Things to do in Casablanca

Most of Casablanca’s attractions are scattered around the city and are not far from the centre. The busy port, the Hassan II Mosque, which overlooks it, and the surrounding beaches attract many visitors. Other parts of the city such as the old Arab town, called the Old Medina, and a newer urban planning experiment called the New Medina, are also of interest. Place Mohamed V is the main square in the centre and most luxury lodging and eating establishments as well as the finest examples of French colonial architecture are found here.

Hassan II Mosque

This immense mosque is located on boulevard Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah and was commissioned in 1989 and presented as a gift to King Hassan II on his 60th birthday. The mosque houses a library and a museum, a Koranic school, conference facilities and steam baths. This is the largest mosque outside of Saudi Arabia, with a capacity of 25,000 worshippers. Its minaret is 575 feet high, making it the tallest religious construction in the world. On the top of the minaret is an eastern-facing laser, pointing in the direction of Mecca. There are special guided tours throughout the day for non-Muslim visitors.

Old Medina

The area known as the Old Medina is situated in the centre of Casablanca. This is the original Arab town, which is still partly enclosed by ancient walls. Here you’ll see a sector characterised by stone houses, whitewashed bricks and a maze of narrow passageways, filled with shops selling everything imaginable. At the lower end of Old Medina is an imposing 18th century fort, Borj Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah, built to withstand Portuguese raids.

Casablanca Port

This port is one of the largest and busiest on the African continent. There are several deepwater quays that are busy with cruise ships and oil tankers. Fishing is good at the port, and if you’re interested in shopping, Centre 2000, a large shopping complex, is located here and well worth a visit.

Place Mohamed V

Place Mohamed V is in the heart of Casablanca. Situated around this square are examples of truly splendid French colonial architecture, buildings which now house government and other public offices. In the centre of the square is a fountain that shoots jets of multicoloured water towards the sky. On the streets radiating off Place Mohamed V, you’ll find a number of the city’s luxury hotels and better restaurants.

New Medina

South of the city centre is an area known as the Quartier des Habous, meaning ‘district of holy men’, which was built by the French as an answer to housing shortages in the 1930s. Their goal was to incorporate traditional Moroccan architecture in a modern, planned urban residential area. It is an interesting place to visit, and you’ll see that the colonialists’ effort proved to be quite successful.

The Marabout

The Marabout is reputed to have been the burial site for a number of holy men and is one of the significant religious sites in Morocco. The white-domed tombs are located outside the city on a small, rocky island that is only accessible at low tide. Many pilgrims visit, as it is believed to possess special, spiritual healing powers.

Museums

Hassan II Mosque is actually the only site listed as a museum in Casablanca. In fact, the museum here is quite a small part of the vast complex, with the building itself attracting the most attention. Completed in 1993, it is the most impressive sight in Casablanca, and also the newest. Outside of Mecca, this is the largest mosque in the world and it is located at the Muslim world’s westernmost point, perched quite dramatically at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. The museum focuses on Muslim history as well as the development of the Hassan II Mosque. The majority of museums in Morocco are found at other cities including Rabat, Marrakesh, Tangier, Fez, Essaoira and Safi.

Casablanca tours

If you prefer to book a tour instead of heading out on your own, you can tour the city with a reputable operator based in Casablanca. If you’d like to venture outside the city and see more of Morocco, have just a short amount of time and funds are not an issue, you can fly from Casa Anfa with the operator Privair to a destination of your choice.