What is Marrakech like in March?

March is where Marrakech truly comes alive, and it is one of the four or five months I recommend without hesitation. Daytime temperatures settle into a lovely 22 to 24°C — warm enough to enjoy a rooftop lunch and a garden stroll, mild enough to walk the medina for hours without wilting. Spring has arrived: the Majorelle and Menara gardens are lush, the surrounding countryside is green, and the snow lingering on the High Atlas peaks makes for postcard views from any rooftop in the city.

Evenings are pleasant rather than cold now, which transforms the experience compared with January and February. You can dine on an open terrace in a light jacket, and the rooftops that were too chilly in winter become the best seats in the city again. Mornings may still start cool and there is the odd spring shower, so I keep a light layer and a packable waterproof on the recommended list, but for the most part March delivers reliably comfortable, sunny days.

This is the beginning of high season, and it shows. Crowds noticeably thicken from early March onwards, the major sights — Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs, Jemaa el-Fnaa at dusk — get busier, and riad rates climb back towards their spring peak. The best boutique riads start selling out, so this is a month to book three to four months ahead rather than leaving it late. Easter sometimes falls in late March, which spikes demand sharply for that week in particular.

In terms of what to do, March is brilliantly versatile. The weather suits everything: long medina days, cooking classes, hammams, the gardens at their freshest, and — crucially — day trips. The Ourika Valley and the Atlas foothills are green and flowing with snowmelt, perfect for a walk and a riverside lunch. Desert trips work well too, with warm clear days and nights that, while still cool, are no longer as bitter as deep winter. If you want classic, comfortable Marrakech with spring colour and only the early edge of the crowds, March is a superb choice.