The short answer
Eid al-Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice, is the most family-centred holiday of the year. Families buy a sheep in the days before, and on the day the city smells of grilling. Many restaurants and shops close for several days and transport is packed as people travel home. In 2027 it is expected around 16 to 17 May.
In more detail
It is the larger of the two Eids and falls roughly seventy days after Eid al-Fitr, which ends Ramadan and is expected around 9 to 10 March 2027. In the run-up, livestock markets set up on the edge of the city as families buy their sheep, and the day before the feast is a remarkable thing to see. On the morning itself, after the Eid prayer, the sacrifice happens at home, and the following days are given to family visits and meals.
For visitors, the main effect is closures. Most restaurants outside hotels and many souk shops shut for several days, while riads, hotels and the major sights mostly stay open. Our own calendar marks it as a poor week for a trip built around the medina and its souks. Buses, trains and roads are busy before and after as Moroccans travel to their families.
If you are in Marrakech over Eid, plan meals with your riad, book transport early, and treat it as a chance to see the city at its most domestic. Avoid booking a long intercity journey on the day itself.
Good to know
- Book trains and transfers well ahead.
- Ask your riad about meals for the Eid days.
- Expect many souk shops to be shut.
- Dates depend on the moon; the 2027 date is still an estimate, so confirm nearer the time.
- Want the souks at full strength? Pick another week.