Overview to Casablanca: Travel Guide and Tourist Information

  The Beach at Casablanca

Casablanca is, of course, most famous for Humphrey Bogart’s infamous line, “of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine”. These days you won’t find many gin joints in Casablanca, just a lot of cafés and a rather uninspiring bar or two.

In fact, many travelers in Morocco don’t see much of anything at all in Casablanca. The city often loses out – rather unfairly – to the grander, more obviously impressive cities of Fes and Marrakech. But it undoubtedly has its charms.

The medina – neither as colorful as Marrakech’s, nor as labyrinthine as that of Fes – is still an intriguing place. The usual assortment of market stalls line the narrow streets, while the 18th century fortress (the Skala) is also well worth a look.

The city has a more European feel to it; broad avenues, smart boulevards and grand colonial architecture change the flavor of Casablanca. The center of the city, with Place Mohammed V to the fore, was extensively overhauled during the French occupation.

One thing for which Casablanca really does stand out, though, is its mosque. With a minaret over 200 meters tall, Mosque Hassan II is the biggest structure outside of Mecca and a major destination for pilgrims of both the religious and sightseeing variety.

Many travelers end up in Casablanca to escape the merciless heat of inland Morocco. And the beaches, cooled by puffs of Atlantic breeze, are undoubtedly a relief. This is, really, the appeal of the city; its less frantic pace makes it a good place to catch your breath from the general mayhem of Morocco.

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