Things to do · Casablanca
Morocco's largest city and economic capital is a study in contrasts: a colossal oceanfront mosque, France-era Mauresque architecture and a buzzing Atlantic corniche. One well-planned day covers the essentials. Here is a practical one-day Casablanca itinerary.
6 experiences
Start at the Hassan II Mosque, one of the largest in the world, rising on a platform partly over the Atlantic with a 210-metre minaret. It is one of the few mosques in Morocco non-Muslims can enter, by guided tour; check the morning tour times and go early.
Walk the compact old medina near the port, then out to Place des Nations Unies, the bustling square linking the medina to the modern downtown — a good place to feel the city's everyday energy.
Explore the 1920s–30s Art Deco and Mauresque architecture around Place Mohammed V, with its grand public buildings and fountain — the legacy of Casablanca's protectorate-era building boom.
Visit the Habous quarter, a 1930s reinterpretation of a traditional medina with arcaded lanes, olive and book stalls and Moroccan craft shops — calmer and more orderly than an old medina, and good for souvenirs.
Head to the Ain Diab corniche along the Atlantic for sea air, cafes and a view back to the mosque on its point — the city's favourite seaside promenade.
Round off with dinner — fresh Atlantic seafood is the local strength — or a drink at Rick's Café, a faithful re-creation of the bar from the 1942 film, a fun nod to the city's cinematic namesake.
Yes. A single day covers Casablanca's headline sights — the Hassan II Mosque, the Mauresque downtown around Place Mohammed V, the Habous quarter and the Ain Diab corniche — especially if you book the mosque's morning guided tour.
Yes. The Hassan II Mosque is one of the few in Morocco open to non-Muslims, via guided tours at set times during the day (outside prayer times). It is the highlight of any Casablanca visit, so check the schedule and arrive early.
Casablanca is worth a day for the magnificent Hassan II Mosque, its distinctive Art Deco and Mauresque architecture and its Atlantic corniche. It is a working modern city rather than an imperial one, so it complements rather than replaces Fes or Marrakech.
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