What do families do in the evening in Morocco?

One of the things families love most about Morocco is how genuinely welcome children are in the evening. Moroccan culture is family-centred, kids stay up late and are doted on everywhere, so you never feel you have to hide them away at six o'clock. Public squares and promenades fill with local families after dinner, and your children will be greeted warmly wherever you go.

In Marrakech, Jemaa el-Fna is the obvious early-evening adventure. Before it gets too late and crowded, I take families through at dusk to watch the acrobats, snake charmers and storytellers, sample orange juice and snacks from the carts, and let the kids choose dinner from the food stalls. A calèche (horse-drawn carriage) ride around the lamplit ramparts is a guaranteed hit, and rooftop restaurants with views give parents a calm dinner while children watch the spectacle below.

In the coastal towns the evenings are gentler and very easy with kids. Essaouira's wide ramparts and beach are perfect for a sunset run-around, and the port grill stalls make a fun, casual dinner. In Casablanca and Rabat, families promenade along the seafront Corniche, lined with ice-cream parlours, cafes and playgrounds. A fantasia dinner-show like Chez Ali, with its galloping horses and fireworks, is one of the few "shows" that genuinely thrills children.

My practical advice to parents: build in downtime. Riads with a courtyard pool are gold, letting kids burn off energy before or after dinner, and many will do an early child-friendly meal. Carry small change for the square's performers, keep little ones close in the busy medina at night, and don't over-schedule. The best family evenings here are simple, an early square stroll, a relaxed rooftop dinner, then back to the riad, which keeps everyone happy.