Casablanca is a jewel in its own right, but it is also the perfect base from which to explore the endless treasures of Morocco. From ancient cities steeped in history to some of North Africa’s most amazing scenery, this country holds an immense store of attractions well worth visiting.
Both half-day and full-day excursions are available, and exploring the area around Casablanca (and Morocco in general) is a fabulous experience. You could hire the services of an agency and/or a local guide, rent a private vehicle, travel by train — there is a high-speed train between Casablanca and Tangiers, with stops at Rabat and Kenitra — or other options, including cycling. At any rate, you will find some great ideas below for an unforgettable trip from Casablanca.
- Places you really must visit near Casablanca
- The best beaches near Casablanca
- Where to stay in Casablanca
Places you really must visit near Casablanca
Whether you’d like to see an ancient mosque, try the finest Moroccan cuisine, enjoy a pleasant day at the beach, try a sport, or simply explore a place full of magic… Casablanca and its surrounding area has something to suit all tastes:
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Rabat: capital of the kingdom
The capital of the Kingdom of Morocco is a city that combines traditional and modern in equal parts. Located just under 90 kilometres from Casablanca (there is also a direct, high-speed rail connection), Rabat offers amazing historical sites, such as the great Kasbah of the Udayas, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Chellah Necropolis, the old Hassan Tower, and many more. There are also more modern attractions, including the Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, the Botanical Gardens, several golf courses, Avenue Mohammed V in the city centre, and a fantastic selection of top-class restaurants, serving both international and typical Moroccan cuisine. In addition, the city’s exciting cultural calendar offers an abundance of concerts, exhibitions, festivals, theatre, dance, and more. This is, without question, a unique city.
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Fez, medieval charm
And if it’s historical and cultural heritage that interests you, Morocco’s third city (after Casablanca and Rabat), is a genuine, undisputed jewel. Considered one of Morocco’s four ‘Imperial Cities’ (along with Marrakesh, Meknes and Rabat), Fez can boast thirteen centuries of history. There is good reason, for example, why the Fez el-Bali (the largest of the city’s two medinas, and considered the world’s biggest pedestrian area) has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Likewise, the city’s mosques and madrasas are not merely impressive to look at: they reflect the deep spirituality that characterises this corner of Morocco, just under 300 kilometres from Casablanca. And of course, the various events that make up the city’s cultural calendar, as well as its exceptional gastronomic tradition, only serve to enhance the attractions of ancient Fez.
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Marrakesh: a historic gem
If Fez is a historic gem to the north of Casablanca, the ‘Red City’ is its counterpart, 245 kilometres to the south. An ‘Imperial City’, located in the foothills of the Atlas mountain range (where, naturally, you can go skiing), and founded by the Almoravids in the mid-eleventh century, this historic treasure house is packed with attractions, such as the famous Jemaa el Fna square (surrounded by souks, food stalls, cafés and various colourful characters), the labyrinthine Medina, the twelfth-century Kutubiyya mosque, all kinds of mansions (riads) and palaces (the outstanding example being the El Badi palace), the splendid Royal Theatre, and the extraordinary Majorelle Garden. It is a priceless legacy, built up over centuries, which today is scattered with modern art galleries, golf courses, luxury boutiques and other features of the modern face of Marrakesh.
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Meknes, an open-air museum
Back in the north-west, between Fez and Rabat, the fourth ‘Imperial City’ is a peaceful backwater and a veritable open-air museum. Its historic quarter (including its complex Medina, the remains of the ancient royal palace, the vast El Hedim square and the remarkable Bab Mansour gate — a masterpiece of Spanish-Arab art — along with other key attractions) has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Meknes was the capital of the kingdom in the times of Sultan Muley Ismail (1672 -1727), whose mausoleum is one of the city’s essential sights. He was the founder of the Alawi dynasty (the current rulers), and Meknes’ ancient splendour still attests to the harmonious fusion produced by combining purely Islamic architectural and town planning features with European influences, especially after the expulsion of the Moors in the early seventeenth-century. In any case, this place offers an amazing journey through time, as you discover the inexhaustible charm of Morocco’s historic, artistic and cultural heritage.
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Volubilis, the Roman legacy
Located around 30 kilometres north of Meknes, this is one of North Africa’s best-preserved Roman archaeological sites. The Forum, the Caracalla Triumphal Arch, the Capitoline Temple built in honour of Jupiter, the House of Bacchus, the Basilica, the House of Orpheus, the fabulous mosaics that still survive, the old oil presses… these are just a few of the signs of the financial and political power of this city, founded in the third century B.C., and capital of the Roman province of Mauretania Tingitana. The site Museum is also an excellent resource for understanding the scale and importance of Volubilis, another Moroccan treasure that has, naturally, been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
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Bouskoura Forest, Casablanca’s green lung
On the outskirts of Casablanca, this vast, wooded area covers around 3,000 hectares, and is considered to be Casablanca’s green lung. It is the haunt of nature and sports lovers, families and all those who enjoy being out in the open air. The Bouskouro Forest is divided into 4 large areas: an active forest dedicated to sports activities; a laboratory forest aiming to raise public awareness of this ecosystem, with a farming centre, an ecology centre, aviaries and an organic garden; a forest of discovery, that helps visitors learn about the local flora and fauna, and which includes a tree house, a sensory trail and a clearing with a picnic area; and a young forest, with an adventure park and a big forest house.
The best beaches near Casablanca
Morocco’s long Atlantic shoreline offers a series of surprises, being punctuated by picturesque towns and villages, great cities and, of course, wonderful beaches.
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Dar Bouazza
Lying about 30 kilometres to the south-west of Casablanca, this beach combines sandy and rocky areas, with a significant swell (ask the surfers who can regularly be spotted along here), giving way to a beautiful and dramatic landscape. In recent years, thanks to the development of new tourist attractions and facilities (apartments, hotels, landscaped gardens, seafront promenades, restaurants, golf courses, and so on), Dar Bouazza has become a very trendy destination within the Greater Casablanca area.
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Sidi Rahal beach
If you continue in the same direction, you will find this, fairly new, beach resort, about 40 kilometres from Casablanca. Its long stretches of sand, almost virgin and bathed by large waves, make for a truly idyllic scene. Among the second home developments that are beginning to spring up here, there are also areas with cafés and restaurants, as well as a few parks and gardens. All in all, a peaceful place, perfect for enjoying the sun, sand and sea.
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The Mohammedia beaches
On the opposite side, towards the northeast and Rabat, this significant industrial and port city is also a popular destination with lovers of the sun and the beach. Flanked by summer villas, restaurants and cafés, its sandy beaches (such as Miramar Beach, Manesmane Beach, Monica Beach, Sablettes Beach and Mimosa Beach) offer a good snapshot of the diverse nature of Morocco’s Atlantic coastline. Long beaches, short beaches, wide beaches, narrow beaches, wild beaches, urban beaches… The Mohammedia beaches have a little of everything, and something for everyone.
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The Bouznika beaches
Still continuing in a north-easterly direction, towards Rabat and just over 50 kilometres from Casablanca, this is one of the outstanding tourist destinations along the length of coast that runs between the two big cities. There, between the sea and the great golf courses, summer residences, restaurants and modern tourist complexes, the beaches (David, Dahomey, Bouznika, Said, Oued Cherrat…) with their fine, golden sands — regarded as Morocco’s loveliest beaches — form little bays open to the Atlantic.
Where to stay in Casablanca
Casablanca is an ideal place to stay and to use as a base whilst exploring the surrounding area. The city’s two Barceló Group hotels, the Barceló Casablanca and the Barceló Anfa Casablanca , offer everything you could require for a first-class stay.
The Barceló Casablanca, a modern, 4-star hotel, offers fully equipped guest rooms, a restaurant serving the finest local cuisine, meeting rooms and a pleasant B-Bar. The Barceló Anfa Casablanca lives up to its 5 stars, offering a first-class experience with 206 guest rooms, culinary options that combine the most authentic Moroccan flavours with touches of French and Mediterranean cuisine, along with 8 multi-purpose meeting rooms and a Wellness Centre with a gymnasium and spa — as well as other facilities. Both hotels are in the central Boulevand d’Anfa, a mere stone’s throw from the city’s main attractions.
