Morocco is close to Europe but a different world for your phone. Trips usually combine the medinas of Marrakech and Fes, the blue town of Chefchaouen, the Atlas Mountains and a night in the Sahara, and many travellers arrive by ferry from Spain. Coverage is good in cities and towns and fades in the mountains and the desert. Morocco is not part of the EU's Roam Like at Home area, and European plans usually charge roaming by the day.
Key facts for Morocco
- EU roaming: not covered by Roam Like at Home
- Local networks: Maroc Telecom, Orange, inwi (depending on the plan)
- Emergency numbers: police 19, ambulance and fire 15
- Embassies: in Rabat, with consulates in Casablanca, Tangier and Agadir for some countries
Medinas: maps and false guides
In the medinas of Marrakech and Fes, the lanes are narrow and often covered, and map apps can lose your position. Download offline maps, save your riad's location and phone number, and be wary of people who insist on guiding you; ask your riad to send someone to meet you instead.
The ferry from Spain, Ceuta and Melilla
Ferries cross the Strait of Gibraltar from Tarifa and Algeciras to Tangier in about an hour or more. During the crossing and near the coast your phone can switch between Spanish and Moroccan networks, and out at sea it can join the ship's own network. Ceuta and Melilla are Spanish, and EU plans cover them as at home, but phones there often connect to Moroccan networks, which are billed as roaming outside the EU; choose a Spanish network manually.
The Atlas and the Sahara
In the High Atlas, around Imlil and on the trail to Toubkal, the signal is patchy above the villages. In the Sahara, desert camps near Merzouga and Zagora often have signal at the edge of the dunes but not deep inside them. Download maps before leaving the last town and charge your power bank, as camps may have limited electricity.
Drones and cash
Drones are banned for visitors and are confiscated at customs, so leave yours at home. The dirham is a closed currency that you can only obtain in Morocco; cards work in hotels and larger shops, but souks, taxis and small restaurants want cash.
Getting connected
A travel eSIM installs at home with a QR code and starts its validity with the first connection in Morocco. Your usual number keeps receiving texts and bank codes, while maps and messaging use the eSIM's data.
Moroccan prepaid SIMs are sold at the airports and in operator shops, and they are registered with your passport.
Consular protection: who to call in Morocco
- 19 is the police in towns and 15 the ambulance and fire service.
- In Marrakech, the tourist police answer on 05 24 38 46 01.
- Embassies are in Rabat, and some countries also have consulates in Casablanca, Tangier or Agadir. The Telcomia app shows yours, with address and phone.
- If you are an EU citizen and your country has no embassy or consulate in Morocco, the embassy of any other EU country must help you on the same terms as its own nationals (Article 23 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU).
- Emergency phrases in Arabic are ready to show on screen in the app.
Questions travellers ask about Morocco
Will map apps work in the medina?
They often lose your position in the narrow lanes. Download offline maps and save your riad's location.
Can I bring a drone to Morocco?
No. Drones are banned for visitors and confiscated at customs.
Which networks does a Telcomia eSIM use in Morocco?
Maroc Telecom or Orange on most plans, and inwi on some, with 4G and 5G where available.
Does my EU plan work in Ceuta and Melilla?
Yes, on Spanish networks. Choose one manually, because phones there often connect to Moroccan networks.
The short version
Install the eSIM before you fly or sail, download offline maps of the medinas, leave the drone at home, carry dirhams, and save 19 and 15.
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