Long weekends in Morocco: 3-5 day trips for Italian holidays
Have you got a long weekend coming up and want a proper break without spending half of it travelling? Morocco is one of the best options: from many Italian cities, Marrakech or Fes is roughly a three-hour flight away, and in 3–5 days you can explore a medina, spend a night among the Sahara dunes or enjoy a few days on the Atlantic. In this guide you will find, holiday by holiday, what Morocco is like at that time of year (weather and crowds) and which short itinerary works best, from 25 April to New Year.
Why Morocco is perfect for a long weekend
An Italian ponte – a public holiday stretched into a long weekend – usually lasts three to five days: too short for a far-flung destination, but plenty for a country that is close by yet feels a world away. The time difference with Italy is one hour in winter and two when Italy is on summer time, so there is no jet lag and even your arrival and departure days remain usable.
Choosing the right starting point is key. Marrakech is ideal for the Zagora desert, the High Atlas and the coast at Essaouira; Fes is the most convenient base for the great dunes of Merzouga. With a private tour and driver you set off straight from your riad or the airport, with no group schedules or connections to chase: when time is short, that makes a real difference.
Italian public holidays at a glance
The fixed-date civil and religious holidays never change; what does change is the day of the week they fall on, and therefore how long the long weekend is. Easter moves every year: in 2027 it falls on 28 March, in 2028 on 16 April. Here is a table to help you plan.
| Holiday | Date | Suggested length | Trip idea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easter Sunday and Monday | Varies (March/April) | 4–5 days | Marrakech, the Atlas and the Merzouga desert |
| Liberation Day | 25 April | 3–4 days | Marrakech + 2 days in the Zagora desert |
| Labour Day | 1 May | 3–4 days | Fes + 2 nights among the Erg Chebbi dunes |
| Republic Day | 2 June | 3–5 days | Marrakech and Essaouira; desert only with dawn starts |
| Ferragosto | 15 August | 4–5 days | Essaouira and the Atlantic coast, Marrakech by night |
| All Saints’ Day | 1 November | 3–4 days | Marrakech to Merzouga via the Dades Valley |
| Immaculate Conception | 8 December | 3–4 days | Marrakech and the desert, with warm clothes for the night |
| New Year | 1 January | 4–5 days | New Year’s Eve in a Sahara desert camp |
Before booking, check which day of the week the holidays fall on in the year you are interested in: 1 November 2026, for example, is a Sunday, while 8 December 2026 is a Tuesday and allows a four-day break.
Spring: Easter, 25 April and 1 May
Spring is high season in Morocco, and for good reason: mild, sunny days, green countryside at the foot of the Atlas and cool but pleasant nights in the desert. The flip side is the crowds: riads, desert camps and flights fill up quickly, especially when Italian holidays coincide with school breaks in other European countries.
Easter
Easter Sunday and Monday easily give you four or five days. It is the perfect time for a Marrakech – High Atlas – Merzouga loop, with a night in a desert camp under the stars. You will find a day-by-day itinerary in our article on a 7-day Easter tour between cities, mountains and desert, which you can shorten to fit your dates.
25 April
If you have three days, the most effective formula is to fly into Marrakech, spend a day in the medina and then set off on the 2-day tour from Marrakech to the Zagora desert, crossing the Tizi n’Tichka pass and stopping at the kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou. Zagora’s dunes are smaller than those of Merzouga, but you can reach them in a single day.
1 May
If you prefer the north, 1 May lends itself to a flight to Fes and the 3-day tour from Fes to Merzouga with 2 nights in the Erg Chebbi: the picture-postcard desert, with towering dunes and camel rides at sunset, without the rush of a single overnight stay.
Early summer: the 2 June long weekend
By early June the weather shifts: the coast is lovely, while inland temperatures climb and desert afternoons become very hot. The desert is still doable, but at a different pace: camel rides at dawn and dusk, with the middle of the day spent in the shade.
A more relaxed alternative is to combine Marrakech and Essaouira: two days of souks, gardens and rooftop terraces, then around three hours’ drive to the ocean, where the trade winds keep the days fresh. Our guide to Morocco in June has more ideas for this time of year.
Ferragosto: sea and city, with the desert at cooler hours
July and August are high season on the Atlantic coast, while inland it is very hot: Marrakech often exceeds 40 °C and the Sahara is scorching in the middle of the day. For Ferragosto, our advice is to focus on Essaouira and the surrounding area, and to enjoy Marrakech mostly in the evening, when Jemaa el-Fna square comes alive.
If the desert is a must, it can be done: with an air-conditioned vehicle, very early starts and a single night in camp, perhaps choosing one of the more comfortable luxury camps in Merzouga. Bear in mind that mid-August flights are among the most expensive of the year.
Autumn: All Saints’ Day
October is shoulder season, and early November keeps its advantages: the summer heat has gone, days are still warm and there are fewer visitors than in spring. Desert nights turn cool, so a warm jumper is essential.
When All Saints’ Day creates a four-day break, the 3-day tour from Marrakech to Merzouga via the Dades Valley is an excellent choice: you cross the Atlas, the valleys of the kasbahs and the Todra Gorge, spend a night among the dunes and return to Marrakech on the third day along the Draa Valley.
Winter: the Immaculate Conception and New Year
Immaculate Conception
In early December, days are generally sunny and crisp, while nights in the desert and the mountains are cold, with snow possible on the Atlas passes. It is quieter than the end-of-year festivities: a good time for a long weekend combining Marrakech and Zagora, or two nights in Merzouga starting from Fes, with plenty of layers.
New Year
Christmas and New Year are high season again: celebrating 31 December under the Sahara sky draws travellers from all over Europe. Read our guide to Morocco in December for weather and packing tips, and book your camp well ahead.
Book early: flights, riads and desert camps
Long weekends are periods of high demand, and not only among Italians. A few practical tips:
- Flights: for Easter, May, Ferragosto and New Year it is worth booking several months in advance. Routes and frequencies change from season to season, so always check on the airline’s website.
- Tours and desert camps: Merzouga’s camps have a limited number of tents and sell out quickly on peak dates.
- Ramadan and Islamic holidays: these move about eleven days earlier each year; travelling is still perfectly possible, but some opening hours change.
- Documents: you need a valid passport; check the latest rules before you travel.
Plan your long weekend with us
Tour al Marocco organises private tours with a driver from Marrakech, Fes, Casablanca, Tangier and Merzouga, tailoring the itinerary to your flights. An Italian-speaking driver or guide is available on request, and we do not ask for full payment in advance. If you already have your dates in mind, get in touch for a quote for your long weekend: we will suggest the route that best fits the days you have.
Frequently asked questions
Are three days enough to see the desert?
Yes. From Marrakech you can reach the Zagora desert in a day and return the next; from Fes you can reach Merzouga in a day. With four days you can add a second night or a day in the city.
Which long weekend has the best weather?
The spring holidays (Easter, 25 April, 1 May) and All Saints’ Day offer the best balance between city and desert. In summer, favour the coast; in winter, pack warm clothes for the evenings.
How far in advance should I book?
For the spring long weekends, Ferragosto and New Year it is best to plan a few months ahead, starting with your flight and confirming your tour and desert camp straight afterwards.