Best Time to Visit Rabat

Mild winters, a bit of rain

From November to March, Rabat is cool and often grey. Days are around 17 to 19°C, and nights feel chilly near the Atlantic. November is the wettest month, with 84 mm over about nine days. Rain usually comes in showers, not all-day downpours, so you can still walk through the Kasbah of the Udayas, the old fortress above the river mouth. Cafés there serve mint tea with a view of the water.

This is the quiet season. Hotels are easy to find, and you'll often have the Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V almost to yourself. It's a good time for a city-break traveller who cares more about museums and the medina (the old walled town) than beach time. Try the Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art on a wet afternoon.

Spring and early summer

April and May are the sweet spot for walking. It's 21 to 24°C, the rain fades, and the sun comes out more. The Chellah, a ruined Roman and medieval site with storks nesting on the walls, is lovely now. The gardens there are green and not baked dry.

June brings the Mawazine festival, a huge music event with big international and Moroccan names. It's usually held in late spring or early summer, and dates shift, so check before you book. Rooms get tighter and pricier when it's on. If you hate crowds, avoid those festival days.

Summer by the sea

July and August are the warmest, and August is the hottest at 29°C. It's also the driest, with almost no rain. The ocean breeze keeps it from feeling harsh, and evenings are pleasant for a stroll along the Bouregreg river or a seafood dinner in Salé's direction across the water. The city beach can be busy on weekends, when local families and Moroccans living abroad return for the holidays.

Travelling with kids? Summer school holidays are your window, but expect more people at the beach and on trains from Casablanca. Rabat is calmer than Marrakech or Fes in summer, which is a real plus.

Autumn

September is warm, at 27°C, with only a little rain. It's one of the best months here. The summer crowds thin out, and the sea is still warm enough to swim. October cools to 25°C and gets wetter, then November turns showery. If you want sunshine and fewer people, aim for late September or early October.