Travel tips · Casablanca · Morocco
Casablanca travel tips: what to know before you go
The etiquette, money and practical details that make the first day easier.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Chah.salah, CC0
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Quick answer
Casablanca is Morocco's most cosmopolitan city, French-influenced, business-minded and faster-paced than the imperial cities, with French widely spoken alongside Darija. It is still a Muslim-majority city, and modest dress and courtesy are appreciated, especially in the medina and at the Hassan II Mosque.
Key facts
- Language
- Moroccan Arabic, French and Amazigh
- Currency
- MAD
- 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…
- Emergency
- 19 police, 15 ambulance and fire (112 from mobiles)
Things to know
- Dress modestly for the Hassan II Mosque tour, covering shoulders and knees; you will remove your shoes inside.
- Greet shopkeepers with 'bonjour' or 'salam' before asking about prices.
- Ask before photographing people.
- Bargaining is normal in the medina and Habous souqs but not in fixed-price shops and malls.
- During Ramadan, whose dates move about 11 days earlier each year, avoid eating or drinking in public during daylight.
- Book Hassan II Mosque 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.
- Walking the Art Deco centre, the Corniche, Habous and the old medina costs nothing.
Tipping
Around 10% in restaurants, a few dirhams for café service, and small tips for porters, parking attendants and guides.
Language
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Salam | Hello |
| Shukran / Merci | Thank you |
| La, shukran | No, thank you |
| Bshhal? | How much? |
| Bonjour | Good morning / hello (French) |
| Bslama | Goodbye |
What to wear
Casablancans dress in a mix of Western and traditional styles; smart-casual clothes suit restaurants and bars, with covered shoulders and knees for the mosque and medina.
Practical details
- Plugs and voltage
- Type C and E sockets, 220 V, 50 Hz
- Drinking 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)
- Phone and internet
- Local SIM cards and eSIMs are cheap and easy to buy at the airport; 4G coverage is good across the city.
- Time zone
- Africa/Casablanca
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.
Entry requirements
Visa and passport rules depend on your nationality and change often. Check Morocco's official government guidance and your own government's travel advice before booking.
Plan the trip
Questions travellers ask
+Do you tip in Casablanca?
Around 10% in restaurants, a few dirhams for café service, and small tips for porters, parking attendants and guides.
+Can you drink the tap water in Casablanca?
Most visitors drink bottled or filtered water; tap water is treated but can upset unaccustomed stomachs.
+What plugs are used in Casablanca?
Type C and E sockets, 220 V, 50 Hz
+What language is spoken in Casablanca?
Moroccan Arabic, French and Amazigh.