Top 10 Things to Do in Rabat

Rabat is Morocco’s capital and its most undervisited major city. The combination of a UNESCO-listed medina, the Atlantic coast, Roman ruins, one of the best modern art museums in Africa, and a pace of life entirely free of the tourist hustle that characterizes Marrakech and Fes makes it one of the most rewarding cities in the country for visitors who make the 45-minute train trip from Casablanca.

Leave time between these visits for a walk, a café or the seafront.

1. The Kasbah des Oudayas

The white-and-blue whitewashed kasbah at the mouth of the Bou Regreg river is Rabat’s most beautiful spot. The Almohad gate, the narrow lanes, the Andalusian garden inside, and the café at the ocean-facing end combine into one of the most pleasant hours in any Moroccan city. Go in the morning before 11am.

2. Mohammed V Mausoleum and Hassan Tower

The 12th-century unfinished minaret tower and the marble mausoleum housing the tombs of Morocco’s modern kings are the city’s most iconic site. The ceremonial royal guard and the interior tilework of the mausoleum are impressive. Non-Muslim visitors can enter the mausoleum; the mosque adjacent is not open to non-Muslims.

3. The Medina

Rabat’s medina is compact, navigable, and refreshingly unhurried. Rue des Consuls, the historic diplomatic street, is Rabat’s best-known craft shopping street and a calmer place to browse than the big Marrakech souks. A two-hour walk covers the medina comfortably, including the carpet market and the mellah.

4. Mohammed VI Museum of Modern Art

Opened in 2014, this is a serious contemporary art museum with genuine depth. The permanent collection covers Moroccan modern art across 150 years. Temporary exhibitions rotate with international shows. The building is well-designed and the admission is modest. Worth two hours for anyone with an interest in Moroccan visual culture.

5. Chellah Necropolis

A walled site combining Roman ruins and a medieval Islamic necropolis on the southern edge of the city. White storks nest on the minaret stumps from February through May. The combination of layered history and atmospheric ruins makes it a contemplative counterpoint to the city’s busier sites. Standard adult self-entry is 70 MAD; the operator publishes reduced rates, including a 50% discount for Moroccan citizens and foreign residents.

6. The Atlantic Corniche

The seafront walk north from the Oudayas Kasbah along the Atlantic coast gives an excellent urban coastal walk. The beach at the base of the kasbah is a functioning local beach with lifeguards in summer.

7. Salé: The Other Side of the River

The twin city across the Bou Regreg is reached by the traditional wooden rowing boats from the Rabat side (a few MAD for the crossing).

Salé’s medina is less visited and more authentically local, with the Medersa Abou al-Hassan (also called the Médersa Mérinide), built in 1341, and a functioning souk that serves residents rather than tourists.

8. The Oudayas Museum

Inside the kasbah walls, the Oudayas, National Museum of Adornment focuses on Moroccan jewellery, dress and adornment. FNM publishes current admission and opening hours; it is closed on Tuesdays.

9. Dinner in the Agdal Neighbourhood

The Agdal district has Rabat’s most consistently good restaurant concentration, from traditional Moroccan to French bistro to Lebanese. A proper dinner at one of the mid-range Agdal restaurants, with wine, runs 200 to 400 MAD and is a significantly more relaxed experience than anything equivalent in Marrakech.

10. Day Trip: Salé Pottery and the Coastal Road North

The road north along the coast from Rabat passes through smaller towns with good beaches and minimal tourist infrastructure. Plage des Nations, 20 kilometres north, is a popular surf beach with a raw Atlantic character. The return via Salé gives a complete loop of the greater Rabat area.

A Two-Day Rabat Itinerary

Day one: start at the Kasbah des Oudayas in the morning when the light hits the blue and white walls. Walk down to the beach below the kasbah for a coffee at one of the cafes overlooking the Rabat-Sale river mouth. Continue to the Hassan Tower and Mohammed V Mausoleum (allow one hour). Lunch in the medina, which is smaller and calmer than Marrakech or Fes and excellent for first-time medina shoppers. Afternoon at the Mohammed VI Museum of Modern Art (60 MAD for foreign visitors, with other tariffs published by FNM; closed Tuesdays). Evening walk along the Bouregreg marina promenade.

Day two: morning at the Chellah necropolis (check your admission category above; allow 1.5 hours for a proper visit). Cross the river to Sale for the pottery workshops and the Grande Mosque area. Afternoon free for the Agdal neighborhood, Rabat’s most cosmopolitan district with excellent cafes, bookshops, and patisseries. If time permits, the tramway ride from Rabat to Sale gives a pleasant overview of both cities for 7 MAD.

Getting to Rabat

Rabat is one of Morocco’s best-connected cities. Check ONCF for trains to Casablanca, Tangier, Fes and Marrakech. Al Boraq stops at Rabat-Agdal, not Rabat-Ville. Conventional services may use Rabat-Ville or Rabat-Agdal; confirm the station and any change on your ticket. The CTM bus station connects to all major cities. Compare flights into Rabat-Salé Airport (RBA) with Casablanca Mohammed V Airport; if using Casablanca, include the onward train journey and any changes in your plan.