Travel guide · Morocco
Casablanca travel guide
An Atlantic seafront mosque, Art Deco boulevards and Morocco's modern pulse
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Chah.salah, CC0
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Quick answer
Casablanca is Morocco's largest city and economic capital, a modern Atlantic port whose great sight is the Hassan II Mosque, built partly over the ocean and one of the few mosques in the country open to non-Muslims on guided tours. Downtown's early 20th-century Art Deco and Mauresque buildings around Boulevard Mohammed V, the Habous quarter's arcaded souqs and the seafront Corniche at Ain Diab fill one or two days. With Morocco's main international airport and high-speed trains to Rabat and Tangier, it is also the country's main gateway. Plan 2 days for a first visit; the best months are April–June and September–October.
Key facts
- Country
- Morocco
- Best time to visit
- April–June and September–October
- Ideal stay
- 2 days
- Main airports
- CMN
- Mid-range daily budget
- $100–$180 per person (estimate)
- Known for
- Hassan II Mosque, Art Deco architecture, Ain Diab Corniche and Seafood
Why visit Casablanca
- The Hassan II Mosque, with a minaret of about 210 metres and a prayer hall over the Atlantic, can be visited inside on guided tours.
- Downtown has one of the largest collections of Art Deco and Neo-Moorish architecture in the world, built under the French Protectorate.
- The Ain Diab Corniche combines Atlantic beaches, beach clubs, seafood restaurants and sunset walks.
- Marché Central's fishmongers will grill your choice of seafood, and Oualidia oysters cost a fraction of European prices.
- Fast trains connect to Rabat in under an hour and to Marrakech in under three, making Casablanca an easy start to a Morocco trip.
Top things to do
The six sights most first-time visitors build a trip around. See all 17 things to do.
Religious site · Casablanca Marina
Hassan II Mosque
Completed in 1993 on land reclaimed from the Atlantic, the Hassan II Mosque has a minaret of about 210 metres and a prayer hall for some 25,000 worshippers, with a sliding roof, carved cedar ceilings, marble and zellij made by thousands of Moroccan craftsmen.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours with the tour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Architecture
- Views
- Photo spot
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Waterfront · Ain Diab and the Corniche
Corniche Ain Diab
The seafront Boulevard de la Corniche runs for several kilometres past beaches, beach clubs, seafood restaurants and cafés, with a wide promenade popular for evening walks and jogging.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Couples
- Outdoors
- Kids
Neighbourhood · Centre-Ville
Old Medina
Casablanca's small walled old town, between the port and Place des Nations Unies, is a working neighbourhood of lanes selling clothes, electronics and household goods rather than a showpiece medina.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Shopping
Historic site · Old Medina
Sqala bastion
An 18th-century fortified bastion on the edge of the old medina, with cannons on the ramparts facing the port and a garden café-restaurant inside its walls serving Moroccan breakfasts and tagines.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Food
- Couples
- Off the beaten path
Neighbourhood · Habous
Quartier Habous
The French-planned 'new medina' of the 1930s combines Moroccan forms with ordered streets: arcaded souqs for olives, books, brass, babouches and kaftans, a small mosque and some of the city's best-known traditional pastry shops.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Architecture
- Food
Architecture · Habous
Mahkama du Pacha
Built in the 1940s as a courthouse and the pasha's residence, this building holds dozens of rooms decorated with carved stucco, cedar ceilings, zellij and wrought iron by Moroccan master craftsmen.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- Art
- Off the beaten path
Where to stay
Centre-Ville is the easiest base for a first visit. Compare all 6 areas.
$$$ · Best for beach, nightlife, families and couples
Ain Diab and the Corniche
Seafront hotels, beach clubs and restaurants along the Atlantic
$$ · Best for first-timers, budget, culture and solo travellers
Centre-Ville
Art Deco boulevards, the Marché Central and budget-to-mid-range hotels
$$$ · Best for first-timers, luxury and couples
Casablanca Marina
New seafront towers, a promenade and business hotels near the Hassan II Mosque
$$$ · Best for couples, food lovers, quiet stays and shopping
Gauthier and Racine
Leafy residential streets with cafés, boutiques and restaurants
What to eat
- Grilled sardines — Fresh Atlantic sardines, often stuffed with chermoula of herbs, garlic and spices, grilled over charcoal and eaten with bread and tomato salad.
- Oualidia oysters — Oysters farmed in the lagoon at Oualidia, south down the coast, are served raw with lemon at very reasonable prices.
- Seafood pastilla — A savoury coastal take on pastilla: crisp warqa pastry filled with prawns, fish, squid and vermicelli in a spiced sauce.
- Couscous — Steamed semolina topped with seven vegetables and meat, served as the Friday family meal across Morocco.
- Harira — A filling tomato, lentil and chickpea soup with fresh herbs, eaten year-round and as the dish that breaks the fast during Ramadan.
- Maakouda — Spiced mashed-potato fritters, served hot in a half baguette with harissa or alongside tagines.
When to go
The best times to visit Casablanca are April to June and September to October, when the weather is warm and dry but not crowded. Summer is warm rather than hot thanks to the Atlantic, making it a good escape from inland heat, though beaches and hotels are busy in August. Winter is mild and wetter, fine for city sightseeing but not for swimming.
| Season | Months | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | March–May | Mild, increasingly dry weather that is ideal for walking the Art Deco centre and Corniche. |
| Summer | June–August | Warm, breezy and dry with morning mist; beach clubs and the Corniche are busy with domestic visitors. |
| Autumn | September–November | Warm September and the warmest sea, then cooler, wetter weather by November. |
| Winter | December–February | Mild days, cool nights and the most rain; quiet and lower prices. |
Getting there and around
Mohammed V International Airport is about 30 km south of the city. ONCF trains run from the airport station to Casa-Voyageurs and Casa-Port in about 30–40 minutes; grand taxis from the official rank take about 40–60 minutes depending on traffic.
Casablanca is large and spread out, but a modern tram network and Busway lines link downtown, the Corniche and the suburbs, and red petit taxis are plentiful. Walking works within downtown, the old medina and Habous.
Plan your days
One full day covers the Hassan II Mosque, the old medina and the Corniche at sunset. Two days adds the Habous quarter, an Art Deco walk downtown, the Museum of Moroccan Judaism and a seafood lunch at Marché Central; a third allows a day trip to Rabat or El Jadida.
Practical information
- Currency
- MAD
- Language
- Moroccan Arabic, French and Amazigh
- Plugs
- Type C and E sockets, 220 V, 50 Hz
- Tap water
- Most visitors drink bottled or filtered water; tap water is treated but can upset unaccustomed stomachs.
- Emergency number
- 19 police, 15 ambulance and fire (112 from mobiles)
- Tipping
- Around 10% in restaurants, a few dirhams for café service, and small tips for porters, parking attendants and guides.
Check your own government's travel advice before travel. Bag snatching and pickpocketing occur in crowded areas, markets and around train stations, so keep phones out of reach; take care with strong currents and waves on the Atlantic beaches and swim only where lifeguards are present.
Flights to Casablanca
Questions travellers ask
+How many days do you need in Casablanca?
One full day covers the Hassan II Mosque, the old medina and the Corniche at sunset. Two days adds the Habous quarter, an Art Deco walk downtown, the Museum of Moroccan Judaism and a seafood lunch at Marché Central; a third allows a day trip to Rabat or El Jadida. How to split your days.
+When is the best time to visit Casablanca?
The best times to visit Casablanca are April to June and September to October, when the weather is warm and dry but not crowded. Summer is warm rather than hot thanks to the Atlantic, making it a good escape from inland heat, though beaches and hotels are busy in August. Winter is mild and wetter, fine for city sightseeing but not for swimming.
+What is Casablanca known for?
Hassan II Mosque, Art Deco architecture, Ain Diab Corniche, Seafood, Quartier Habous, Rick's Café and Morocco's business capital. The Hassan II Mosque, with a minaret of about 210 metres and a prayer hall over the Atlantic, can be visited inside on guided tours.
+Is Casablanca expensive?
Casablanca is affordable for international visitors: a mid-range trip costs roughly $100–$180 per person per day before flights (AMZBooking estimate). Costs and money-saving tips.
+Do you need a car in Casablanca?
No. City traffic is heavy and parking difficult; the tram, taxis and trains cover what visitors need, including day trips to Rabat and El Jadida.