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Casablanca

Though not as atmospheric as other Moroccan cities, Casablanca is the best representation of the modern nation. This is where money is being made, where young Moroccans come to seek their fortunes and where business and the creative industries prosper.

The city's handsome Moorish buildings, which meld French-colonial design and traditional Moroccan style, are best admired in the downtown area. Visitors who spend time there, in the Quartier Habous and in the beachside suburb of Ain Diab, are sure to get into the local swing of things and realize that this old pirate lair is looking towards the future, embracing the European-flavored urban sophistication that has underpinned life here for the past century.

The number of construction projects currently under way here is simply extraordinary – major redevelopments include those at Place Mohammed V and the Parc de la Ligue Arabe, and new public buildings include the Grand Théâtre de Casablanca.

Explore Casablanca

  • Hassan II Mosque

    This opulent mosque, built at enormous expense, is set on an outcrop jutting over the ocean with a 210m-tall minaret that's a city landmark. It's a…

  • A

    Abderrahman Slaoui Foundation Museum

    This privately owned house-turned-museum showcases Abderrahman Slaoui’s outstanding collection of Moroccan decorative arts, from Orientalist travel…

  • M

    Museum of Moroccan Judaism

    The only Jewish museum in the Arabic-speaking world, this institution is set in an attractive garden villa that once functioned as a Jewish orphanage. It…

  • O

    Old Medina

    Though lacking the medieval magic that characterises many Moroccan medinas, Casablanca’s compact 19th-century example is still worth a wander. You're…

  • Q

    Quartier Habous

    Built in the 1930s, the Quartier Habous, or Nouvelle Medina (New Medina), was built by the French to solve a housing crisis as the population outgrew the…

  • L

    L'Eglise du Sacré Coeur

    Dating from 1930, this blindingly white, Roman Catholic church sits on the edge of Parc de la Ligue Arabe. An extraordinary architectural mix of art deco,…

  • P

    Place Mohammed V

    This perpetually busy square is surrounded by striking public buildings, such as the Wilaya and its clock tower and the Courts of Justice, resplendent…

  • V

    Villa des Arts de Casablanca

    Set in a beautiful art deco villa dating from 1934, this small gallery is operated by the nonprofit Fondation ONA. It stages interesting temporary…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Casablanca.

  • See

    Hassan II Mosque

    This opulent mosque, built at enormous expense, is set on an outcrop jutting over the ocean with a 210m-tall minaret that's a city landmark. It's a…

  • See

    Abderrahman Slaoui Foundation Museum

    This privately owned house-turned-museum showcases Abderrahman Slaoui’s outstanding collection of Moroccan decorative arts, from Orientalist travel…

  • See

    Museum of Moroccan Judaism

    The only Jewish museum in the Arabic-speaking world, this institution is set in an attractive garden villa that once functioned as a Jewish orphanage. It…

  • See

    Old Medina

    Though lacking the medieval magic that characterises many Moroccan medinas, Casablanca’s compact 19th-century example is still worth a wander. You're…

  • See

    Quartier Habous

    Built in the 1930s, the Quartier Habous, or Nouvelle Medina (New Medina), was built by the French to solve a housing crisis as the population outgrew the…

  • See

    L'Eglise du Sacré Coeur

    Dating from 1930, this blindingly white, Roman Catholic church sits on the edge of Parc de la Ligue Arabe. An extraordinary architectural mix of art deco,…

  • See

    Place Mohammed V

    This perpetually busy square is surrounded by striking public buildings, such as the Wilaya and its clock tower and the Courts of Justice, resplendent…

  • See

    Villa des Arts de Casablanca

    Set in a beautiful art deco villa dating from 1934, this small gallery is operated by the nonprofit Fondation ONA. It stages interesting temporary…

Guidebooks

Learn more about Casablanca

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