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The Best Things to do in Casablanca
When someone says Casablanca, what is the first thing you could think of? Most Americans may think of the 1942 romantic drama film Casablanca. Still, most of you may not know that Casablanca, as the original movie, has shot in Hollywood studio, not in actual Casablanca. It is the biggest city in the country and considered the economic and business hub of Morocco. The city has such a charm that it treats tourists as locals, and you will feel a specific type of Belongingness for the town. It gives you a glimpse of Modern and past cultures of locals and artisans.
On the one hand, you will find modern art buildings and another side you will discover old medina corridors. Most tourists first land in Casablanca and then just rush towards Marrakech and miss the opportunity to explore this hidden city. The best thing about Casablanca is that you can easily explore most of the city in just one to two days if you are in Marrakech and want to go to Casablanca than you can Book our Private Marrakech to Casablanca day tour.
Casablanca is a hidden city, and most tourists do not know what to do in Casablanca. So, we as a licensed tour operator feels that we should compiled a list of different activities which you can do in Casablanca. So, following are the list of More than 30 Things to do and see in Casablanca.
As you all know, Morocco is the Muslim-centric country, and they follow Islam’s religion. Mosques have the essential places in Islam as they have to Pray five times a day at Mosques. In morocco, there are hundreds and thousands of mosques throughout the country, but in Casablanca, you will find the world’s second-largest Mosque, which is HASSAN II MOSQUE. It is known as the tallest Mosque of the world, about 690 feet above the ground. Best thing about this Mosque is that it is open to visiting for Non-Muslims. You can go inside and experience the magnificent piece of art by yourself. The floor of the Mosque is made up of Glass and blew its sea flows. It gives a feeling of walking directly over the sea. More than 25000 people can fit in at the same time for prayer, imagine the size of the Mosque, and if we talk about courtyard than it can welcome more than 70000 people into it. The giant Mosque completed in 1993 and the cost to build a Mosque on the sea at that time reaches around 600 million Euros.
It is the beachfront district of Casablanca. Most travelers, and locals, come to La corniche for relaxing or resting on the beach. In summers, this Place is filled with surfers, swimmers, and sunbathers. This is a best place where you can come with family and refresh by taking a dip in the beach. There are also several hotels and clubs on the coastline where you can dine-in with your family and friends.
known by different names like Victory square, Administrative square, Main Square, and even known as pigeon square due to the heavy presence of pigeons in an area. Place Muhammad V or Muhammad V square was most popularly known as Place Muhammad V square, which was built back in 1916 during French Colonialism under the supervision of French Army General Louis Hubert. To this day, you will find the statue of General Louis at the square. It is the most crucial Place of Casablanca because it is surrounded by many important buildings of Morocco like Morocco’s post office, the palace of Justice, French consulate, and the bank of Morocco. That is why it is also known as the administrative hub of Casablanca.
Arab league Park lies at the south of Muhammad Square V. It is also known as Parc de la Ligue Arabe, and it is the Casablancas’s most prominent open space which is best for Games and long walks. There are several small cafes in the garden where you can eat and drink with your family and friends while enjoying the park’s beauty.
This Church was built back in the 1930s, and very few people know about this hidden gem. However, the condition of the structure is not so good and needs some massive uplifting, but still, if you manage to visit the Place, you must go inside this Church and feel the rich history of this Cathedral first hand. French designer Paul Tournon designed the Church. Mostly Muslim influenced design mixed with Art Deco and Neo-gothic style is used in the Cathedral. The operations of Cathedral were abandoned after the independence of Morocco on 2nd March 1956. After that, it became a cultural hub and host numerous art exhibitions, and even in 2015, it hosted an electronic music night inside the Cathedral. Technically it should not be called Cathedral because Bishop never held a seat in that Church. The Cathedral is within walking distance from Old Medina.
It is one of the main railway station near the port of Casablanca. It is just beside the old Medina and facilities many tourists who want to travel from old Medina. It is an immaculate station, and many staff members can speak English quite fluently. There are cafes, coffee shops and other food outlets where you can relax before commencing. You will also find Money exchange booths, currency dealers, clothing stores of Men, women, and children. There is not much to do besides eating and Shopping, but the building in which station located is stunning.
Casablanca Tramway is the best way to see the city in one go. It is the second modern Tram system of morocco after Rabat-Salé tramway. Till now, it covers two lines T1 and T2. T1 covers from Sidi Moumen to Lissasfa, and T2 from Sidi Bernoussi to Ain Dia. It forms a network of 47 km and covers 71 stations. The Tram has a tinted window and equipped with comfortable seats with air conditioning. So, just sit with local and see all the city comfortably by chatting with locals and make some new friends all the way.
These are the two skyscrapers of more than 370 feet and have 28 floors each. It is Standing in the center of the city in the Maarif district just on the corner of Al Massira Al Khadra Boulevard and Zerktouni Boulevard. These towers named The west tower and The East tower, and in West Tower, you will find multiple office accommodations with a shopping center while in East tower, you will find the famous Five-Star Kenzi Tower Hotel. It has 200 bedrooms, plus 30 suites including the ‘Casablanca Royal Suite.’
As the name hints, the palace of the King could not be an ordinary place. It is an architectural gem and located in the new Medina, and there is a tall wall surround by the palace. Heavy gunmen guard the palace. If you are lucky or have connections with the King, then do visit this Place. However, King stays with his family only his visit to Casablanca because King has many more palaces all around the country.
Founded in 1997 and rebuilt in 2013 is the only Jewish Museum that is devoted solely to Jewish in the Arab world. It showers light into Jewish history, culture, religion, traditions in the civilization of morocco. There are different rooms in the Museum with paintings, ornaments, and clothing and shows Moroccan synagogues. There is also some beautiful Ornate tapestry hanging on the walls, which shows the influence of Jewish Culture on Moroccan society. It also shows how these two different societies coexist with each other for hundreds of years.
It is the port city between Casablanca and Rabat in the region of Casablanca-Settat and has some best beaches to relax. It is the perfect alternative to Casablanca because it is just 25 km away from Casablanca and offers so much to see and do. It has Morocco’s second-largest port. Most of the people come there on summer weekends when there is a great bustle in Casablanca. Most tourists do not know this Place even in season this Place not filled up by tourists.
It is a Modern catholic church built in the early 1950s by architect Achille and engineer Gaston Zimmer. The best thing to see in Notre-Dame de Lourdes church is the interior where you could see world popular stained-glass art. The stained glass has a strong and vibrant red and blue background, and the floor of the Church is covered with top-class Moroccan carpets. There are several portraits of Virgin Merry hang on different places. It was built to serve the need for more than 15000 Catholics in Casablanca.
You may know, Medina means the city’s old district and the Medina of Casablanca are not that much attractive and charming as of Marrakech or Fes, but the narrow streets that look like a maze from above have plenty to offer. You can find dealers sell their products to shopkeepers. Most of the shops are retail shops where wholesalers sell their inventory through dealers. You can also find butchers selling meat, candlestick makers, pottery sellers, and many other sellers selling their stuff. You can feel the real-life of Casablanca by just spending an Hour in Medina. You can find some shrines of Holy men in the south of Medina, which you can visit and enjoy the different cultures.
Just near Arab Park League, you will find Casablanca’s biggest Modern Art museum. It promotes Morocco’s art and culture in a contemporary art style and currently features more than 1000 artworks, including International Artists. Till this very date is hosts several different cultural events and acted as a hub for local artists. All year many art lovers and tourists come to this Place for the art exhibition. The ONA Cultural foundation manages the Museum. The white cubical building is a stunning piece of art and worth visiting as it is a 1934 Art Deco villa and depicts its classiness from every angle. Although it is the most significant Museum of Casablanca, it is not so big, but the best thing about Villa des Arts is that the entrance to this Villa is free.
It is also known as Makhama du Pacha is an administrative building just like Muhammad V square. The distance from Muhammad V square to Makhama al-Pasha is only 2 km. French Artist Auguste Cadet conceived this idea of building a court of Justice in 1925. This Place is the home of Pasha (The Governor), also acted as a courthouse, also hosted special state reception and also as Jail. Now, the building is worth seeing because it was designed by the French Arab style element called Mauresque with a tough of strong Moorish Elements. The principal gateway of the building resembles a Persian Iwan.
If you come to Morocco than do not forget to visit the Biggest Shopping Mall in Africa. Morocco Mall is a shopping Hub and a treat for all shopping Lovers. You can find anything here from Local pottery to a high-end brand like Gucci and Armani. It is enough to entertain you and your friend and family. Apart from expensive clothing brands, they also offer a vast range of foods to enjoy. The best one is their huge indoor aquarium, a home of sharks; after every thirty minutes of walking in the Mall, you will find water-shows. There is a humongous fountain implanted outside the Mall, which adds more beauty to the Mall. There is also indoor ice skating where you can play ice hockey. For kids, there is a substantial indoor Fairground where you can enjoy yourself with your family and kids. They designed this Mall to entertain everyone from young to old. They even have Souks inside the Mall for those who wanted to shop traditional morocco stuff. The Mall is so big that you can spend an hour in it by Shopping and seeing various things.
Medina was built by the French ruler in 1923. It is also known as a new town in Morocco. It is a marketplace in a quarter known as habous in the southeastern part of Casablanca, about 6.5 km from the city center. On entrance, you will find a massive clock on the wall, which can be seen above.
It is always packed with locals, and they buy different things from there. The new Medina is full of small Market, and the allays are very narrow because the French built it that way. The best thing to purchase from New Medina is Souvenirs. This Place is the dream for those who want to experience Moroccan culture first hand. The best thing about that area is that sellers are less pushy, unlike old Medina. The atmosphere of New Medina is much relaxed, and you can shop your favorite stuff at much less rate.
It was named after The Moroccan businessman and art lover and collector Abder Rahman who died in 2001. All the arts are presented in a gallery space, and the main focus of the painting is on showing Moroccan antique jewelry, ancient travel posters. The Museum is well known for the collection of 18th and 19th-century Old Moroccan jewelry. Thanks to Abder Rahman, Father in Law, who was a famous jeweler and along with Abder Rahman, helps to preserve the antique jewelry. It also has the paintings of Muhammad Ben Ali Ribati, who is considered as the father of modern Moroccan paintings.
Also known as Marche Central is located at the heart of Casablanca. This Place has historical and cultural significance. The central Market is designed by French engineer Pierre and its construction was completed back in 1917. It was bombed by the freedom fighter Muhammad Zarqtuni in 1953.
The most prominent part of the Market is its Gates. The Market is famous for selling different kinds of seafood. You can buy fresh fish from the Atlantic Ocean, oysters, and even meat of shark for sale at Central Market. Many locals come to this Place every day to shop their regular necessitates like the meat to prepare their daily meals. It’s a great chance to meet and greet locals, and you can even take photographs with them. They are very friendly and helpful. The remarkable thing about this Place is that you will find every household thing in that Market from Grocery to Slippers. Spend just 30 min there, and you will learn how to bargain like a champion!
It is located at the downtown of Casablanca best known for its beaches, hotel’s restaurants, and nightclubs. You can come here and enjoy your holiday on a sandy beach. In summers the beach of Ain Diab can be very crowded. If you have deep pockets, this Place has much to offer because, at the daytime, there is only a limited set of activities you can do like stroll on the sandy beach and have lunch or coffee at the hotel. Although you can play football and horse riding, the fun begins at night where bars, discos open. Still, it is hard to get Alcohol at that Place. This Place became famous after they hosted the formula one world championship.
This Place is designed to recreate the bar, which is featured in the famous classic Hollywood blockbuster Casablanca. The bar was opened back in 2004, and it is considered as an architectural gem because of its design and the decorative details inspired by the movie Casablanca. Most of the food they served in seafood, but their goat cheese, Salads, and Steak are also very popular. Also, if you love sugary food, then do try their cheesecake and Brownies.
If you wanted to escape from the city’s busy life and want to spend some quality time with friends and family while overlooking the town, then visit sky 28. They offer some best cocktails and even play live Music for their guests. They also serve some great traditional and modern morocco foods. Best time to visit Sky 28 is at night where you can watch the illuminated white city from the 28th floor. The Place opens at 3.pm and closes its operations at 2.am
There are more than 30 houses of worship for Jews called Synagogue in Casablanca. Still, Temple Beth-El is considered the hub for the Jewish community as it is the largest in Casablanca with a rich history of old and New Casablanca. Its unique stained-glass acted as a rainbow maker because when the sunlight comes in the synagogue, it converts the Yellow light into different colors of the rainbow. It is an artistic masterpiece that was completely redesigned in 1997. Many tourists visit this synagogue to see the life of the Jewish community of Casablanca.
Wanted to see the 360 view of Casablanca? Then climb to El Hank Lighthouse, which is about 160 ft tall and built-in 1916. It is the spot to take the stunning pictures of the city, especially of HASSAN II MOSQUE. The lighthouse shows the sheer genius of construction and depicts the glory of Muslim architecture. You can reach the top of the lighthouse by the internal staircase, which has about 255 steps. From the above, you can enjoy the breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean as well as old Medina.
Safi is located a little outside about 235 km south of Casablanca. The small city is a hub of Morocco’s weaving industry, and the city has the vital fishing port for the pilchard industry, further this city exports textiles, chemicals, ceramics, etc. Visit Safi medina and buy ceramics and pottery from world-famous artisans.
Safi’s most prominent monument is Dar el Bahar Fortress which was built by Portuguese in early 1500. The city’s main contribution is the rulers of Almohade, who build ramparts around the city and made it an intellectual and spiritual hub for many.
The stunning Coastal city is located about 185 km south of Casablanca in between SAFI and EL JADIDA. The town is popular for its shellfish harvesting, and that is why also known as Oyster Capital of Morocco. This Place is known for its beaches and fresh seafood. Suppose you are foody than you must visit this relaxed and laid-back city. Come and unwind yourself in cool Oualidia breeze.
The city lies at the Atlantic coast, just about 77 Km southwest of Casablanca. The main attraction of the city is the Oum Er-Rabia River. The Medina of Azemmour sits right above the river, and you can take some very cool pictures in that city. There is also a stunning Atlantic beach to explore in Azemmour, but the sad thing is that no one knows about that Place, and very few tourists explore this city. If you have time, then we encourage you to explore this Place and put pictures of this gem to your social media for awareness.
Around 100 km from the south of Casablanca, you can find this beautiful small town. The town is in the list of one of the Seven wonders of Portuguese origin in the world. It is quite a big thing to include in that list because it is a list of prominent landmarks built by the Portuguese empire in the sixth century. El Jadida, apart from seven wonders also included in UNESCO World heritage. UNESCO included it back in 2004 because of its exemptional structure, which depicts Portuguese construction technology with the influence of European and Moroccan Culture.
The small town gets hugely crowded during the summertime because it was surrounded by such beautiful and exciting things like Sand beaches, ports, Royal gold of el Jadida etc. The best thing is to walk upon Citadel, which was constructed during Portuguese times and see the sea view. In summer, this Place gets quite hot if we talk about its annual temperature, then the annual temperature is about 17.7 °C. In winter this Place enjoys more rainfall than in summer.
What a better way to see a classic movie Casablanca in the Classic cinema of Casablanca? Sound confusing! Anyway, Cinema Rialto was built in 1929, and still, it is an example of classiness and still operational with its classic red seats. Don’t know if they have the movie Casablanca or not, but they have some excellent classic Arabic movies. You can watch it for fun otherwise just roam around the theatre and cherish the old architecture and sitting of the cinema. The staff is very friendly and will allow you to take the pictures of this single screen cinema.
If you come to Casablanca, then do not forget to attend a 10-day Music and art festival held every year. Many underground bands, along with the Mainstream band, perform and represent local Music. Along with classic Music, pop, rock, and electronic Music is also played by well known international brands.
The Medina of Casablanca is relatively new as compared to Medina of Fes or Marrakech, but still, the Medina of Casablanca was built 250 years ago in 1770. The Medina was built by the Grandson of Moulay Ismail, Sultan Muhammad bin Abdullah. King made several arched portals to protect the city from the enemies, and the Bab Marrakech is one of them. It is the main gateway to the city, and the Medina is located behind that gate. There is a huge bell tower build next to the gate, which adds more beauty to it. You can discover this gate just beside the United Nations Square.
This is one of Casablanca’s most popular beaches and favorite of Surfers because of the windy environment huge waves formed in the sea, which every surfer wants. They ride the waves, and those who can’t surf may enjoy food by watching surfers conquer the waves. If you want to collect seashells, then come to this Place early in the morning and collect several seashells. Besides stalls, there are many restaurants around which offer delicious Moroccan food at a very reasonable price.
This Forest is located at the suburbs of Casablanca and best for spending a day doing different sports like football, cycling, running, etc. The Forest covers an area of 3000 acres and primarily dominated by eucalyptus trees. There are many open green spaces available at the Forest where you can do a picnic with your family and friends. The only downside about that Place is that you cannot do quad biking there because there are not many tracks available for that activity, but the good thing is that the administration is working on it. Located 20km northeast of Casablanca, and You need to have a car to reach bouskoura.
Many tourists ask us what they can do with kids in Casablanca then we recommend them to go Tamaris Aquaparc. As the name suggests, it is an Aqua Park or water park with a bunch of water slides, pools for kids and adults alike. The prices are high as compared to European water parks, but their service is excellent. The quick money-saving tip: If you come at the time of Ramadan, you will get all the rides at half of the price. The only downside coming in Ramadan is food because all cafes and stalls would be closed and time of the park would also cut to half, but the best thing is you will not find any line at that time so you can enjoy with your family and friends at that time of the year. Go and unleash your inner child and splash water hard in the park.
Talking about kids and Parks, how can we not recommend you Parc Sindibad, which was re-opened and the only amusement Park in Morocco. This is not just a park but an adventure land where you enjoy rollercoaster and other amusement rides. There is also a well-maintained Zoo in the park with both African and Asian animals, which you should visit. The price of food in the park is pricy, but the quality is far superior then what you pay. The entrance fee starts at 20 dirhams or $2 per person, which is quite reasonable.