The Morocco trip – practical guide with passport, customs and checklist

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How to get there

You get to Morocco by ferry. From Playa Tropical there are three options, and each has its own article with ferry companies, prices and timetable:

The buttons below the map at the bottom open the route from Playa Tropical directly in Google Maps – to the ferries in Tarifa, Algeciras and Motril. There is a 24-hour car park at the port in Algeciras. See also parking. Organised day trips start in Málaga, Tarifa or Algeciras – we have not found any that pick up in Almuñécar. From Playa Tropical it is about 81 km to Málaga (see also day trip to Málaga and buses).

Arrive in good time. On Tarifa–Tanger, according to Baleària, foot passengers must be at the desk no later than 60 minutes before departure, and on Algeciras–Ceuta DFDS asks you to arrive 90 minutes before. Keep your passport to hand the whole way – both in Spain and in Morocco.

Passport

You must bring your passport to Morocco. A driving licence or a health insurance card is not enough, and Danes have no national ID card. Bring your passport even if you are only going to Ceuta or Melilla – you need to be able to show it when you sail back to the mainland.

• Danes: The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends that your passport is valid for at least 90 days after you leave Morocco and that it is not damaged. Danish emergency passports are only valid for departure. Extended passports are only valid for the journey home to Denmark.
• Norwegians: Regjeringen.no says the passport must be valid for six months.
• Swedes: According to the Swedish embassy in Rabat, you get a stamp and a number in your passport on entry. The number is used, among other things, when you check in at a hotel. Without the stamp you are considered to be in the country illegally – so check that you have been given it.
• Germans: The Auswärtiges Amt says the passport must be valid for at least six months on entry. The German ID card (Personalausweis) is not valid – not even on group tours.

Our advice: If your passport has less than six months left, renew it before the trip. Baleària also says six months for its day trips to Tangier. Keep a copy or a photo of your passport somewhere other than with the passport itself. The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs says you must always be able to show valid photo ID in Morocco, and that you may be asked to show your return ticket.

Visa

Danes, Norwegians, Swedes and Germans do not need a visa for a tourist stay in Morocco of up to 90 days (Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs 28-05-2026, Swedish embassy 25-08-2026, Auswärtiges Amt 02-11-2026, regjeringen.no). If you have dual citizenship with Morocco, or travel on a refugee or alien's passport, other rules apply – contact the Moroccan embassy.

Children: If you are travelling alone with a child, or with children who are not your own, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends a letter of consent from the parents.

When you come back to Spain, you go through Spanish passport and customs control at the port. The border at Ceuta and Melilla is the EU's external border. The EU's new electronic Entry/Exit System, EES, only applies to citizens of countries outside the EU and Schengen – not to Danes, Norwegians, Swedes and Germans.

Customs – what can you take home?

Morocco is not in the EU, and Ceuta and Melilla lie outside the EU customs territory. When you come back to Tarifa, Algeciras or Motril, the EU rules for goods from non-EU countries apply. The figures are from Agencia Tributaria (updated 23-09-2026):

If you are under 17, you may not bring tobacco and alcohol duty-free. Medicine for your own use does not count towards the 430 € (≈ 3,208 kr.). If you are carrying more, you must declare the goods at customs (the red channel) and pay duty and VAT.

Banned or requiring a permit

• Meat and milk: Meat, sausages, milk, cheese and other dairy products may not be brought into the EU from non-EU countries – not even in small amounts. This also applies to the fresh goat's cheese jben from Chefchaouen. The reason is contagious animal diseases.
• Fish and honey: Up to 20 kg of fish and fish products and up to 2 kg of honey.
• Fruit, vegetables, fresh mint and plants require a phytosanitary certificate. Only dates, bananas, pineapples, coconuts and durians are exempt.
• Protected animals and plants (e.g. ivory, tortoiseshell, live animals) require a CITES permit. Do not buy them.
• Counterfeit goods: Customs can intervene against fake branded goods, especially if it looks like goods for resale. In some EU countries it is a criminal offence to buy them.
• Drugs: Never carry other people's bags or packages across the border (Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
• Drones are banned in Morocco and are usually confiscated when you arrive (Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Leave your drone at home.

More about what you can buy in the souk, and how to haggle: markets and food in northern Morocco.

Money and dirhams

Morocco's currency is the dirham (MAD). One dirham is divided into 100 centimes. According to the Office des Changes, dirhams may as a rule not be taken into or out of Morocco, but Moroccan media mention a limit of 2,000 dirhams per traveller. So you cannot buy dirhams at home in Denmark or in Spain, but must exchange or withdraw them in Morocco.

• Cash machines can be found at the ports and in the towns. Ask your bank about the fee beforehand, and choose to be charged in dirhams, not in euros or kroner, if the machine asks.
• Exchange: Banks and bureaux de change have signs saying "Change". Only exchange what you need for the day.
• Keep the receipt. According to the Office des Changes, as a tourist you can exchange any dirhams you have left back into euros when you leave, if you show the exchange receipt (bordereau de change) or the receipt from the cash machine.
• Cards are accepted in hotels, larger shops and some restaurants. In the souk, taxis, cafés and toilets you need cash. Carry small change.

Mobile and internet

Morocco is not part of the EU's "roam like at home". That only applies in the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Moldova and Ukraine. According to the EU's Your Europe, roaming outside the EU, especially data, can be expensive.

• Check the price with your own provider before the trip. Some providers have a day pass for non-EU countries.
• Turn off data roaming if you do not have a package, and use wifi in cafés and hotels. The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs does warn, however, that open networks can be used for hacking – leave your online banking alone.
• On the ferry: Your Europe says your phone may connect to a network via satellite on board. This is not covered by EU rules and can be very expensive. Put your phone in flight mode during the crossing.
• Local SIM card: If you are spending several days in Morocco, a SIM card from one of the Moroccan providers (Maroc Telecom, Orange or inwi) may be worth it. On a day trip it is rarely worth the bother.
• Download maps of Tangier or Tétouan in your map app before you leave home, so you can find your way without a connection.

Travel insurance and health

The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs is very clear: Danes in Morocco are covered neither by the yellow health card nor by the blue European Health Insurance Card. The same applies to Norwegians, Swedes and Germans – the blue card only applies in the EU and EEA.

• Check your travel insurance. It must cover Morocco – not just Europe – and preferably repatriation too. If you have annual travel insurance, check which countries it covers.
• Hospitals: The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs says public hospitals may be of a poor standard, but that there are relatively good private hospitals in the larger cities. The Auswärtiges Amt mentions Tangier as one of them.
• Medicine: Take the medicine you need for the day in your hand luggage – and a little extra in case the ferry is cancelled. See the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs' page on medicine when travelling.
• Vaccinations: The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs refers to Statens Serum Institut and the Danish Health Authority. Ask your doctor in good time.
• Food and water: Drink bottled water. See the hygiene advice in markets and food.

Time zone 2026–2027

Morocco uses UTC+1 all year round, except during Ramadan, when the clocks go back one hour. Spain has winter time (UTC+1) and summer time (UTC+2). So the difference changes during the year:

The international time zone database expects Morocco to put its clocks back on 7 February and forward again on 14 March 2027, but that is a forecast. The Moroccan government announces the actual dates shortly before Ramadan. Ferry departure times are always given in local time – check what time it is in Morocco before you head down to the ferry home. Your phone usually sets the clock itself when it picks up a Moroccan network.

Safety

The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs' travel advice (updated 17-07-2026) asks you to take extra care throughout Morocco (yellow level). It only advises against non-essential travel to the immediate border area with Algeria (orange level) – which is a long way from Tangier, Tétouan and Chefchaouen. The ministry also says that most Danes have no problems when visiting the country.

• Terrorism: The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs considers there to be a risk of terrorism, including in places visited by tourists, such as markets and transport hubs. Stay alert to your surroundings.
• Theft: Pickpocketing and robbery happen especially in the big cities and where there are many tourists. Leave jewellery and large amounts of money at home. If you are robbed, do not resist.
• Demonstrations: Keep your distance.
• Taxis: Only use authorised taxis, and do not accept offers of lifts from strangers (Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs). In Tangier the small city taxis (petit taxi) are turquoise blue with a yellow stripe.
• Traffic: The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs warns of high speeds and many accidents. Take care when crossing the road.
• Sign up to Danskerlisten and download the ministry's app Rejseklar. Then the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs can contact you if something serious happens.

Emergency numbers in Morocco (Wikipedia/ANRT): police in the towns 19, the gendarmerie in the countryside 177, ambulance and fire brigade 15. Many travel sites say that 112 works from a mobile, but we have not been able to confirm that with an official source – it is better to use the three numbers. Denmark has an embassy in Rabat. The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Global Operations Centre can be contacted around the clock – the number is on um.dk and in the Rejseklar app.

Dos and don'ts

What to wear

The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs says there are no formal dress requirements in Morocco, but that you should avoid dressing provocatively, and that women should avoid tight and short clothing. In the medina it is a good idea to cover your shoulders and knees – for both men and women. Swimwear belongs on the beach and by the pool.

Photography

• Ask before you photograph people – especially women and older people. Many say no, and some want a little something for it.
• Never photograph police, military, border posts, port installations or demonstrations. According to the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, you could be arrested.

Mosques

Non-Muslims may not enter most mosques in Morocco. The well-known exception is the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, where tourists can go in on guided tours outside prayer times. In Tangier, Tétouan and Chefchaouen you admire the mosques from outside. Do not stand and peer in through the door, and walk quietly past during prayers.

Ramadan 2027

Ramadan is the Muslim month of fasting. It is expected to last from about 8 February to 9 March 2027, but the exact dates depend on when the moon is sighted. From sunrise to sunset Muslims do not eat, drink or smoke. The Auswärtiges Amt advises tourists not to eat, drink or smoke in public during those hours either. In restaurants that are open during the day, it is fine. Expect many eating places to stay closed until sunset, and offices to have shorter opening hours. At sunset the fast is broken with iftar – often with dates and harira – and the streets suddenly empty. Ramadan ends with the Eid al-Fitr festival. Around the big holidays many Moroccans travel home, and there can be very long queues at the border in Ceuta – in May 2026 up to 5–8 hours by car. If you can, choose another week.

Fake guides and "helpful" strangers

At the port and at the gates of the medina you will often be offered help by someone who wants to show you the way. Say a polite but firm "no thank you" and walk on. Rough Guides recommends using only official guides, who wear a large brass badge, and making it clear from the start that you do not want to be taken to shops – the guide often gets a commission, and you are the one who pays it. Agree the price before the tour starts. If you are on an organised tour, you have your own guide.

Tipping

Tipping is customary in Morocco – for the waiter, the guide, the driver and the toilet attendant. There is no fixed rule for the amount. Always keep small coins and small notes in your pocket, so you do not have to ask for change.

Right hand

Use your right hand when you eat, hand over money and receive things. The left hand is traditionally considered unclean. Many people eat with their right hand and bread from a shared dish – take from your own side.

Love, alcohol and drugs

• Kissing and cuddling: Keep it discreet in the street. The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises LGBT+ people to avoid physical displays of affection in public. Hotels may refuse to let unmarried couples share a room – the ministry suggests that married couples bring a copy of their marriage certificate if they are staying overnight.
• Alcohol may only be drunk in hotels, restaurants and bars with a licence (Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Never drink in the street.
• Hashish is often offered in northern Morocco. Dealing and use, even in small amounts, are punished severely (Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

Friday

Friday is the most important day of prayer in the week. Some shops may close around midday prayers. On the other hand, Friday is the day when families eat couscous.

Toilets

• Use the ferry's toilets before you go ashore.
• In town there are few public toilets. Buy a cup of tea at a café or a meal at a restaurant, and use theirs.
• Bring toilet paper. In many places there is a water hose or a jug by the toilet instead of paper – that is the local way. Put the paper in the bin if there is one, so the toilet does not get blocked.
• Small coins: At many toilets there is someone who cleans and expects a few dirhams.
• Squat toilets can still be found in older cafés and in the medina. Hotels and newer restaurants have ordinary toilets.
• Hand sanitiser in your pocket.

Accessibility – good advice for the over-60s

The medinas were built long before cars and lifts. The streets are narrow, paved with stone and often go up and down steps. This is especially true of Chefchaouen, which climbs up the mountainside, and of the kasbah in Tangier at the top of the medina. From the ferry in Tangier it is about 1.7 km uphill to Grand Socco.

• Good shoes with non-slip soles. The stones can be slippery, especially after rain.
• Taxi to the gate: Cars cannot drive into the medina, but a petit taxi can drop you off at the gate.
• Organised tour: With a coach, guide and lunch you avoid having to find your way and too much walking. Ask how much walking is involved and whether there are steps.
• The ferry: If you need a wheelchair or help on board, tell the ferry company when you book.
• Heat: In summer it is very hot in the narrow streets. Bring water and a sun hat, and take breaks. Spring and autumn are best – see the seasons.
• One long day or two short ones: A day trip from Playa Tropical to Tangier takes 16–18 hours. Stay overnight in Tarifa or in Morocco if you can.

A little history

The distance is short – at its narrowest point the Strait of Gibraltar is about 14 km wide (Wikipedia: 14.2 km) – and the link between the two coasts is an old one. The Barbary pirates that the watchtowers along the Costa Tropical were built to look out for came from North Africa. Read more in pirates and watchtowers. You will find more trips on this side of the strait under excursions.

Maps and routes

Red star = Playa Tropical. Click on a point for the name and distance. Map data © OpenStreetMap.

Good advice

Print the list and tick it off before you leave home.

Before the trip

• Passport with at least 6 months' validity left. Renew it in good time if it is too old.
• Copy or photo of your passport kept somewhere other than with the passport itself.
• Ferry ticket or organised tour booked – and the departure times written down.
• Travel insurance that covers Morocco. The blue card is not valid.
• Check the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs' travel advice for Morocco and sign up to Danskerlisten.
• Check your mobile charges for Morocco, and download maps of the town for use offline.
• Ask your bank about the fee for withdrawing cash in Morocco.
• Check the time zone – especially during Ramadan and in summer.
• Letter of consent if you are travelling with children who are not your own.

In your bag

• Passport – and your return ticket.
• Bank card and a few euros for the ferry and parking.
• Toilet paper, wet wipes and hand sanitiser.
• Bottled water.
• Clothes that cover your shoulders and knees, and a light jacket for the ferry.
• Good shoes for cobblestones and steps.
• The day's medicine – and a little extra.
• Charged phone and a power bank.
• No drone.

In Morocco

• Withdraw or exchange dirhams – only what you need. Keep the receipt.
• Small coins for toilets and tips.
• Say no thank you to strangers who want to show you the way.
• Ask before you photograph people.
• Right hand for food, money and greetings.
• Keep an eye on the clock and the ferry home.

On the way home

• Spend your last dirhams, or exchange them back with the receipt.
• No more than 430 € (≈ 3,208 kr.) in goods per person.
• No meat, sausages, milk or cheese in your suitcase – and no fresh mint or fruit. Dates are fine.
• No more than 200 cigarettes and 1 litre of spirits per adult.
• Never carry other people's packages.
• Phone in flight mode on the ferry.

Rules on passports, visas and customs can change at short notice. Always check the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs' travel advice, your own country's foreign ministry and the ferry company's website just before your trip. If in doubt, contact the Moroccan embassy.

Krone amounts are converted at 1 € ≈ 7.46 kr. and rounded.