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Rabat

Morocco’s political and administrative capital may be short on top-drawer tourist attractions, but it compensates with plenty of charm. The ville nouvelle's palm-lined boulevards are clean, well kept and relatively free of traffic – a blessed relief for those who have spent time in Casablanca. There's a clean central beach, an intact and evocative kasbah, and an attractive walled medina that is far less touristy than those in other large cities. All in all, the city is a good choice for a short sojourn.

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Attractions

Must-see attractions

Musée Mohammed VI Art Moderne et Contemporain
Rabat
Conceived and funded by the present king, this museum opened in 2014 as the country's first national museum of modern and contemporary art. Alongside a…
Chellah
Rabat
First came the Phoenicians, then the Romans took control of this beautiful hilltop site above the fertile Bou Regreg river plain around 40 CE. From 1154,…
Kasbah des Oudaias
Rabat
Rabat's historic citadel occupies the site of the original ribat (fortress-monastery) that gave the city its name. Predominately residential, its narrow…
Mausoleum of Mohammed V
Rabat
The present king’s father (the late Hassan II) and grandfather were laid to rest in this marble mausoleum, which is decorated with exquisite examples of…
Rabat Medina
Rabat
When the French arrived in the early 20th century, this walled medina by the sea was the full extent of the city. Built on an orderly grid in the 17th…
Tour Hassan
Rabat
Rabat's must-see sight – along with the neighbouring mausoleum – this iconic tower looms 44m above the Bou Regreg estuary. It was originally part of an…
Museum of History & Civilisation
Rabat
Reopened after a major renovation, this small but perfectly formed museum is split in to two sections – the first showcases the history of Morocco through…
Villa des Arts de Rabat
Rabat
This beautifully restored, blindingly white art deco villa dates from 1929 and now holds well-curated contemporary art exhibitions with a focus on…