Things to do · Casablanca · Morocco
17 best things to do in Casablanca
17 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Petar Milošević, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
The essential sights in Casablanca are Hassan II Mosque, Corniche Ain Diab and Old Medina. Of the 17 picks below, 11 are free, 3 work on a rainy day and 4 suit children. Allow about 2 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Hassan II Mosque
- Free sights
- 11
- Good on a rainy day
- Museum of Moroccan Judaism
- Time to see the highlights
- 2 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hassan II Mosque | Casablanca Marina | 1–1.5 hours with the tour | Mid-priced |
| Corniche Ain Diab | Ain Diab and the Corniche | 2–3 hours | Free |
| Old Medina | Centre-Ville | 1–2 hours | Free |
| Sqala bastion | Old Medina | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Quartier Habous | Habous | 2 hours | Free |
| Mahkama du Pacha | Habous | 45 minutes | Low cost |
| Art Deco downtown and Boulevard Mohammed V | Centre-Ville | 2 hours | Free |
| Place Mohammed V | Centre-Ville | 45 minutes | Free |
| Marché Central | Centre-Ville | 1 hour | Free |
| Sacré-Cœur former cathedral | Gauthier and Racine | 30 minutes | Free |
| Parc de la Ligue Arabe | Gauthier and Racine | 1 hour | Free |
| Museum of Moroccan Judaism | Oasis | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Abderrahman Slaoui Foundation Museum | Centre-Ville | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Notre-Dame de Lourdes church | Centre-Ville | 30 minutes | Free |
| Morocco Mall | Ain Diab and the Corniche | 2–3 hours | Low cost |
| El Hank Lighthouse | Ain Diab and the Corniche | 30 minutes | Free |
| Marabout of Sidi Abderrahmane | Ain Diab and the Corniche | 1 hour | Free |
The 17 best things to do
Religious site · Casablanca Marina
1.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. Guided tours for non-Muslims cover the prayer hall and the ablution rooms below.
Return for sunset on the esplanade, when the waves break below the walls and the minaret's tilework glows.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours with the tour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Book ahead
- Entry inside is by guided tour only; buy tickets at the site or online, and check tour times before you go, especially on Fridays.
- Iconic
- Architecture
- Views
- Photo spot
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Waterfront · Ain Diab and the Corniche
2.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. The Atlantic surf here is strong, and beach clubs offer pools as an alternative.
Walk the promenade at sunset, then eat at one of the fish restaurants towards El Hank.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Couples
- Outdoors
- Kids
Neighbourhood · Centre-Ville
3.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. Its ramparts, the restored Sqala bastion and the clock tower at Bab Marrakech are the main landmarks.
Enter by the clock tower and walk through to the Sqala for a mint tea in its garden.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Shopping
Historic site · Old Medina
4.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.
Come for a late breakfast under the bougainvillea before exploring the medina.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Food
- Couples
- Off the beaten path
Neighbourhood · Habous
5.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.
Buy a box of cornes de gazelle from a pastry shop and visit the olive and pickle stalls.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Architecture
- Food
Architecture · Habous
6.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. Visits are restricted and depend on its official use.
Ask locally or through a guide whether visits are possible on the day; the exterior and Habous streets are worth seeing regardless.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- Art
- Off the beaten path
Architecture · Centre-Ville
7.Art Deco downtown and Boulevard Mohammed V
Built mostly between the 1920s and 1950s, central Casablanca's apartment blocks, cinemas and hotels mix Art Deco lines with Moroccan motifs, a style sometimes called Mauresque. Boulevard Mohammed V, Rue Tahar Sebti and the streets around the Marché Central are the richest, and the heritage association Casamémoire organises walks.
Look up: the best details — ironwork balconies, carved friezes and stepped towers — are above shop level.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Architecture
- Free
- History
- Photo spot
Landmark · Centre-Ville
8.Place Mohammed V
The city's main square is framed by 1920s–1930s Neo-Mauresque administrative buildings, including the Wilaya with its clock tower and the courthouse, and by the Grand Théâtre de Casablanca, a large modern performing-arts venue completed in the early 2020s. Pigeons and a fountain draw families in the evening.
Check the Grand Théâtre's programme for concerts and dance during your stay.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Kids
- After dark
Market · Centre-Ville
1.Marché Central
The early 20th-century central market on Boulevard Mohammed V sells fish, oysters, olives, flowers and produce around a courtyard, and the small restaurants along its edge will cook seafood bought from the stalls.
Come at lunchtime for Oualidia oysters and grilled fish at one of the counters around the market.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- Free
- Shopping
Architecture · Gauthier and Racine
2.Sacré-Cœur former cathedral
Completed in 1930, this white former Catholic cathedral blends Gothic Revival and Art Deco with Moroccan detailing, facing Parc de la Ligue Arabe. It is no longer used for worship and has been used as a cultural venue; access to the interior varies.
Combine the exterior with a walk through the park next door.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Architecture
- Free
- Photo spot
Park · Gauthier and Racine
3.Parc de la Ligue Arabe
Laid out in the early 20th century and renovated in recent years, the city's largest central park has palm-lined avenues, lawns, playgrounds and cafés, a welcome green space between downtown and Gauthier.
Use it for a midday break with children between downtown sights.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Nature
Museum · Oasis
4.Museum of Moroccan Judaism
Housed in a former Jewish orphanage in the Oasis district, this museum displays ritual objects, costumes, jewellery, photographs and a reconstructed synagogue interior that tell the long history of Jewish communities in Morocco.
Take a taxi and call ahead or check with your hotel, as visiting arrangements can change.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
- Art
Museum · Centre-Ville
5.Abderrahman Slaoui Foundation Museum
A small museum in an Art Deco villa displaying a collector's Moroccan jewellery, Orientalist travel posters, perfume bottles and decorative arts, with a rooftop café.
A good indoor stop on a rainy afternoon downtown.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Religious site · Centre-Ville
6.Notre-Dame de Lourdes church
A 1950s concrete church notable for its huge stained-glass walls by the French master glazier Gabriel Loire, whose designs include Moroccan carpet patterns. It is still an active parish.
Visit on a sunny morning when light pours through the glass; dress respectfully and keep quiet during services.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Architecture
- Art
- Free
- Off the beaten path
Experience · Ain Diab and the Corniche
7.Morocco Mall
One of Africa's largest shopping centres, on the Corniche, with international and Moroccan brands, an aquarium and an indoor fun zone for children, plus a large musical fountain outside.
Useful with children on a hot or rainy day; combine with a walk along the Corniche.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Shopping
Landmark · Ain Diab and the Corniche
8.El Hank Lighthouse
The tall white lighthouse on the El Hank headland, built in the early 20th century, marks the rocky point between the port and the Corniche and is a landmark for seafront walks.
Walk here from the Hassan II Mosque along the coast for views back to the minaret.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Photo spot
Religious site · Ain Diab and the Corniche
9.Marabout of Sidi Abderrahmane
A whitewashed shrine and cluster of houses on a rocky islet off the end of the Corniche, reachable on foot at low tide. The shrine itself is open to Muslims only, but the walk out and the view of the islet against the surf are the draw.
Check the tide times before walking across, and never stay on the rocks as the tide rises.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Off the beaten path
- Photo spot
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | Mahkama du Pacha, Museum of Moroccan Judaism, Abderrahman Slaoui Foundation Museum and Notre-Dame de Lourdes church |
| History | Old Medina, Sqala bastion, Art Deco downtown and Boulevard Mohammed V and Museum of Moroccan Judaism |
| Views | Hassan II Mosque, Corniche Ain Diab, El Hank Lighthouse and Marabout of Sidi Abderrahmane |
| Outdoors and nature | Corniche Ain Diab and Parc de la Ligue Arabe |
| Food and markets | Sqala bastion, Quartier Habous and Marché Central |
| After dark | Place Mohammed V |
| With children | Corniche Ain Diab, Place Mohammed V, Parc de la Ligue Arabe and Morocco Mall |
| On a rainy day | Museum of Moroccan Judaism, Abderrahman Slaoui Foundation Museum and Morocco Mall |
What to book ahead
- Hassan II Mosque: Entry inside is by guided tour only; buy tickets at the site or online, and check tour times before you go, especially on Fridays.
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Casablanca?
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.
+What can you do for free in Casablanca?
Corniche Ain Diab, Old Medina, Quartier Habous, Art Deco downtown and Boulevard Mohammed V and Place Mohammed V. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Casablanca when it rains?
Head indoors to Museum of Moroccan Judaism, Abderrahman Slaoui Foundation Museum and Morocco Mall.
+What is there to do in Casablanca at night?
Place Mohammed V are best after dark.