Markets are an essential factor in both Moroccan culture and Moroccan life. They are the hub of local business and a tourist attraction for foreigners. Casablanca’s Central Market is one such case so, after the large souk that makes up the Medina, it is the city’s main shopping centre.
If you are thinking of travelling to Casablanca, we recommend you set aside one morning to visit the Central Market, lose yourself among the stalls and their everlasting noises and aromas, and end up eating in one of the small restaurants located there. This article shows you the main things you should know about Casablanca’s Central Market.
- ¿Dónde se encuentra el Mercado Central de Casablanca?
- Historia del Mercado
- Información de interés para la visita
- Otros mercados y zocos en Casablanca
- Dónde alojarse en Casablanca
Where is the Central Market in Casablanca?
Casablanca’s Central Market is located on Mohammed V Boulevard in the modern part, where the city grew during colonial times. That new area was built to European urban planning standards and aimed at linking the old part and the Medina to the Casa-Voyageurs train station, which was also built at that time.
The market’s location is ideal for visitors to the city since it is only a 15-minute walk from the Medina’s entrance and the Arab League Park. It is clearly one more tourist attraction where you can lose yourself for a few hours among the stalls.
The market can also be reached via line 1 of the Casablanca tramway, which stops right in front of the main entrance, on Mohammed V Boulevard.
H2The Market’s history
Casablanca’s Central Market was built in 1917 during the French Protectorate, on the site of the 1915 Casablanca Franco-Moroccan Fair. It was designed by French architect Pierre Bousquet, who designed many other buildings in the city such as the Lycée Lyautey, the civil hospital, the Institut Pasteur, the Post Office, the Stock Exchange and the Martinet building.
The Market building is in neo-Moorish style, with a large green entrance gateway, in the style of the gates of imperial cities such as Marrakesh and Fez. It is rectangular in shape, its perimeter is a succession of arcades and it has a central courtyard where the central part of the building is located, crowned by an octagonal dome.
On 24 December 1953, i.e. Christmas Eve, Moroccan nationalist leader Mohammed Zerktouni bombed the Central Market in response to the exile France had forced Sultan Mohammed VI into months earlier, a throne he would regain in 1955 with the country’s independence. The parcel bomb attack killed 19 people. Zerktouni managed to escape but was later captured.
Useful information for visitors
The market is a large shopping centre where you can find everything from fresh food to handicrafts and some interesting restaurants where you can sample local produce. Under its central dome you will find stalls selling fresh fish and seafood from the Atlantic such as the famous oysters from Dakhla or Villa Cisneros, a town in Western Sahara.
There are also stalls selling meat, fruit, vegetables, spices, nuts, honey and oils.
Nevertheless, the Central Market has also become a food market and inside you can buy any product you fancy and have it cooked for you.
In addition to tasting the products at the market, if you want to eat in the area, you will find different options at good prices in the surrounding streets. Try Chaounia or Allal Ben Abdellah streets.
Casablanca’s Central Market is open every day from 8 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. (Monday to Friday) and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (weekends).
Other markets and souks in Casablanca
In addition to the Central Market and the stalls in the Medina, there are other interesting markets in Casablanca. Each neighbourhood has its own small market where you are unlikely to see foreigners.
On the one hand, in the Medina you can visit the Bab al Marrakech market. In the new area near the Barceló Casablanca hotel, you have the Grand Marché, another small neighbourhood market. If you are in the Quartier Habous, you can check out the curious olive market, which specialises in olives, oils and spices.
A meat market and the El Gharb market are also located in the Quartier Habous.
This is just a selection around the centre of Casablanca, but you will find many more in every neighbourhood.
Where to stay in Casablanca
Although there are numerous accommodation options in Casablanca, we recommend two very special ones that you can definitely put on your travel list. Right in the heart of Casablanca, you will find the Barceló Casablanca and Barceló Anfa Casablanca hotels, two modern and very comfortable establishments to spend a few days in the white city.
Located on the same street, Anfa Boulevard, the two hotels are perfect for exploring and visiting the centre of Casablanca. The Barceló Casablanca is ideal for virtually any budget. It is a four-star urban hotel that meets all the requirements for a city break.
If you prefer to treat yourself, there is nothing like the Barceló Anfa Casablanca: swimming pool, terrace, spa, restaurants, suites, etc., i.e. everything you need for a dream trip.
Remember that you can also use Casablanca as the base for a trip to other parts of Morocco. Since the trains are nearby and available, you can take day trips to other places such as Rabat, Meknès and Marrakech.
