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The Jamaa Ould al Hamra mosque in the old medina of Casablanca

Eid al-Adha in Casablanca: A Visitor's Guide

Eid al-Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice, is known in Morocco as Aïd el-Kébir or L'Aïd Lkbir, the big Eid.

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Photo above: Farid mernissi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

On this page
  1. When Eid al-Adha 2027 is expected
  2. How Morocco confirms the date
  3. Public holiday days
  4. What closes, and for how long
  5. Sightseeing in a quiet city
  6. Trains before and after Eid
  7. Buses and the roads
  8. Sheep in the city
  9. The morning of Eid and the sacrifice
  10. 2025: the year without a sacrifice
  11. Being a considerate guest
  12. A private day around Eid
  13. Visiting Casablanca over Eid al-Adha?
  14. Sources
  15. Frequently asked

Eid al-Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice, is known in Morocco as Aïd el-Kébir or L'Aïd Lkbir, the big Eid. Many families buy a sheep and sacrifice it on the morning of Eid, and much of Casablanca empties as people travel home to their families. This page covers the expected 2027 date and how Morocco confirms it, the days off, what closes and for how long, trains and buses, the sheep and the sacrifice, the 2025 appeal not to sacrifice, and how to be a considerate guest. For Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, see our Ramadan in Casablanca page.

Eid al-Adha in Casablanca, from the dates to the clean-up

When Eid al-Adha 2027 is expected

Dates. The UAE Astronomy Centre puts Eid al-Adha 2027 on Sunday 16 or Monday 17 May, depending on when the Dhu al-Hijjah crescent is seen (Khaleej Times). Wego expects Morocco to celebrate around 16 May, with 17 May as the likely alternative; one Moroccan guide lists 17 and 18 May as the provisional days off and says only the official moon sighting is binding (wafir.ma). For 2028, calendar listings give about 5 May (check). Treat all of these as estimates: the date is confirmed only once the crescent has been seen.

How Morocco confirms the date

Dates. Morocco sets its own date by moon sighting, so it can differ by a day from Saudi Arabia. The Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs (Habous) watches for the crescent that opens the month of Dhu al-Hijjah and announces the result that evening; Eid falls on the 10th of the month. In 2026 the ministry announced on the evening of Sunday 17 May that the month began on 18 May, putting Eid on Wednesday 27 May (Hespress). That gives about ten days' notice, but keep a day or two of slack in your plans either side.

Public holiday days

Hours. Eid al-Adha carries two paid days off in Morocco (wafir.ma). In 2026 these were Wednesday 27 and Thursday 28 May, and the government added an exceptional day off on Friday 29 May for public administrations and local authorities, announced on 22 May (Morocco World News). Whether there is an extra day in 2027 is decided each year, so check. Government offices close on the holiday days; plan any paperwork for well before Eid.

What closes, and for how long

Hours. Expect a quiet city. A Morocco World News writer found Casablanca's usually busy streets 'entirely empty' over Eid, with restaurants and food outlets mostly closed for up to a week, many coffee shops still open, and only a few fast-food and tourist-oriented places open around United Nations Square (6 Jul 2023). Another account describes restaurants, cafés and corner shops closing for a few days as people travel home (Morocco World News, 2021). A tour operator warns that many shops, museums and restaurants may close or keep short hours for the first two days (Eco Morocco Tours). Ring a restaurant before you go, and ask your hotel what it will serve over Eid.

Sightseeing in a quiet city

Visiting. The same 2023 visit found the old medina quiet enough to explore without the usual crowds, and short queues at the Sindibad theme park. The writer also joined a Hassan II Mosque guided tour over the holiday, where entry is by tour only (Morocco World News). We have no confirmed tour timetable for Eid days, so check fmh2.ma before you go.

Trains before and after Eid

Transport. Trains fill up as people head home. For Eid 2026 ONCF ran a special plan from 20 May to 7 June: Al Boraq ran hourly between Tangier, Kenitra, Rabat and Casablanca from 6:00 to 21:00 during the outbound period, with an extra train at 22:00 on the busiest days; Al Atlas trains had more capacity and extra services on routes including Marrakech–Casablanca–Fès; and regional trains ran fewer services on Eid day itself. ONCF asked travellers to buy return tickets early (Hespress, 21 May 2026). The 2027 plan is announced each year, so check oncf-voyages.ma.

Buses and the roads

Transport. Ouled Ziane in Casablanca, described as the country's largest bus station, was packed in the days before Eid 2026, with redevelopment works adding to the disorder. Consumer groups warned travellers about informal ticket touts, known as smasriya (Hespress, 22 May 2026). Wego advises booking early if you travel around the holiday. If you are moving between cities, try to travel well before the rush or after the return; we have no confirmed information on how easy it is to find a petit taxi over Eid, so allow extra time.

Sheep in the city

Traditions. In the week before Eid, sheep appear all over Casablanca. One resident described them in enclosures outside the souks, behind garage doors, on balconies and peering out of vehicles of every size (Morocco World News, 31 Jul 2020). For residents without space at home, the Commune of Casablanca and Casablanca Prestations offered a supervised slaughter service at the municipal slaughterhouses in Sidi Othmane in 2026, and could house animals for up to 48 hours before Eid (Hespress, 18 May 2026).

The morning of Eid and the sacrifice

Traditions. Eid morning begins with the takbir, and families in jellabas go to the Eid prayer, usually held in mosques or open spaces shortly after sunrise (Wego). The sacrifice follows at home. In one account the family's sheep was slaughtered on the rooftop by a local butcher after the words 'Bismillah', in the name of God, and the first meal was skewers of meat and liver wrapped in caul fat, called boulfaf, cooked on a barbecue (Morocco World News, 2021). The meat is traditionally shared between the family, friends and neighbours, and people in need (Wego). Expect to see sacrifice waste in residential streets on Eid day; in 2026 the city ran its 'Aïd Al-Adha Nadif' clean-up campaign, handing out bags for sacrifice waste and aiming to clear the streets by 20:00 (Hespress, 28 May 2026).

2025: the year without a sacrifice

Religious calendar. In February 2025 King Mohammed VI called on Moroccans to refrain from the sacrifice that year, after years of drought had sharply reduced the national herd; his message was read on national television by the minister of religious affairs (The National, 27 Feb 2025). In 2026 the government said Eid would be celebrated normally, citing support for livestock farmers and better rains (Hespress, 19 Mar 2026; Bladi, 12 Apr 2026), and the household sacrifice returned (Morocco World News, 27 May 2026). We have seen no announcement about 2027.

Being a considerate guest

Etiquette. Eid is a family and religious occasion first. The usual greeting is 'Eid Mubarak' (Wego). If a Moroccan family invites you to share the day, a tour operator suggests accepting: it is a chance to see Moroccan hospitality at first hand (Eco Morocco Tours). At the meal people often eat with their hands from shared dishes and drink mint tea (Morocco World News, 2021). The sacrifice is a religious rite, not a spectacle: if you would rather not see it, say so, and arrive after the morning.

A private day around Eid

Booking. Tell us your dates. If you are travelling around Eid al-Adha, we plan the day around the holiday.

Visiting Casablanca over Eid al-Adha?

Tell us your dates and what you want to see. If you are travelling around Eid al-Adha, we plan the day around the holiday.

Ask about a day around Eid

Sources

Frequently asked

When is Eid al-Adha 2027 in Morocco?
Astronomical estimates put it on Sunday 16 or Monday 17 May 2027. Morocco confirms the date by moon sighting: the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs (Habous) announces the start of Dhu al-Hijjah on the evening the crescent is seen, and Eid follows on the 10th of the month. Check that announcement before you finalise your plans.
Is it worth visiting Casablanca over Eid al-Adha?
It depends on what you want. The city is unusually quiet: many restaurants and shops close for several days, some for up to a week, while many cafés stay open and sights such as the medina are calm. Trains and buses are very busy just before and after Eid. If you want lively restaurants and markets, come a week either side.
How many days is the Eid al-Adha holiday in Morocco?
Two paid days off. In 2026 these were 27 and 28 May, and the government added an exceptional day off on 29 May for public administrations. Extra days are decided each year, so check for 2027.
Is the sheep sacrifice still happening in Morocco?
In 2025 King Mohammed VI asked Moroccans not to sacrifice because of drought. In 2026 the government said Eid would be celebrated normally, and the household sacrifice returned. We have seen no announcement about 2027.
Are trains running over Eid al-Adha?
Yes. In 2026 ONCF added trains and capacity from 20 May to 7 June, with hourly Al Boraq services between Tangier and Casablanca during the outbound period, but fewer regional trains on Eid day itself. Book early and check oncf-voyages.ma for the 2027 plan.

Keep reading.

Visiting Casablanca over Eid al-Adha?

Tell us your date and group; a plan and a fixed price come back in writing within 24 hours.

Ask about a day around Eid