About Casablanca
Despite what Humphrey Bogart might suggest, the real Casablanca is a confident, cosmopolitan city of 4 million people. As Morocco's economic capital and main port, it feels different from the imperial cities: more European in some ways, utterly African in others.
The Hassan II Mosque is the undisputed highlight: completed in 1993, it seats 25,000 worshippers inside and another 80,000 in its grounds. Its 210-metre minaret is the world's tallest, and the prayer hall floor opens to reveal the ocean below.
The Corniche, Casablanca's waterfront boulevard, and the Habous quarter (a 'new medina' built by the French in the 1930s) are worth exploring. Most international visitors arrive through Mohammed V Airport to start their Morocco journey; our private tours from Casablanca depart directly from the airport and connect you to Fez, Marrakech, the Sahara, and all of Morocco's major sights.
What to See & Do
📍 Hassan II Mosque
One of the world's largest mosques with a 210m minaret, partially built over the Atlantic Ocean.
📍 Corniche
Casablanca's sweeping Atlantic waterfront promenade with restaurants, cafés, and sea views.
📍 Habous Quarter
A beautiful 1930s 'new medina' blending Moroccan and French colonial architecture.
📍 Art Deco Architecture
The city center features one of the finest collections of Art Deco buildings in the world.
📍 Mohammed V Square
The grand civic heart of the city, surrounded by government buildings and a central fountain.
📍 Rick's Café
A homage to the famous film, serving excellent food and cocktails in a beautiful riad setting.
Casablanca at a Glance
- Region
- Casablanca-Settat, Atlantic coast
- From Marrakech
- About 3 hours by train
- From Fez
- About 4 hours by train
- Best months
- April–June and September–November
- Time to allow
- 1 day; 2 for a relaxed visit
Top Things to See in Casablanca
1. Hassan II Mosque
Completed in 1993 on a platform over the Atlantic, with a minaret of around 200 metres. It is one of few mosques in Morocco that non-Muslims can enter on a guided tour, and the hall, fountains and carved cedar ceiling are worth the visit.
2. The Corniche
The seaside promenade in Ain Diab has beach clubs, cafés and views of the Atlantic, popular with locals at sunset.
3. Habous Quarter
A 1930s 'new medina' built by the French in a Moroccan style, with arcaded shops selling pastries, books and crafts.
4. Art Deco downtown
Casablanca has one of the finest collections of Art Deco and Mauresque buildings in Africa, particularly around Mohammed V Square and the Boulevard Mohammed V.
5. Old Medina
A smaller and less touristy medina than Fez or Marrakech, with local markets and old Portuguese-era walls.
6. Mohammed V Square
A formal civic square with the courthouse and administrative buildings in neo-Moorish style, good for a short walking tour.
Where to Eat and Stay
Eating
Casablanca is known for seafood: grilled sardines, calamari and fish tagines at the port restaurants. It also has the widest variety of international cuisine in Morocco, plus excellent bakeries and coffee shops.
Staying
Hotels range from business-focused towers downtown to boutique guesthouses in Maarif and Anfa. Staying near the Corniche is quieter, while the city centre is better for walking tours.
Practical Tips for Casablanca
- Getting around
- Use red petit taxis within the city (with meter), and the train or tram for longer distances. Traffic is heavy at rush hours.
- What to wear
- Casual clothing is fine in most areas; cover shoulders and knees for the mosque. Bring a light jacket for the sea breeze.
- Money
- Cards are widely accepted in larger restaurants and shops, and ATMs are plentiful.
- Safety and etiquette
- Normal big-city precautions apply. Mosque tours run at set times and the entry is by guided visit only.
Planning Your Visit to Casablanca
Casablanca works best as a single, well-planned day. Book a morning mosque tour so you can enter before the heat, then walk through the Art Deco centre and Habous Quarter after lunch, ending with sunset on the Corniche. If you arrive on a late flight, keep the next morning free: the city is large, traffic is heavy, and moving between districts takes longer than the map suggests.
Practical transfers are simple: Mohammed V Airport has a direct train to the city and onward connections to Rabat and Marrakech, and a private driver is easy to arrange for onward travel. Because Casablanca is Morocco's business hub, hotels fill on weekdays and are cheaper at weekends.
How We Include Casablanca in Our Tours
All of our tours are private: your own vehicle and driver-guide, with the pace set by you. These itineraries include Casablanca:
- 10 Day Casablanca Loop with Essaouira (10 days, from Casablanca): This private 10-day tour is specifically designed for travelers flying into and out of Casablanca on the same ticket. It is a complete loop of Morocco: departing from Hassan II Mosque, heading…
- 6 Day Imperial Morocco: Casablanca to Fez (6 days, from Casablanca): The complete imperial circuit from Casablanca to Fez in six days. This itinerary combines the Atlantic coast grandeur of Casablanca, the whitewashed ramparts of Asilah, the blue-painted lanes of Chefchaouen, the Andalusian…
- 3-Day: Casablanca → Fez (3 days, from Casablanca): This three-day route strings together three of Morocco's four imperial capitals, Rabat, Meknes, and Fez, plus the economic capital Casablanca at the start, tracing the country's political history from the Almohads through…
- 5 Day Imperial Cities Tour from Casablanca (5 days, from Casablanca): The private tour from Casablanca airport to Morocco's imperial cities connects all four royal capitals in a seamless five-day circuit that begins and ends at Mohammed V International Airport, ideal for travellers…
Read more before you go: Casablanca Travel Guide, Morocco 7-Day Itinerary.
More tours that include Casablanca
Short trips: 2 to 4 days
A first look on a tight schedule.
One week: 5 to 8 days
More time on the road.
Grand circuits: 9 days and longer
Full routes with time in every region.
Best Time to Visit
Year-round. The Atlantic location keeps temperatures moderate: warm summers (25–28°C) and mild winters (12–18°C). Rain falls mainly November to March.
10 Days
