What surprised me most in Morocco

I’ve visited Morocco twice – first for about a week in 2023, and then again for a much longer trip of two months in 2026. And even after spending quite some time there, Morocco still managed to surprise me again and again.

Some things you expect before arriving. But many small everyday details are completely different from what you’re used to in Europe.

Here are a few things that surprised me the most while traveling through Morocco.

The call to prayer from mosque loudspeakers

One of the first things you notice is the sound coming from mosques several times a day. The call to prayer is broadcast through loudspeakers and echoes across entire neighborhoods.

If you’re not used to it, the first time can feel quite surreal. Suddenly the whole city seems to pause for a moment as the voice spreads across rooftops and narrow streets.

Even after hearing it many times, it still feels like one of those things that instantly reminds you that you’re somewhere very different from Europe.

Street markets right next to the road

Another thing that surprised me was how spontaneous roadside shopping can be.

You’re simply driving along a road and suddenly there’s a line of small market stalls right next to it. If you see something you need, you just stop the car and buy it.

Vegetables, fruit, bread – everything is sold directly from small stands.

One moment that really stayed in my memory involved chickens. At some roadside markets you can actually see cages full of live chickens. When someone buys one, the seller simply takes a chicken from the cage and goes inside to prepare it.

It’s definitely something you don’t see in a European supermarket.

Police checkpoints everywhere

If you travel by car in Morocco, you will notice something very quickly: there are many police checkpoints on the roads.

At first it feels a bit unusual. You approach slowly and stop the car, waiting until the officer gives you a signal to continue driving.

In many cases they simply look at the car, maybe ask a quick question, and then wave you through. After a while you get used to it, but the first few times it definitely feels surprising.

Coffee cars and “nus nus”

Instead of large coffee chains on every corner, Morocco often has something much cooler – small coffee cars.

These are regular cars or small vans with a full coffee setup in the back, including an espresso machine. People stop for a quick coffee while walking or driving by.

A coffee usually costs around 20 MAD, and my favorite order quickly became something called “nus nus” – Moroccan coffee with milk.

It’s simple, strong, and somehow always tastes perfect when you’re standing on a street corner watching the city move around you.

Ramadan night drums

One night in Chefchaouen I woke up to the sound of drums somewhere in the streets.

At first it felt very strange – it was the middle of the night and someone was walking around beating a drum.

Later I learned that during Ramadan this is a traditional way to wake people up before sunrise so they can eat before the daily fast begins. It was one of those moments where you suddenly realize how many traditions are still very alive in everyday life.

Very welcoming people

Another thing that stood out almost immediately was how often people start conversations.

Shop owners, people in the street, taxi drivers – many will simply start talking and almost always ask the same question:

“Where are you from?”

Sometimes it happens several times a day. It’s usually just curiosity and friendliness, and after a while it becomes part of the travel experience.

Stray cats and dogs everywhere

Animals are also very visible in Moroccan cities. Cats are everywhere, but we also noticed many stray dogs, especially because we were traveling with our own dog.

Once you start noticing them, you see them constantly – walking through streets, sleeping in the shade, or wandering around markets.

A mosque you can actually enter

One more thing that surprised me is that in Morocco most mosques are closed to non-Muslims.

There is one famous exception though: Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca. It’s the only mosque in Morocco that visitors who are not Muslim can enter, and even then only during specific visiting hours.

The mosque itself is enormous – one of the largest in the world – and standing next to the Atlantic Ocean makes the setting even more impressive.

The little everyday differences

What surprised me most in Morocco was not just the famous places or landscapes, but these small everyday details.

The sounds of prayer across the city.

Roadside markets where you can stop and buy anything.

Coffee cars serving perfect nus nus.

Conversations with strangers asking where you’re from.

All these little things together create the feeling that Morocco is truly different from anywhere else – and that’s exactly what makes traveling there so memorable.

After the initial surprises wore off, I started noticing the small details that make this country unique. For more context on daily life, check out my thoughts on traveling Morocco during Ramadan.