Travelling During Ramadan: What Changes in Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Turkey and Oman

Yes, you can travel during Ramadan in Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Turkey or Oman. In tourist areas, hotels serve meals and most sights stay open. The rules are not the same everywhere, though: in Oman, eating or drinking in public during the day is banned for everyone, while in Istanbul almost nothing changes.

Ramadan is the Muslim month of fasting. From sunrise to sunset, those who observe it don't eat, drink or smoke. Life shifts to the evening: at iftar, the meal that breaks the fast at sunset, the streets empty all at once, then the cities fill up again until late at night. That rhythm is the real difference for a traveller, far more than the restrictions. Here is what changes in each of the five countries, what the law says and what is simply custom.

When is Ramadan in 2027 and 2028?

In 2027, Ramadan should start around 8 February, with Eid al-Fitr, the festival that ends it, on 9 or 10 March. In 2028, it will begin around 28 January, with Eid around 26 or 27 February. Both years, it overlaps with the European February school holidays.

The Islamic calendar is lunar: Ramadan moves about eleven days earlier each year in the Gregorian calendar. The exact dates depend on sighting the crescent moon and can differ by a day between countries, as the Khaleej Times points out. The dates below are astronomical estimates: check them a few days before you leave.

• Ramadan 2027: from 8 February to about 8 or 9 March, Eid al-Fitr on 9 or 10 March (estimate for France).
• Ramadan 2028: from 28 January to about 25 or 26 February, Eid al-Fitr on 26 or 27 February (estimate based on the yearly shift, to be confirmed).
• The following years: the month moves back about eleven days a year and drifts towards autumn through the 2030s.

In winter the days are short: the fast lasts about twelve hours in Morocco or Egypt, against more than fifteen in high summer. Cities feel the change less, and evenings start early, around 6 pm.

Morocco: can you eat in public during Ramadan?

In Morocco, article 222 of the penal code punishes with one to six months in prison anyone publicly known to be Muslim who conspicuously breaks the fast in public without an accepted reason. It does not target non-Muslim tourists, who can eat and drink in the restaurants that stay open. Eating in the street is still frowned upon.

According to Morocco World News, the law does not apply to non-Muslim foreigners. The text looks at a person's known religion, not their nationality: a Muslim traveller, whether a tourist or from the diaspora, is therefore covered. A campaign, #Stop222, is calling for the article to be repealed; it remains in force.

In practice, in Marrakech, Fez or Chefchaouen, restaurants aimed at visitors stay open at lunchtime, sometimes with the curtains drawn. Elsewhere, many cafés close until the evening. Voyageurs du Monde notes that drinking water in public is tolerated, but advises against eating while you walk. As for alcohol, supermarkets often stop selling it during the month, while large hotels generally keep serving their non-Muslim guests, according to La Méridionale.

In the evening, Jemaa el-Fna square and the medinas come alive after iftar and stay busy late into the night. Our guide to things to do in Marrakech lists the visits to fit into the morning, when the city is at its quietest.

Tunisia: are cafés open during Ramadan?

In Tunisia, no law requires fasting or bans eating in public. In practice, some cafés and restaurants close during the day outside tourist areas, and alcohol sales are often restricted. The situation varies by city and by year.

This goes back to a 1981 circular that asked cafés to close and alcohol sales to stop during the month. Repealed a few days after it was issued, it kept being applied in practice, as WebManagerCenter reported in 2013. In 2017, Business News still described cafés allowed to open during the day only in tourist areas or on certain shopping streets. These sources are a few years old, and practice varies by city and by year.

For a traveller, the difference shows mostly outside tourist areas. In Djerba, Hammamet or Sousse, hotels in the tourist zone serve their guests; ask your hotel what stays open nearby. Archaeological sites remain open. Our comparison of Morocco or Tunisia in winter helps you choose between the two when Ramadan falls in February.

Egypt: do the sights stay open during Ramadan?

In Egypt, no specific rule applies to travellers during Ramadan beyond courtesy towards those who are fasting. Large hotels and many restaurants in tourist districts run as normal. Opening hours at the sights, however, may be shortened.

The Routard guide notes no rule specific to Egypt, and simply advises not eating or smoking in front of people who are fasting. International hotels keep their usual service, many restaurants in tourist districts stay open, and alcohol is served in hotels and licensed venues, not in the street. According to Global Rescue, some hotel bars serve more discreetly or for shorter hours during the month.

For the sights, reports differ: some tour operators mention earlier afternoon closing so staff can get home before iftar, others say hours don't change. The safest approach is to visit in the morning and check the last entry time the day before. For Giza, our guide to getting from Cairo to the pyramids without a taxi covers the trip, best made early before the crowds. For a cruise between Luxor and Aswan, ask your operator whether visiting hours change during the month.

Turkey: what changes during Ramadan?

Of the five countries, Turkey is where Ramadan, called Ramazan, changes a traveller's day the least. In Istanbul, restaurants in tourist districts serve all day and alcohol is still on sale. The month shows mostly in the evening, with iftar meals in the squares.

Turkey is a secular state, and no rule governs fasting. In the busiest districts, from Sultanahmet to Taksim by way of the Grand Bazaar, restaurants stay open at lunchtime. More conservative neighbourhoods, such as Fatih, are quieter during the day: discretion is appreciated there.

In the evening, Sultanahmet square fills with tables for iftar and the city council lays on free communal meals in several squares. Cafés stay open until sahur, the pre-dawn meal. To eat iftar at a well-known restaurant, book two to three days ahead. Our Istanbul guide lists the districts to see.

Oman: can tourists eat in public during Ramadan?

Oman has the strictest rule of the five countries. During Ramadan, eating, drinking and smoking in public during the day is banned for everyone, Muslim or not. In practice, many restaurants close or screen their dining rooms until sunset.

The rule is set out by the Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs: during Ramadan, eating, drinking and smoking in public during daylight hours is forbidden, for Muslims and non-Muslims alike. The same page notes that drinking alcohol or being drunk in public is an offence all year round, and advises modest dress, especially near religious sites. Belgian travel advice adds that you should avoid chewing gum in public too.

Bring food to eat in your room or your car, and drink out of sight while you're on the road. On a road trip, this is the real constraint: finding a meal before evening can be hard, and some hotels serve their guests in a closed dining room. Our Oman guide covers the route, and our article on visa-free entry the paperwork for French citizens.

Which rules apply in all five countries?

Wherever you go, keep three tips in mind: don't eat, drink or smoke conspicuously in the street during the day, plan your meals around iftar, and book early if your trip covers Eid al-Fitr.

• A bottle of water in your bag. Drinking is tolerated for visitors in most countries, except Oman. Do it discreetly, not in front of a shopkeeper or driver who is fasting.
• Iftar time. At sunset, the streets empty, many shops close for an hour and taxis become hard to find. Plan to be at your hotel or restaurant by then.
• Afternoons. People who are fasting tire towards the end of the day. Visit in the morning, keep afternoons for travel and a nap, and make the most of the evenings.
• Dress. Clothes that cover shoulders and knees are appreciated throughout the month, especially in medinas and near mosques.
• An invitation to iftar. If someone invites you to break the fast, say yes: it's a rare chance to share a family meal. A box of dates or pastries makes a welcome gift.

Should you book early for Eid al-Fitr?

The price rises reported cluster around Eid al-Fitr, the festival that ends the fast, which triggers a travel peak: families on the move, full hotels, packed transport. If your trip covers it, book hotels, trains and domestic flights several weeks ahead.

In Morocco, Hespress reported a rise in hotel bookings in the main cities for Eid 2025. Domestic tourism then accounted for 30% of nights in classified hotels. In the Gulf, Eid al-Fitr holiday packages cost about 30% more in 2025 for UAE residents. On the festival days, many shops and offices close. Tourist sites, meanwhile, fill up with families.

If you're still choosing where to go, our comparison of Egypt or Jordan weighs up climate, budget and entry rules for a first trip.