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What to Do in Marrakech When It Rains
Marrakech sees little rain — most of it falls between November and March, and rarely for long — but a wet day can catch you out, turning the unpaved medina lanes slippery and muddy. The good news is that a surprising amount of the city works beautifully undercover, and a rainy day is the perfect excuse to slow down and go indoors.
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- Updated
- 21 July 2026
At a glance
- Rain is occasional and usually brief, mostly November to March.
- Lean into indoor pleasures — hammams, cooking classes, museums and tea rooms.
- The covered souks keep much of the medina shopping dry.
- Bring grippy shoes; medina lanes get slick and puddled when wet.
Warm up indoors
A rainy day is tailor-made for a hammam — steam, black-soap scrub and a warm rest while the weather does its worst outside. It's also ideal for a cooking class, most of which happen in a sheltered riad kitchen and end with a long lunch. Museums and palaces give you culture undercover: the Bahia Palace, the Ben Youssef Madrasa, the YSL and Berber Museums, the photography museum (Maison de la Photographie) and Dar Si Said all reward a slow, dry visit.
Shop, sip and linger
Much of the souk is roofed with slats and awnings, so browsing the covered lanes stays largely dry — a good moment to take your time over a rug or lantern without the crowds. Otherwise, settle into the city's café and tea-room culture: a long lunch on a covered rooftop terrace, mint tea and pastries in a courtyard, or a leisurely meal are all the more inviting in the rain. A guided souk walk with someone who knows the sheltered routes turns a grey day into a good one.
Practical tips for wet days
The medina's mix of packed earth, tile and uneven stone gets genuinely slippery and puddled when wet, so wear shoes with grip and be careful on smooth tiles and steps. Drainage is limited, so lanes can flood briefly in a heavy downpour before draining away. Keep a small umbrella or light rain layer in your bag between November and March, and if a day trip is rained off, swap it for indoor plans — the mountains and valleys can flood, so check conditions before heading out.
Frequently asked questions
Does it rain much in Marrakech?
Not much — Marrakech is dry most of the year, with the little rain it gets falling mainly between November and March, usually in short bursts. Prolonged wet spells are uncommon, but a rainy day can happen in winter and early spring.
What indoor activities are there in Marrakech?
Hammams and spas, cooking classes, the covered souks, museums and palaces (Bahia, Ben Youssef Madrasa, YSL and photography museums), and long lunches in covered rooftop cafés and riad courtyards all work well undercover on a wet day.
Is the Marrakech medina hard to walk when it rains?
It can be — the mix of packed earth, tile and uneven stone gets slippery and puddled, and drainage is limited, so lanes may flood briefly in heavy rain. Wear grippy shoes, take care on smooth tiles, and stick to covered routes where you can.