What do British travellers need to know about Morocco?

For British travellers, Morocco is one of the easiest long-haul-feeling trips you can take, because it isn't really long-haul at all. UK passport holders can enter visa-free for stays of up to 90 days, and you only need your passport to be valid for at least three months beyond the date you leave Morocco — a slightly more relaxed rule than some countries. Get the stamp on arrival, keep the entry card, and you're set. I'd still nudge every Brit to glance at the UK government's foreign travel advice for Morocco before booking, since the official guidance is the place that gets updated first.

Flights are a genuine strength for UK travellers. There are frequent direct, low-cost services from London (Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, Heathrow), Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and Edinburgh straight into Marrakech, with seasonal routes into Fes, Agadir and Essaouira too. The flight is only around three and a half hours from London — barely longer than a hop to the Canaries — and the time difference is small. That short hop is why Morocco works so well for a long weekend or a week's escape from a British winter, and why you don't need to route through a third country.

Money works much as it does for any visitor. The dirham is a closed currency, so don't try to order it from your bank at home — land with a small float of sterling or euros as backup and use a Moroccan ATM for the bulk of your cash. A UK debit or credit card with no foreign-transaction fees (the app-based banks are excellent for this) keeps costs down, and contactless is increasingly common in city cafés, hotels and bigger shops. Beyond the cities, though — the desert, the mountain villages, the souk stalls — it's cash and small notes that move things along, so always carry a stash of dirhams.

Culturally, Brits tend to settle in quickly, but a few habits help. Tipping is expected in modest amounts across cafés, guides and drivers — a few dirhams rather than a fixed percentage. The medina hustle can feel more direct than you're used to at home; a polite, firm 'no thank you' and steady eye contact is all it takes, and faux-guides melt away. Alcohol is available in hotels, licensed restaurants and tourist bars but isn't part of everyday Moroccan life, so don't expect a pub on every corner. And dress a touch more modestly than for a Mediterranean beach holiday — it earns warmer welcomes everywhere you go.