What to Wear in Rabat

As Morocco's administrative, academic and diplomatic capital, Rabat has a noticeably smart, understated dress sense compared with beach resort towns, while its exposed position on the Atlantic cliff edge means temperatures drop quickly once the ocean breeze picks up at dusk. Packing versatile, breathable layers keeps you comfortable from historic mosques and royal tombs to modern museum galleries.

Practical essentials for Rabat's streets and coast

• Smart-casual breathable trousers, midi skirts and collared or linen shirts: in the Ville Nouvelle, Agdal and the Medina, locals dress neatly in trousers, jeans, long skirts, tunics and light shirts. While there is no strict dress code on the street, covering shoulders and knees helps you blend in effortlessly and is required when entering the viewing gallery of the Mausoleum of Mohammed V.
• A wind-resistant cardigan, denim jacket or light scarf year-round: even in July and August, the humid Atlantic breeze rolling off the waves at the Kasbah Semaphore platform or along the Bou Regreg marina feels cool after sunset. From November to March, pack a warm jumper or fleece for evenings inside high-ceilinged traditional riads and a rain shell for passing Atlantic showers.
• Flat, grippy walking shoes or cushioned sandals: you will cover several kilometres a day across the uneven cobblestones of the Kasbah of the Udayas, the earthen garden paths and Roman paving stones of Chellah, and the tiled pavements of Avenue Mohammed V.

Mosques, medersas and coastal beaches

As across Morocco (with the exception of the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca), active mosques in Rabat and Sale are open only to Muslims, though non-Muslim visitors are warmly welcomed inside the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, the Chellah necropolis and the historic 14th-century Medersa of Abu al-Hasan in Sale. Keep a lightweight scarf in your bag for sun protection or modest coverage when visiting historic shrines. If you head down to the urban beach below the Kasbah or south to Temara and Skhirat, swimsuits are completely normal on the sand, though many bathers slip a shirt or kaftan back on as soon as they step onto the promenade. Check Rabat's seasonal weather before you pack.