The short answer
It depends on the month. By our solar calculation for Jemaa el-Fnaa, on GMT, sunset is about 17:33 in mid-November and late December, about 18:43 at the March equinox, about 19:40 at the June solstice, and about 18:30 at the September equinox. Morocco no longer changes the clocks, so these hold year to year.
In more detail
We calculate these from the sun's position over Jemaa el-Fnaa, accurate to about a minute, on Moroccan legal time. Because Morocco is now on GMT all year, summer sunsets are an hour earlier by the clock than many older guides say.
Sunset shapes the day. In summer the city comes alive after it; in winter it means cold, so dinner plans move indoors or by a fire. The Agafay sunset trips leave Marrakech in the afternoon to reach the hills with time to spare. Rooftop bars fill about half an hour before.
The light after sunset lasts about 25 minutes before it is properly dark. On a clear winter evening the snow on the Atlas turns pink after the sun has left the city, one of the best views from the medina roofs. In the desert, further east, the sun sets a little earlier by the clock than in Marrakech, so ask your camp for the time on the day.
Good to know
- Mid-November: about 17:33.
- 31 December: about 17:39.
- Mid-April: about 19:01.
- 21 June: about 19:40.
- Mid-October: about 18:01.