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Morocco’s biggest city and main gateway: the Hassan II Mosque over the Atlantic, Art Deco boulevards and the start of most of our tours.
RegionCasablanca-Settat, Atlantic coast
Best timeAll year; mild climate
Time needed1 day
AirportMohammed V (CMN)
Casablanca is Morocco’s largest city and its economic capital, and for many travellers it is the first stop in the country: Mohammed V Airport is the main arrival point for long-haul flights, and most of our private tours begin here.
It is a very different city from Marrakech or Fes. Instead of a medieval medina, the centre is a grid of white Art Deco and neo-Moorish buildings from the early 20th century, with wide boulevards, cafés and a long seafront Corniche. Its landmark, the Hassan II Mosque, stands on a platform over the Atlantic and is one of the largest mosques in the world.
One well-planned day is enough to see the highlights before heading north to Fes and Chefchaouen, or south to Marrakech.
Completed in 1993, with a minaret of about 210 metres and room for tens of thousands of worshippers. Join a guided tour to see the carved cedar, marble and zellige inside; it is one of the few mosques in Morocco open to non-Muslims.
The seafront promenade west of the mosque, lined with beach clubs, cafés and restaurants. Best at sunset, when locals come out to walk.
Around Mohammed V Square and Boulevard Mohammed V, look up at the facades: Casablanca has one of the richest collections of 1920s and 1930s architecture in Africa.
A “new medina” built in the 1930s, calmer than the old one, with arcaded streets, bookshops, olive stalls and the city’s best traditional pastry shops.
A small, lived-in medina near the port, good for a short walk and a fresh fish lunch at the nearby fish market restaurants.
A restaurant and piano bar created in 2004 to recreate the bar from the film Casablanca, which was in fact shot in Hollywood. A fun dinner for film fans.
Casablanca has a mild Atlantic climate all year, rarely very hot or very cold. Spring and autumn are the most pleasant; summer is humid but far cooler than inland cities. See the best time to visit Morocco.
Mohammed V Airport (CMN) is about 30 km from the centre, with a train in roughly 40 minutes. From Casablanca, trains reach Rabat in about 1 hour, Tangier in about 2 hours on the Al Boraq high-speed line, and Marrakech in about 2.5 to 3 hours. By road, Marrakech is around 240 km on the A7 toll motorway.
Twelve of our private tours start in Casablanca, from 6 to 15 days, with airport pick-up included.
Yes, for a day. The Hassan II Mosque is one of the most impressive buildings in Morocco, and the Art Deco centre, the Habous quarter and the Corniche show a modern side of the country you will not see elsewhere. Most travellers then continue to Rabat, Fes or Marrakech.
One day is enough for the main sights. If you arrive on a long-haul flight, a night in Casablanca before starting your tour is a comfortable way to recover.
Yes. It is one of the few mosques in Morocco open to non-Muslim visitors, on guided tours outside prayer times with a ticket. Dress modestly, covering shoulders and knees.
By train in about 2.5 to 3 hours, or by road in about 2.5 to 3 hours on the A7 toll motorway (around 240 km). A private driver can stop on the way if you wish.
A train runs from Mohammed V Airport to the city’s main stations in roughly 40 minutes, and taxis and private transfers take about 45 minutes to an hour depending on traffic.
Tell us your arrival date and how long you have. Our team will plan a private route from Casablanca and reply within 24 hours.
