What should I wear in Morocco in September?

September is the end of summer in Morocco. Long-term averages for Marrakech are about 33°C in the afternoon and 19°C at night, with rain on only one day or so in the month, and Fes is similar by day at about 30°C but cooler at night, near 16°C. The heat eases as the month goes on, and the coast is milder thanks to the Atlantic breeze, so what you wear depends on where you are and the time of day.

The most comfortable choice is loose clothing in natural, breathable fabrics such as cotton and linen. Cover your shoulders and knees: it keeps the sun off and fits local norms in the medinas, villages and markets. Long, loose trousers or skirts and light shirts work for men and women; a scarf is useful against sun and dust, and for women it is handy to cover the shoulders when visiting a religious site.

A few places have their own customs. Most mosques in Morocco are open only to Muslims, but the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca welcomes visitors on guided tours, and covered arms and legs are expected there. Swimwear is fine at the pool and on beaches, but cover up with a shirt or wrap when you walk back into town. In a hammam, people usually keep their underwear or swimwear bottoms on.

For the Sahara, September days are still hot, around 33°C at the nearest long-record station to Merzouga, and nights are mild at about 20°C. Light long sleeves and a scarf protect you from the sun and wind on a camel ride, and a light layer is enough after dark. In the High Atlas, evenings are cooler, so bring a fleece if you are staying in the mountains. If you are heading north, Tangier's jazz festival, Tanjazz, is usually September, and the Imilchil Marriage Festival in the High Atlas is usually late September or early October.

Finish with comfortable closed shoes for walking the medina lanes, sandals for the riad, a sun hat, sunglasses and high-factor sunscreen, and keep a refillable water bottle with you. Colours are your choice: there is no need to dress in black or to cover your hair as a visitor, and neat, modest clothes will make you feel at ease everywhere.