Top 15 Things to Do in Casablanca

Casablanca does not try to be a tourist city, and this is one of its best qualities. The attractions here are real things rather than recreations of real things: a functioning fishing port, an extraordinary mosque, a coastline that locals actually use, and a café scene that runs on genuine urban energy rather than visitor expectations. The city rewards people who come ready to observe rather than to check boxes.

What follows is a practical list of the things worth your time in Casablanca, organized roughly by what kind of experience you’re after rather than any imposed ranking. The order is not priority; the mosque comes first simply because it is where we would start a first visit.

1. The Hassan II Mosque

The largest mosque in Africa and the seventh largest in the world, the Hassan II Mosque is built on a promontory over the Atlantic with a 210-metre minaret that is visible from most of the city. The guided tour for non-Muslim visitors is one of the best architectural experiences in Morocco: the prayer hall’s retractable roof, the hand-carved cedarwood, the zellige tilework extending across every surface.

Tours run Saturday to Thursday at 9am, 10am, 11am and 12 noon, then again at 3pm and 4pm (mid-March to mid-September) or 3pm only (mid-September to mid-March). Tours also run on Friday, at 9am and 10am in the morning and 3pm and (in summer) 4pm in the afternoon. Friday is a reduced schedule, not a closed day, which is the opposite of what most guidance says. During Ramadan the mosque switches to a separate timetable: Saturday to Thursday at 9am, 10am, 11am and 2pm; Friday at 9am, 10am and 2:15pm. Check the foundation’s site (fmh2.ma) for Ramadan dates.

Admission for foreign adults is 140 MAD. Moroccans, residents and foreign students pay 70 MAD; Moroccan students and children over 4 pay 30 MAD; under-4s go free. Most third-party booking sites still quote 130 MAD, which is out of date. Go early for smaller crowds and the best light on the exterior from the sea side.

2. The Art Deco Walking Route

The downtown area around Place Mohammed V is a concentrated example of the French colonial architecture built in the 1920s and 1940s, a mix of Art Deco and Mauresque styles that would be a significant heritage attraction if it were in Europe. A self-guided walk takes around 90 minutes. The Banque Al-Maghrib building, the Palais de Justice, and the arcaded streets of the old central business district are the high points. Ask at the tourist office near the square for the walking route map.

3. The Corniche and Ain Diab

The corniche running along the Atlantic south from the mosque toward Ain Diab is where Casablancans spend their leisure time. The beach strip mixes seafood restaurants, beach clubs, and ocean views that are best in winter light. Many restaurants along the Ain Diab end of the corniche specialise in grilled fish and fried calamari, and for seafood we would lunch here rather than in the tourist-facing medina.

4. The Old Medina

Smaller and less tourist-saturated than Fes or Marrakech, Casablanca’s old medina is a genuine neighborhood rather than a heritage precinct. Worth two hours of wandering for the architecture, the central market, and the pace that feels different from the commercial new city surrounding it. For crafts, compare prices with the Quartier Habous before buying.

5. Rick’s Café

Yes, it’s inspired by the film. Yes, it’s a tourist trap in the most genuine sense. And yes, it’s worth a drink. The building, a restored 1930s house in the old medina, is genuinely beautiful. The cocktails are competent. Dinner requires a reservation and a willingness to pay premium prices for the atmosphere. A drink at the bar at 7pm, before it fills completely, is the right way to experience it.

6. The Quartier Habous

The New Medina, built by French planners in the 1930s as a planned Moroccan quarter, is tidier and more navigable than the old medina with good craft shops and a well-known patisserie, Bennis Habous, known for traditional Moroccan pastries. Worth an hour and a bag of chebakia to take back to the hotel.

7. The Port of Casablanca

The working commercial port is not a tourist attraction, but the fish market and the seafood restaurants by the port entrance are worth the trip for fish bought off the boats. Grilled sole, fried red mullet and fish tagine are typical orders.

8. The Abderrahman Slaoui Museum

A small private museum in a 1940s Art Deco villa near the Twin Center, built around the collection of the businessman and art collector Abderrahman Slaoui. Moroccan jewelry, vintage travel posters, and glassware are spread across three floors. Worth about an hour.

9. The Central Market (Marché Central)

The covered central market near the Hotel Lincoln is one of Casablanca’s best-known food markets: meat, fish, produce, olives, preserved lemons, and spice blends all in one covered space. It is not the cheapest place to shop, but it is easy to navigate and used to foreign customers.

10. The Ain Chock Neighbourhood

One of the less-visited residential districts in the south of the city with a local neighbourhood market and a Saturday morning souk that is a genuinely local market experience away from the tourist areas. Worth a Saturday morning if you have a day to spare.

11. Evening Walk in Gauthier

The upscale Gauthier neighbourhood at the end of the working day, when the pavement cafes fill up and the window display of Casablanca’s working professional class is on show, is a good introduction to the modern city. The Rue Tiznit and Avenue Hassan II section has the densest cluster of cafes and restaurants.

12. The Corniche Swim Clubs

Several private beach clubs along the corniche are open to non-members for a daily fee (typically 150 to 400 MAD). These give access to seawater pools and Atlantic views with changing facilities, food service, and a level of comfort that the public beach does not provide. Worth knowing about for summer visits.

13. Villa des Arts

A cultural space in a 1934 Art Deco villa in the Gauthier area, Villa des Arts hosts contemporary art exhibitions and cultural events throughout the year. Free admission and a beautiful building. Check the program before visiting.

For more galleries, cinemas and classes, use the culture and leisure directory to find programmes and booking contacts beyond this sightseeing list.

14. The Casablanca Cathedral (now Espace Riviera)

The former Sacré-Coeur Cathedral, a striking Art Deco-Moorish hybrid building in the Plateau district, is now a cultural centre. The exterior is one of the most photographed buildings in Casablanca and the interior spaces host events and exhibitions.

15. Day Trip to Rabat

Casablanca and Rabat are 45 minutes apart by train (Al Boraq) or just over an hour on the regular service. Rabat’s Oudayas Kasbah, Hassan Tower, and medina are a genuinely excellent day trip from Casablanca for visitors who want historic architecture that Casablanca itself does not provide. The Rabat guide covers the full visit.

Getting Around Casablanca

Casablanca’s tram and busway network (tram lines T1 to T4 and busway lines BW1 and BW2) is usually the easiest way to move between major points in the city. A single ticket costs 8 MAD and is valid for one trip including transfers; a rechargeable card brings the per-trip cost down to 6 MAD. The tram connects the neighborhoods of Ain Diab, Maarif, the city center, and Sidi Bernoussi. For areas the network does not serve, petit taxis are abundant and should use the meter. As a rough guide, a daytime trip across the city is often around 30 to 50 MAD, but this is not an official tariff.

If your time is limited, prioritize the Hassan II Mosque (morning, as tours run on schedule), the old medina and Quartier Habous (afternoon), and the corniche for an evening walk. This covers the essential Casablanca experience in a single day. With two days, add the Art Deco walking route, the Central Market, and a longer evening exploring Gauthier’s restaurants and cafes.