Things to do in Rabat
-
A
Chellah
Abandoned, crumbling and overgrown, the Merenid necropolis of Chellah is one of Rabat’s most evocative sights.
reviewed
-
B
Kasbah des Oudaias
This occupies the oldest part of the city, the site of the original ribat, and commands powerful views over the river and ocean from its cliff-top perch. The kasbah is predominately residential and the narrow streets are lined with whitewashed houses - most of which were built by Muslim refugees from Spain. It's a tranquil and picturesque place to wander and there's no need for a guide. Ignore anyone who advises you that the kasbah is 'forbidden'.
The most dramatic entry to the kasbah is through the enormous Almohad gate of Bab Oudaia, built in 1195. Its location, facing the heart of the city and just outside the original palace, made it more ceremonial than defensive and…
reviewed
-
C
Le Tour Hassan
Le Tour Hassan. Towering above the Oued Bou Regreg is Rabat's most famous landmark. This enormous minaret was begun by the Almohad sultan Yacoub al-Mansour in 1195 and was intended to reach 60m, making it the largest and highest in the Muslim world. However, the sultan's grand plans were thwarted by his death four years later, and the tower was never completed. Abandoned at 44m, the beautifully designed and intricately carved tower still lords over the remains of the adjacent mosque.
The mosque was destroyed by an earthquake in 1755, and today only a forest of shattered pillars testifies to the grandiosity of Al-Mansour's plans.
reviewed
-
D
Restaurant el-Bahia
Built into the outside of the medina walls and a good spot for people-watching, this laid-back restaurant has the locals lapping up hearty Moroccan fare. Sit on the pavement terrace, in the shaded courtyard or upstairs in the traditional salon.
reviewed
-
Rue des Consuls
Rue des Consuls is the best place to go if you want to shop at the stalls and choose crafts or gifts. Rabat was traditionally an artisan centre and a wide range of handicrafts are still practised here, so the choice and quality of goods is generally high. There are more offerings along Blvd Tariq al-Marsa towards the kasbah. You'll find everything in this area from jewellery, silks and pottery to zellij and carved wooden furniture.
Weaving was one of the most important traditional crafts in Rabat, and the more formal, Islamic style is still favoured. On Tuesday and Thursday mornings women descend from the villages to auction their carpets to local salesmen at the carpet s…
reviewed
-
St Agatha’s Crypt & Catacombs
St Agatha’s Crypt & Catacombs are interesting as they contain a series of remarkable frescoes dating from the 12th to the 15th centuries. According to legend, these catacombs were the hiding place of St Agatha when she fled Sicily. Tours of the catacombs are conducted regularly and explain the history of the site and point out features of the artwork. Back at ground level is a quirky little museum containing everything from fossils and minerals to coins, church vestments and Etruscan, Roman and Egyptian artefacts. Note that from October to June the complex is closed between noon and 1pm.
reviewed
-
Domus Romana
The Domus Romana, also called the Roman House, was built in the 1920s to incorporate the excavated remains of a large Roman townhouse from the 1st century BC. The centrepiece is the original peristyle court (formerly an open courtyard surrounded by columns). The mosaic floor has a geometric border around an image of two birds perched on a water bowl, known as the Drinking Doves of Sosos; a cistern in one corner collected rainwater. There are additional mosaic fragments and artefacts from Malta’s Roman period, including sculptures, amphorae, pottery fragments and oil lamps.
reviewed
-
E
Flea Market
This is an interesting place to wander, it descends towards the river. If you want to keep exploring, turning north along Rue des Consuls, you'll be surrounded by colourful carpets, leatherworks, babouches (leather slippers) and copper crafts. It's one of the more interesting areas of the medina for travellers with many original diplomatic residencies still intact.
After the carpet souq, the street ends in an open area lined with craft shops which was the setting for the slave auctions in the days of the Sallee Rovers. From here you can make your way up the hill to the kasbah.
reviewed
-
F
Restaurant Dinarjat
Stylish and the most elegant of medina restaurants, Dinarjat is a favourite with well-heeled locals and visitors alike. It’s set in a superb 17th-century Andalusian-style house at the heart of the medina, and has been carefully restored and decorated in a contemporary style but in keeping with tradition. The restaurant is an ode to the Arab-Andalusian art of living with its sumptuous architecture, refined traditional food and peaceful oud (lute) music. The tajines, couscous and salads are prepared with the freshest ingredients, using little fat, and are surprisingly light. Book in advance.
reviewed
-
G
Archaeology Museum
Dusty and forlorn but interesting (even if the labels are only in French), the Archaeology Museum gives a good account of Morocco’s history. Prehistoric finds include a beautiful neolithic rock carving of a man surrounded by concentric circles. The highlight of the collection is the Salle des Bronzes, which displays ceramics, statuary and artefacts from the Roman settlements at Volubilis, Lixus and Chellah. Look out for the beautiful head of Juba II and the unforgiving realism of the bust of Cato the Younger – both found at Volubilis.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
H
Le Grand Comptoir
Sleek, stylish and oozing the charms of an old-world Parisienne brasserie, this suave restaurant and lounge bar woos customers with its chic surroundings and classic French menu. Candelabras, giant palms and contemporary art adorn the grand salon while a pianist tinkles in the background. Go for the succulent steaks or be brave and try the andouillette (tripe sausage) or veal kidneys. A good place to have breakfast or coffee too, and there is wi-fi.
reviewed
-
Grotto of St Paul
Beside St Paul’s Church, stairs lead down into the Grotto of St Paul, a cave where the saint is said to have preached during his stay in Malta. The statue of St Paul was gifted by the Knights in 1748, while the silver ship to its left was added in 1960 to commemorate the 1900th anniversary of the saint’s shipwreck. Come in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid the tour groups that congest the narrow space.
reviewed
-
I
Mausoleum of Mohammed V
Near the Le Tour Haasan [Hassan Tower], stands the marble Mausoleum of Mohammed V, built in traditional Moroccan style. The present king’s father (the late Hassan II) and grandfather have been laid to rest here. The decoration, despite the patterned zellij and carved plaster, gives off an air of tranquillity. Visitors to the mausoleum must be respectfully dressed, and can look down into the tomb from a gallery.
reviewed
-
St Paul’s Catacombs
St Paul’s Catacombs, dated from the 3rd century AD, were rediscovered in 1894. There’s not a lot to see in the labyrinth of rock-cut tombs, narrow stairs and passages, but it’s fun to explore (note that there are a number of uneven surfaces, so mind your step). Admission includes a self-guided, 45-minute audio tour available in a handful of languages.
reviewed
-
Museum of Science and Nature
This museum lies squirreled away in the government administrative buildings. The museum explains the history of the earth's geology but is most noted for the reconstructed skeleton of the giant dinosaur Atlasaurus imelakei (Giant Lizard of the Atlas) found in the High Atlas in 1979. The massive beast measured 15m long and roamed the earth 165 million years ago.
reviewed
-
Grotto Tavern
Grotto Tavern, owned by a friendly French-Maltese couple, offers wining and dining on the main square. The menu waves the tricolore with dishes such as frogs’ legs or duck à l’orange, plus fondues and raclettes perfect for sharing. Leave room for crêpes, chocolate fondue or tarte aux pommes (apple tart).
reviewed
-
J
Le Petit Beur – Dar Tajine
This modest little place is renowned for its excellent Moroccan food, from succulent tajines and heavenly couscous to one of the best pastillas in town. It’s a little sombre at lunchtime but livens up at night when the waiters double as musicians and play oud music to accompany your meal. Book ahead or get there early as it fills up quickly.
reviewed
-
Walled Medina
This is a rich mixture of spices, carpets, crafts, cheap shoes and bootlegged DVDs. It was built on an orderly grid in the 17th century and lacks a little of the more colourful character of the older medinas of the interior. However, it's a great place to roam with no aggressive selling and far more locals than tourists wandering the narrow streets.
reviewed
-
K
La Koutoubia
Old-fashioned Moroccan restaurant with plenty of traditional zallij and colourful painted panels. All the classic Moroccan dishes are on the menu here, including tajines and couscous, but labour-intensive specialities like pastilla ay pigeon or mechoui (roast lamb) need to be ordered in advance. Good wine list.
reviewed
-
L
Tajine wa Tanja
Down-to-earth Moroccan dishes are the speciality at this small, friendly restaurant near the train station. Choose from a range of wood-fired grills or tajines prepared to traditional recipes, or make a special outing for the magnificent Friday couscous. It’s a fairly quiet spot, and not so intimidating for women travelling alone.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
M
Les Casseroles en Folie
This elegant French restaurant is popular at lunchtime with bureaucrats from the nearby ministries, but more relaxed in the evening. The food is very French with specialities like Salade des Casseroles (a salad with wild mushrooms and duck breast), and steaks with various sauces. Keep some space for the delicious dessert trolley.
reviewed
-
N
La Veranda
Run by the same owner as Le Grand Comptoir, this loft-style restaurant, in a modernist villa with a pleasant garden under majestic palm trees, is already proving the place to be at lunchtime. It serves good contemporary French-Mediterranean bistro food from a changing menu written on a blackboard. The staff is young and trendy.
reviewed
-
O
L’Entrecôte
The menu and attitude at this upmarket old-style restaurant in Agdal are very French but the dark woods and rough plaster are more reminiscent of Bavaria than Bordeaux. Steak, fish and game specialities dominate the classic French menu, and to further confuse the ambience there’s jazz or traditional Spanish music at night.
reviewed
-
P
Café Maure
Sit back, relax and just gaze out over the estuary to Salé from this chilled open-air café spread over several terraces in the Andalusian Gardens. Mint tea is the thing here, accompanied by little almond biscuits delivered on silver trays. It’s an easy place to pass time writing postcards, and a relaxed venue for women.
reviewed
-
Division de Cartographie
Rabat is one of the few places in Morocco where you can get a range of topographical Moroccan maps and town plans. The Division de Cartographie sells topography maps, but staff can be sensitive about selling some maps. Take your passport. Most maps need to be ordered and can be picked up 48 hours later.
reviewed
