The easiest time to travel in North Africa and the Middle East is from mid September to mid November: most of its destinations are comfortable to be outside then. Below, the best places for each month, and every country’s own seasons, across 18 countries and 86 destinations.
Month by month
For each month, the best places in North Africa and the Middle East for being outside, for sun at the seaside and for walking, read at midday and spread across the region. Each name opens the map there, in the middle of that month, on that rating.
- January — Being outside: Dubai, Agadir, Sharm ash Shaykh. Walking: Marrakech, Al ‘Aqabah, Sousse.
- February — Being outside: Dubai, Agadir, Al ‘Aqabah. Walking: Hammamet, Marrakech, Al ‘Aqabah.
- March — Being outside: Al ‘Aqabah, Agadir, Manama. Sun: Masqaţ. Walking: Sousse, Warzat, Marmaris.
- April — Being outside: Alanya, Warzat, Midoun. Sun: Dubai. Walking: Sousse, Rize, Chefchaouene.
- May — Being outside: Agadir, Sousse, Dikili. Sun: Alanya. Walking: Sinop, Chefchaouene, Sousse.
- June — Being outside: Ortahisar, Agadir. Sun: Urla, Hammamet, Al Ghardaqah.
- July — Being outside: Ortahisar, Agadir. Sun: Tekirdağ, Maţrūḩ, Sousse.
- August — Being outside: Afyonkarahisar, Agadir. Sun: Tekirdağ, Maţrūḩ, Sousse.
- September — Being outside: Tekirdağ, Agadir, Trabzon. Sun: Maţrūḩ, Sousse, Essaouira. Walking: Kastamonu.
- October — Being outside: Foça, Warzat, Sousse. Sun: Alanya, Midoun. Walking: Tekirdağ, Trabzon.
- November — Being outside: Marrakech, Kaş, Hammamet. Sun: Dubai. Walking: Warzat, Sinop, Midoun.
- December — Being outside: Doha, Iskourane, Sharm ash Shaykh. Sun: Masqaţ. Walking: Marrakech, Hammamet, Al ‘Aqabah.
Country by country
Each country’s main season, where most of its cities agree. “Varies by place” means no stretch suits most of the country at once; its own guide splits it up.
| Country | Being outside | Sun | Walking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Algeria | Apr to early Jun | mid Aug to Sep | late Oct to mid May |
| Bahrain | mid Nov to Mar | late Oct to mid Nov | mid Dec to early Mar |
| Egypt | late Feb to early May | Sep to Oct | late Nov to early Apr |
| Gaza Strip | late Oct to Jan | mid May to mid Jul | late Nov to early Apr |
| Iraq | Mar to mid Apr | early to mid Oct | mid Nov to Mar |
| Jordan | Apr to May | late Jun to early Oct | Feb to early May |
| Kuwait | Nov to Dec | late Apr to early May | late Nov to mid Mar |
| Libya | Apr to May | late Jun to Sep | mid Nov to Apr |
| Morocco | mid Feb to Jun | late Jul to early Oct | Nov to mid May |
| Oman | mid Dec to mid Feb | late Feb to early Apr | varies by place |
| Qatar | late Nov to Mar | early to mid Apr | mid Dec to Feb |
| Saudi Arabia | mid Nov to Dec | late Oct | mid Dec to early Mar |
| Syria | Apr to May | Sep to mid Oct | mid Nov to mid Apr |
| Tunisia | mid Mar to May | late Aug to mid Oct | Nov to early May |
| Turkey | late Apr to mid Jun | late Jun to mid Sep | Oct to early Dec |
| United Arab Emirates | Dec to Mar | mid Mar to Apr | Jan to early Feb |
| West Bank | Mar to May | Jun to Oct | late Nov to Apr |
| Yemen | all year | varies by place | mid Oct to early Apr |
The best-known places
The most-visited places with a guide of their own, and each one’s main season. Each season opens the map at its peak.
Rankings for North Africa and the Middle East
How this is worked out
Every figure is a decade of weather-station observations blended into one typical year, read at midday local solar time. Places are the region’s towns and cities that draw visitors, and for sun its seaside holiday places. Being outside is the Easy outdoors rating, Sun is Sunbathing and Walking is Active outdoors; a place is named for a month when it rates Good or better across the whole month.