hear the fireworks being set off, no matter where you decide to stay. Just imagine swapping those ice-scraping mornings for some of the most romantic settings on earth. Travel in Morocco can be a little haphazard so if you are thinking of any excursions try and allow plenty of extra time.

More about Morocco

Morocco is one of the most memorable places to visit and so many people are repeat tourists. As well as some of the most stunning beaches anywhere around, you will experience beautiful nature such as in the Atlas Mountains and some of the most exotic markets you will ever see, like the souks in Marrakech.

Aside from the bustling markets of Marrakech, you can lose yourself in the romantic seaside setting of Casablanca, which incidentally also boasts some of the country’s best nightlife. If you decide to fly to Casablanca, you are only about 45 minutes away from the Mazagan resort. This place has some truly world class hotels that are matched with a sublime Atlantic coastline. The November weather is still warm enough to work on that tan and you will certainly find the locals more than hospitable. Indulge yourself with a rejuvenating spa or fabulous Moroccan food! You’ll be spellbound in no time!

Note: this post was brought to you in partnership with First Choice Holidays.