Where to Base Yourself in Morocco as a Digital Nomad

Morocco’s best-known city is also its main nomad hub. Most remote workers live in Gueliz, the French-built new town, with modern flats, supermarkets, cafes with good Wi-Fi and coworking spaces, or in leafy Hivernage next door. The Medina, with its souks, riads and Jemaa el-Fnaa square, is ten minutes away and wonderful for a short stay, though riad internet can be slow. It has good private clinics, cheap flights across Europe, and the High Atlas for weekend hikes. Summers are brutally hot, and the Medina’s touts and traffic wear some people down. See the Marrakech digital nomad guide.

These two surf villages 20 to 30 minutes north of Agadir are Morocco’s surf-and-work capital. Surf-and-cowork houses and coliving bundle a room, a desk, surf lessons and shared dinners, which makes it easy to arrive alone. Taghazout is the livelier and pricier of the two; Tamraght, just south, is quieter with more apartments. The surf season runs from October to April, when prices also peak. There’s little nightlife, internet outside coworking spaces can be patchy, and hospitals and big shops are in Agadir. See the Taghazout digital nomad guide.

Rebuilt after a 1960 earthquake, Agadir is a modern, low-rise beach city with a long promenade, international hotels, supermarkets, private clinics and the airport for the whole surf coast. It lacks old-town charm, but it’s practical, mild all year and cheaper than Marrakech. Some nomads live here and drive or take a grand taxi to the surf.

A whitewashed, walled port town on the Atlantic, with a UNESCO-listed medina, a working fishing harbour and a strong arts and music scene. The trade wind keeps summers cool, which makes it a good escape from inland heat, and makes it one of Africa’s best spots for kitesurfing and windsurfing. It’s small and walkable, with a relaxed mix of long-stayers. The wind and sea fog can be tiring, and healthcare is basic, with serious cases going to Marrakech, about three hours away. See the Essaouira digital nomad guide.

Morocco’s capital is green, orderly and much calmer than Marrakech or Casablanca. Agdal and Hassan are the easiest areas for foreigners, with modern flats, cafes and the tram, while the Oudayas kasbah and the beach at Salé across the river add character. It has some of the country’s best hospitals, the embassies and Al Boraq trains to Tangier and Casablanca. The nomad scene is small, and it suits people who want a quiet, comfortable routine.

Facing Spain across the Strait of Gibraltar, Tangier mixes a hilly medina and kasbah with a modern seafront and new marina. It has a long expat and literary history, a growing cafe culture and the fastest links to Europe: ferries to Tarifa and Algeciras, and the Al Boraq high-speed train to Rabat and Casablanca. Winters are rainy and cooler than the south, and the city is busy in summer. Quiet Asilah is a short drive down the coast.

Fes has the world’s largest car-free medina, full of tanneries, madrasas and craft workshops, and is the most traditional of Morocco’s big cities. Rents and food are cheap, and the Ville Nouvelle has modern flats with better internet than the medina. It’s a great base for learning Arabic or exploring Meknes and the Middle Atlas. Summers are very hot, winters cold and damp, and there are few other remote workers.

The famous blue town in the Rif mountains is small, cheap, cool in summer and surrounded by hiking trails. It’s ideal for a quiet few weeks of focused work, but internet beyond guesthouses can be slow, there’s little to do in the evenings, winters are cold, and day-trippers crowd the streets in high season. Tangier is about two and a half hours away.

• Follow the seasons. Marrakech and the surf coast in winter; Essaouira, Tangier or Rabat in summer.
• Start with coliving or a short let for a week or two, then rent monthly directly once you know the area.
• Test the internet before you commit, especially in riads and village houses.
• Plan for day 90. If you’ll stay longer, decide early between an extension, a residence card or a trip out of the country.