Wellness Holidays in Morocco: Hammams, Spas and Where to Go

A wellness holiday in Morocco usually combines the hammam ritual with one of three settings: a riad or spa in Marrakech, sea-water therapy on the Atlantic coast, or quiet in the mountains and the desert. Thermal springs near Fes are a fourth option.

Wellness in Morocco did not begin with the spa industry. The hammam has long been a part of everyday life, which is why even a simple trip can feel restorative. Here is what is on offer and how to choose.

The hammam: start here

A hammam is a heated steam bath, and if you only try one thing, make it this. Morocco's tourism board describes it as a ritual of scrubbing and soaping with local products such as ghassoul clay, henna, black soap, rose water and green clay.

A typical session goes like this:

Steam. You rest in a hot room to relax the body.
Black soap. A soft olive-based soap goes on the skin and is left for a few minutes.
Kessa. A rough glove removes a surprising amount of dead skin.
Rinse and rest. Many spas then add clay, a massage or argan oil.

You have two choices. A neighbourhood public hammam is cheap, separated by gender and very local, so bring your own things and expect to work out the routine by watching others. A spa hammam is private and calm and costs much more. Our hammam and spa experience in Marrakech is the easy way in if it is your first time.

Where to go for what

You want	Go to	Why
Spa and culture together	Marrakech	Riads, hammams and balneotherapy, with the medina on your doorstep
Sea-water therapy	Agadir, Essaouira or Casablanca	The main places listed for thalassotherapy
Thermal springs	Moulay Yacoub, near Fes	Naturally warm sulphurous water, baths and a thermal pool
Silence and walking	The High Atlas	Mountain air and village life, with very little to do
Space and stars	Agafay or the Sahara	A real break from screens and noise

Thalassotherapy and thermal springs

Thalassotherapy uses sea water and other marine elements, and is usually taken as a programme over several days rather than a single visit. At Moulay Yacoub, you can book baths, jet showers, a steam room, a thermal pool and massages.

Both are often described as treatments for specific conditions. If that is why you are going, speak to your own doctor first and treat the claims with care, particularly if you are pregnant or have a heart condition or high blood pressure. Heat and steam are not for everyone.

Wellness beyond the spa

For many people, the most restful part of a trip to Morocco has nothing to do with a treatment room:

A slow day with an Amazigh family near Imlil, with walks and a home-cooked meal
A cooking class, starting from local ingredients
Time with your hands in clay at a pottery workshop
Sunset on a camel ride in the Agafay desert
A hot air balloon flight over the plains at sunrise

How to plan one

Go in spring or autumn if you can. Summer inland is very hot, and winter nights are cold in the mountains and the desert.
Avoid changing hotels every night. Three nights somewhere does more for you than three stops.
Put the hammam near the end of the day, not just before a long drive.
Check what "retreat" means. It can mean anything from a full programme with teachers to a pretty hotel with a spa.
Dress for it. Bring swimwear or disposable underwear to a spa, and ask about the rules in advance.

A sample week

This is only an example: three nights in Marrakech with a hammam, a workshop and a morning in the medina; a night in the Agafay desert; a day in the Atlas around Imlil; and two last nights in Essaouira by the sea.

All of our trips are private, so we can build a week like this around your dates, your budget and how much you want to do. Tell us what you need a break from and we will start there.