Casablanca is the economic lung of Morocco; a bustling metropolis with beautiful palm trees along its promenades, the Atlantic Ocean on the horizon and huge business buildings on every corner.
Modern infrastructures sit amidst beautiful areas, between the Arab-Muslim heritage and the colonial legacy. Discover all the possibilities: stroll through the medina, which is one of the most recently created in Morocco, stroll through the center and its art-deco structures, and see the Hassan II mosque, a marvel of architecture built over the water.
Let yourself be seduced by the festive side of the city. Take advantage of the corniche, as well as its clubs and festivals, such as the Casablanca Festival, Jazzablanca and Tremplin L’Boulevard.
The coastline, which is surrounded by beaches ready to meet all needs, invites you to participate in the most exciting activities that will make your stay more enjoyable, such as diving, water skiing and sailing.
Casablanca, the White City, is a place where culture and tranquility coexist.
- Getting to Casablanca
- Getting around Casablanca
- What to see in Casablanca
- Where to eat in Casablanca
- Morocco Tours from Casablanca
Getting to Casablanca
For foreign travelers visiting Casablanca, Mohammed V airport is the main entry point. From the airport, you can take a train, bus or cab to reach the city. You can also rent a car at the airport, but be aware that driving in Casablanca and Morocco in general is not for the faint of heart.
You can take the train from the airport to the city center. However, you will have to make change. The airport train transports passengers from the airport to the Casa Oasis station. If you are traveling into the city, you will most likely have to exit at Casa Oasis and change trains. There are only two train stations, which makes it reasonably straightforward, but be cautious.
You can also get to Casablanca by train, bus or car from Rabat, the capital of Morocco, or anywhere else in the country. Almost every bus or rail trip from north to south and back will stop in Casablanca. Casa Voyageurs is the main railroad station in Casablanca.
Getting around Casablanca
If you don’t have a car and you are in town, you have several options for getting around:
Call a cab. These are the small red four-door vehicles you see around the city. They can only carry three passengers at a time and, if there is enough capacity, they will pick up people who are not traveling with you if they are all going in the same direction. They have parking meters, and you must ask the driver to use them.
There is also a tramway, the Casablanca Tramway, which runs through the city center and down to the waterfront for a modest 6dhs per passenger. It is clean and efficient, and offers beautiful views of the city.
Once you have decided where you want to go and settled on a neighborhood, you can stroll and explore the city on foot. The Corniche, Quartier Ma’arif and other places will offer great walking opportunities. Walking between neighborhoods, on the other hand, can be time-consuming, physically exhausting and confusing, so cabs and streetcars are suggested.
What to see in Casablanca
Casablanca, Morocco’s largest city, has no shortage of things to do. Whether you are coming for a day, a week, or a move to Casablanca, here are a few things to do there to keep you entertained.
Walk along the corniche of Ain Diab
You’ll feel like a local as you stroll along the ledge, people-watching, smelling the sea stopping for mint tea, juices, fresh donuts, small bags of popcorn…Or stopping for dinner at any of the many seafood restaurants here.
Visit Habous
Casablanca’s new medina, built by the French colonial authorities in 1923. It is a beautiful tangle of souks filled with handicrafts, fabrics and cafes. It is a pleasure to stroll through, and there are excellent photo opportunities. Head away from the shopping districts and into some of the alleyways – you’ll feel like you’re somewhere other than Casablanca!
Being in Habous will also allow you to visit the Benis Habous pastry shop, one of the best pastry shops in Casablanca. It is one of the oldest in the city, with brightly colored zelige (Moroccan tiles) walls and showcases displaying a variety of traditional sweets prepared with delicate flavors such as almond paste, crushed pistachios, orange blossom water and puff pastry dough. Moroccans take their sweets very seriously, so consider this stop a cultural education.
Marche Central
This is a huge food market in the center of Casablanca that offers a wide range of fresh local foods. Vibrant fruits and vegetables, as well as freshly caught fish, make for wonderful photographs, as does the bustle of the market.
Visiting La Marche Central is a bold and personal perspective of Morocco, allowing you to experience all the local gastronomy and contemplate the French colonial grandeur of downtown Casablanca. Casablanca’s history, its natural resources – and its early roots as an agricultural center, the Berber city of Anfa – are reflected in the contrasts, richness of nuances and variations.
Store and Café Hop at Ma’arif / Gauthier
These two districts are bounded by the boulevards Anfa, Zarktouni and Roudani, which are distinguished by the shopping center of the twin towers. Here you will find western fashion, large chain stores and brand boutiques. There are also cheaper local stores and kiosks offering underwear, socks, make-up and other similar items.
There is also a wide variety of cafes in these neighborhoods, ranging from simpler, older establishments filled with men and boys drinking mint tea and black coffee while watching soccer games on a big screen, to more upscale-looking gourmet ice cream parlors or funky Western cafes with gluten-free desserts and almond milk lattes.
In the evening, you can eat fresh fish, poultry or even vegetarian briouats, which are stuffed and fried puff pastry triangles.
Hassan II Mosque
This mosque, which has the tallest minaret in the world and is said to be between the third and fifth largest mosque in the world, was erected by the late King Hassan II between 1986 and 1993. It can accommodate more than 100,000 worshippers gathered for prayer (25,000 inside and 80,000 in the outer courtyard).
The mosque has a retractable roof and a glass floor that allows visitors to see the ocean through the prayer hall floor.
Non-Muslims can take a guided tour of the mosque. Tours are offered from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., seven days a week, according to the mosque’s website. To be sure of exact tour times, it is best to call the mosque.
Museum of Moroccan Judaism
This is the only museum of Judaism in the Arabic-speaking world. It covers 2,000 years of Jewish history in Morocco, focusing on the Jewish community of Casablanca. There are rotating temporary exhibits, as well as many other objects documenting Jewish life in the country. Visits must be planned in advance because a certain security process must be followed.
Villa des Arts
In a 1934 Art Deco mansion, a cultural center and art gallery present modern performances. The ONA foundations, which promote culture and innovation in Morocco, own the property.
Sacred Heart Cathedral
From 1930 to 1956, shortly after the end of French colonial authority, this cathedral hosted religious gatherings. It is now used for cultural activities and art exhibitions. Visit it to see what’s going on. The cathedral is undergoing intermittent restoration, so depending on its condition, you may not be able to see inside.
American Cultural and Artistic Center
This multi-story arts complex, scheduled to open in spring/summer 2020, will include an art gallery, bookstore, performance theater, and areas for yoga, courses, workshops and trainings. This initiative is sponsored by the American Cultural Association.
Where to eat in Casablanca
Moroccan cuisine is one of the main attractions for many travelers, and Casablanca offers several restaurants where visitors can taste some of the most genuine and diverse Moroccan cuisines.
It is distinguished by its richness and diversity of flavors, blending Amazigh, Andalusian and Mediterranean cuisines, as well as European, Arab and sub-Saharan influences.
Because Morocco’s Mediterranean diet is predominant, many of its famous traditional meals, such as tagine, couscous, rfissa, salads and soups, are healthy and composed mainly of vegetables and whole grains, making them ideal for vegan travelers.
You can discover great restaurants in a variety of locations. Most of them are limited to offering only Moroccan cuisine; you will also discover French, Indian, Spanish, Syrian, Mexican, Italian and Japanese specialties.
The Sqala
La Sqala, located near the port on the outskirts of the old medina, is a fortified bastion erected in the 19th century that today houses a restaurant known for its breakfasts and also offers tajines for lunch and dinner. The atmosphere is pleasant, with plenty of outdoor seating, where diners are surrounded by colorful tiles, greenery and a fountain. It is an excellent place to try Moroccan food.
Organic Kitchen
Look no further if you are looking for fresh food that is organic/organic and also caters to some specialized diets. Organic Kitchen has a restaurant, juice bar, take-out and a barista to meet your needs. There are starters, salads, sandwiches, tartines and a variety of larger dishes for breakfast and lunch. Gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options are clearly indicated.
Hanna & Jenna Morocco
This modest restaurant in Casablanca’s Anfa neighborhood focuses on local ingredients and offers a flexitarian menu. There is some meat on the menu, but the emphasis is on plants.
Ricks Café Casablanca
Rick’s Café is worth a visit if you want to relive the nostalgia and romance of the bar from the movie Casablanca. It will be a more touristy atmosphere, but the cuisine is adequate. There is live music. It was not the location of the filming and there is no “original” Rick’s Cafe from the movie, as none of the film was shot in Morocco.
Bondi Cafe Kitchen
This Australian-owned coffee business offers gluten-free gourmet sweets, avocado toast, smoothie bowls and coconut milk lattes. The clientele of this cafe is multinational, with a lively urban Casablanca vibe. Regular upper-middle-class Moroccans gather here, working on distant freelance projects, creating art, taking lunch breaks from their day jobs, etc.
Camel souk on Derb Sultan
If you’ve always wanted to try camel meat and are willing to take a chance, ask a cab driver to take you to the camel butcher in the Derb Sultan area. This is a very traditional and local neighborhood. The streets are crowded with people. There is a souk where you can buy vegetables, fruits, various foods and clothes, just about anything you can imagine.
In the center is a circle of butcher stalls, all selling camel meat. (You’ll see camel heads hanging in the store.) You can approach the counter and get your meat by the pound, ground with coriander, parsley, salt and cumin. Then it’s taken across the street to a cafe that serves strong Moroccan sweet tea, grilled onions and tomatoes, and will cook your camel meat for you.
Blend Burger
The Casawi (people of Casablanca) pride themselves on their fast food. Restaurants of all kinds are packed at all hours of the day and night. For the past few years, a number of American-style burger joints have sprung up in the city. Blend Burger takes a gourmet approach to its dishes, such as the camel burger with gouda cheese and date chutney.
The cuisine is priced Western-style, with gourmet burgers costing about $10 to $15. But this is the general ambience of the area. It’s contemporary and cosmopolitan. The cuisine is unique. The prices reflect the purpose of the restaurant, which is good.
Wayback Burger
We came here for the promise of American-style burgers, and we were not disappointed. Although the buns were not exactly the same, we were happy to find burgers (beef and chicken) with real hot sauce! They also offer milkshakes (with ice cream, unlike many Moroccan milkshakes) and beef bacon!
Le Gatsby Café
This is a relatively new cafe located next to the Hassan II mosque. The interior is spacious and bright, with a full menu (breakfast, lunch and dinner) as well as a café menu. It’s also a wonderful experience if you can stop by for their meal for two at teatime.
Arabica
This stylish Racine coffee shop offers a varied selection of coffees from around the world. It’s a good place to stop for a bite to eat and a drink if you’re in the area.
Casablanca’s true charm lies in its diversity, immensity and surprises. The Moroccan inhabitants of the Casa come from all walks of life, from the upper class to those who have moved from the countryside to the city in search of work. There are Indian and Asian communities, as well as European and American expatriates.
Casablanca has a thriving arts culture, a thriving yoga community, as well as local musicians and DJs, actors and filmmakers. As a guest, you won’t be able to experience every nuance of the city. However, it’s worth a try.
This city, unlike any other in Morocco, will stick in your memory as a contrast to many of the other places you will see during your trip. Take some time to explore the neighborhoods you visit. Sample the street cuisine, people-watch and be open to the unexpected.
Morocco Tours from Casablanca
Casablanca has the Mohammed V airport, the main entry point to the city and Morocco. The airport makes Casablanca the departure point for most tours and travel packages in Morocco. Book our 10 days private tour of the Imperial Cities and Merzouga desert or contact us to start your customized tour of Morocco from Casablanca.
