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Casablanca
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Casablanca blends Atlantic energy, Art Deco streets, Hassan II Mosque, Moroccan cuisine and modern city life for memorable sightseeing and culture.

An Atlantic City with Many Layers

Casablanca is Morocco’s largest city and its principal commercial centre, spread along the Atlantic coast between ocean, port and expanding suburbs. It is a city of broad boulevards, white façades and constant movement, where cafés spill onto pavements and the rhythm of business sits alongside long-established neighbourhood life. Although its name evokes romance abroad, Casablanca is less a preserved medieval settlement than a modern Moroccan metropolis shaped by trade, migration and twentieth-century urban planning.
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Architecture from Medina to Art Deco

The old medina remains enclosed by the city’s newer quarters, with narrow lanes leading to small shops, shrines and the port. Around it, the central districts reveal an extensive collection of Art Deco and modernist buildings created during the French Protectorate, particularly around Mohammed V Square, Boulevard Mohammed V and the neighbourhood of Mers Sultan. The Habous quarter, built in the 1920s, offers a more orderly interpretation of traditional Moroccan architecture, with arcades, souks and courtyards.

Ocean, Culture and Contemporary Life

Casablanca’s defining landmark is the Hassan II Mosque, dramatically positioned beside the Atlantic and open to non-Muslim visitors through guided tours. Elsewhere, galleries, independent cafés, seafood restaurants and shopping districts reflect the city’s contemporary character. The Corniche at Ain Diab provides a seaside counterpoint to the dense centre, while Casablanca’s markets and neighbourhood bakeries offer everyday glimpses of Moroccan life beyond the headline monuments.

When is the best time to visit Casablanca?

Best: June–July, September · 25–27°C
Average daytime high and rainfall by month
MonthHigh (°C)Rainfall (mm)
January1771
February1857
March1948
April2136
May2218
June (best)255
July (best)270
August282
September (best)279
October2434
November2052
December1765

Getting to and around Casablanca

How to get there

Most international visitors arrive through Mohammed V International Airport, located in Nouaceur outside central Casablanca and connected to the city by rail, taxi and road. The airport has domestic and international links, though routes and schedules vary seasonally. Casablanca is also Morocco’s principal railway hub, with Casa-Voyageurs handling major national services and Casa Port serving selected connections nearer the centre. Long-distance coaches and intercity buses provide additional links to cities including Rabat, Marrakesh, Fez and Tangier. The city is readily accessible by motorway, but driving into the central districts can be demanding because of congestion and limited parking.

Transportation

Central Casablanca is walkable in sections, particularly around Mohammed V Square, Boulevard Mohammed V, the old medina and the port, although broad roads and busy traffic require care when crossing. The Casablanca tramway serves major parts of the metropolitan area and is useful for journeys between central districts and outer neighbourhoods. Petit taxis are widely used for short urban trips and are generally shared by colour-coded city zones, while grand taxis cover longer journeys and intercity routes. Trains connect the principal stations, and app-based ride services may also operate, but availability can change. Allow extra time during peak traffic.

Best attractions in Casablanca

Casablanca’s sightseeing begins with the Hassan II Mosque, whose vast prayer hall and ocean-facing esplanade form the city’s most memorable encounter with the Atlantic. In the centre, Mohammed V Square provides a useful starting point for exploring the city’s French Protectorate-era architecture, while nearby Boulevard Mohammed V reveals ornate façades, arcades and busy everyday commerce. The old medina offers a denser, more intimate experience of lanes, small shops and local shrines within the historic walls. In the Habous quarter, arcaded streets and traditional-style souks create a more ordered setting for browsing crafts and books. The Villa des Arts presents exhibitions in a former Art Deco villa, and the Museum of Moroccan Judaism offers important insight into one of the country’s historic communities. For a change of pace, the Corniche and Ain Diab provide promenades, ocean views and seaside cafés, although the area is more about atmosphere than formal monuments.

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Best landmarks in Casablanca

The Hassan II Mosque is Casablanca’s defining landmark, built on a promontory beside the Atlantic and distinguished by its monumental scale, intricate Moroccan craftsmanship and exceptionally tall minaret. In the historic centre, Mohammed V Square is framed by civic buildings that combine Moroccan decorative vocabulary with French colonial-era planning, making it a key expression of the city’s twentieth-century identity. The old medina’s walls and gates preserve the footprint of the rebuilt port town, while the Mahkama du Pacha in the Habous district is known for its richly decorated interiors and role as a courthouse and reception building. The central Art Deco buildings along Mohammed V Boulevard, including theatres, banks and apartment blocks, form another important architectural ensemble. The Clock Tower near the old medina marks the transition between the historic quarter and the colonial city.

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Explore Casablanca on the map

Plan your Casablanca trip on one map. See where the top attractions, landmarks, restaurants, bars and hotels are, find what's near where you're staying, and book hotels and experiences in a few clicks.

Neighbourhoods in Casablanca

Best restaurants in Casablanca

Casablanca’s food culture reflects its Atlantic setting, cosmopolitan population and links with Morocco’s wider culinary traditions. Moroccan staples such as tagines, couscous, pastilla, harira and brochettes are widely available, while the city’s coastal position makes seafood a natural speciality, particularly around the port and central market. Street-side grills, soup counters, bakeries and neighbourhood cafés provide informal meals, with msemen, baghrir, mint tea and fresh breads common throughout the day. The old medina and Habous quarter contain traditional Moroccan eateries, while Gauthier, Maarif and the Corniche offer a broader range of contemporary Moroccan, Mediterranean and international cooking. Casablanca’s French influence remains visible in its café culture and patisseries, but dining is not confined to polished establishments: busy markets and modest local restaurants often provide the clearest sense of the city’s everyday tastes.

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Best bars in Casablanca

Casablanca’s nightlife is more varied than its reputation suggests, though it remains shaped by Moroccan social customs and licensing rules rather than by an all-night club culture. Gauthier and Maarif contain many of the city’s contemporary lounges, cocktail bars and restaurants with evening service, while the Corniche and Ain Diab are associated with seafront venues, hotel bars and later-night entertainment. Licensed establishments may serve Moroccan and international drinks, but alcohol is not part of every social setting, and public consumption is inappropriate. Live music, DJ sets and lounge atmospheres are more common than traditional pub culture, with larger hotels often providing dependable evening venues. Theatre, cultural events and late café conversations offer alternatives to clubbing, particularly for visitors seeking a quieter night in the city centre.

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Best nightclubs in Casablanca

Casablanca’s nightlife is more varied than its reputation suggests, though it remains shaped by Moroccan social customs and licensing rules rather than by an all-night club culture. Gauthier and Maarif contain many of the city’s contemporary lounges, cocktail bars and restaurants with evening service, while the Corniche and Ain Diab are associated with seafront venues, hotel bars and later-night entertainment. Licensed establishments may serve Moroccan and international drinks, but alcohol is not part of every social setting, and public consumption is inappropriate. Live music, DJ sets and lounge atmospheres are more common than traditional pub culture, with larger hotels often providing dependable evening venues. Theatre, cultural events and late café conversations offer alternatives to clubbing, particularly for visitors seeking a quieter night in the city centre.

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Best shops in Casablanca

Casablanca offers shopping that ranges from traditional souks to modern malls, with the best choice depending on whether visitors are seeking craft, food, fashion or contemporary brands. The Habous quarter is associated with leather goods, ceramics, embroidered textiles, books and Moroccan-style souvenirs, while the old medina remains useful for browsing small general shops and local merchandise. The Central Market, near the city centre, is known for produce, fish, flowers and everyday food rather than a purely tourist-oriented experience. Independent boutiques and design shops are concentrated in districts such as Gauthier and Maarif, and Morocco Mall provides a large modern retail setting beside the Atlantic. For distinctive purchases, look for Moroccan leatherwork, woven goods, ceramics, argan products and dates, checking quality and provenance rather than assuming that every item is locally made.

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Casablanca essentials

Currency and Payment
Morocco’s currency is the Moroccan dirham, written as MAD or sometimes DH. Cash remains useful for taxis, small cafés, market stalls, bakeries and modest purchases, while hotels, larger restaurants, shopping centres and many modern businesses commonly accept international cards. ATMs are readily found in central commercial areas, at transport hubs and near banks, though visitors should use sensible precautions and keep smaller notes for everyday transactions. Dynamic currency conversion offered by some card terminals can result in a less favourable exchange rate, so checking the transaction currency before confirming payment is prudent. Dirhams are not freely convertible outside Morocco.
Safety
Casablanca requires the ordinary precautions appropriate to a large, busy city. Keep phones, wallets and passports secure in crowded medina lanes, markets, stations and tramways, and take care around traffic when walking near major boulevards. At night, use recognised taxis or clearly arranged transport rather than accepting unsolicited offers, particularly around transport hubs. Visitors may encounter persistent unofficial guides or vendors in tourist areas; a firm, polite refusal is usually sufficient. Choose well-used streets after dark and take care near the Corniche, where roads can be busy. Check current travel advice for Morocco before departure, especially regarding demonstrations or local disruptions.
Emergency Situations
For urgent assistance in Morocco, commonly used numbers include 19 for urban police, 177 for the Royal Gendarmerie outside urban areas, and 15 for fire and medical emergencies; 112 may connect mobile callers to emergency services, although visitors should not rely on one number in every circumstance. Ask hotel staff, hosts or local authorities for help if language is a difficulty, and carry identification and details of travel insurance. In a serious medical situation, request an ambulance through emergency services or go to an established hospital emergency department. Travellers should confirm the latest emergency arrangements with their accommodation or official sources on arrival.
Do's and Don'ts
Dress modestly when visiting religious or traditional areas, and cover shoulders and knees when entering the Hassan II Mosque or other religious sites according to local guidance. Ask permission before photographing people, particularly market sellers and workers, and avoid photographing sensitive government or security facilities. Greet shopkeepers politely and agree prices before using informal services where prices are not displayed. Tipping is customary for helpful service but should reflect the situation rather than being demanded. Alcohol is available in licensed venues, yet public drunkenness is inappropriate. During Ramadan, eating, drinking and smoking discreetly in public during daylight hours shows respect, while visitors should expect altered business and meal schedules.
Local Tips
Casablanca is easiest to understand as a series of linked districts rather than a single sightseeing quarter: combine the old medina and port with the Art Deco centre, Habous and the Corniche on separate outings. Mohammed V Square and the surrounding boulevards are especially rewarding for architecture, while the Central Market provides a glimpse of everyday commerce. The Hassan II Mosque stands apart from the historic core, so allow time for the journey and guided visit. Casablanca’s Atlantic climate can bring wind and cooler evenings, even when daytime temperatures are high. For a calmer pace, explore neighbourhood cafés and bakeries away from the main tourist routes.
Eve, your Evendo local guide

From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
Helloسلام[salam]
Goodbyeوداعا[wadaea]
Yesنعم[naam]
Noلا[la]
Please/You're welcomeمن فضلك[min fadlik]
Thank youشكرا[shukran]
Excuse me/Sorryعذرا[aadhara]
How are you?كيف حالك؟[kayf halik?]
Fine. And you?بخير. وأنت؟[bkheir. wa ant?]
Do you speak English?هل تتحدث الإنجليزية؟[hal tatahadath al'inglizia?]
I don't understandلا أفهم[la afham]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseأريد أن أرى القائمة، من فضلك[urid an ara alqaimah, min fadlik]
I don't eat meatلا آكل اللحم[la aakol allahm]
Cheers!صحتين![sahatayn]
I would like to pay, pleaseأود أن أدفع، من فضلك[awad an adfae, min fadlik]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!النجدة![alnajdah!]
Go away!ارحل![irhal!]
Call the Police!اتصل بالشرطة![aitisal bialshurtah!]
Call a doctor!اتصل بالطبيب![aitisal bialtabib!]
I'm lostضاعت الطريق[daeat altariq]
I'm illأنا مريض[ana mareed]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...أريد أن أشتري...[urid an ashtari...]
I'm just lookingأنا فقط أتفرج[ana faqat atfarg]
How much is it?كم هو ثمنه؟[kam hu thamanuh?]
That's too expensiveهذا غالي جدا[hatha ghali jiddan]
Can you lower the price?هل يمكنك تخفيض السعر؟[hal yumkinuk takhfiz alsaeir?]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?كم الساعة؟[kam alsaaah?]
It's one o'clockالساعة الواحدة[alsaaah alwahidah]
Half past (10)العاشرة والنصف[al'ashirah walnisf]
Morningصباح[sabah]
Afternoonبعد الظهر[baed aldhuhur]
Eveningمساء[masa]
Yesterdayالبارحة[albarihah]
Todayاليوم[alyawm]
Tomorrowغدا[ghadan]
1واحد[wahid]
2اثنين[ithnan]
3ثلاثة[thalathah]
4أربعة[arbaah]
5خمسة[khamsah]
6ستة[sittah]
7سبعة[sabah]
8ثمانية[thamania]
9تسعة[tisah]
10عشرة[asharah]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?أين هو/هي...؟[ayn hu/hi...?]
What's the address?ما هو العنوان؟[ma hu alaunwan?]
Can you show me (on the map)?هل يمكنك أن تريني (على الخريطة)؟[hal yumkinuk an tarini (ala alkhareeta)?]
When's the next (bus)?متى الحافلة التالية؟[mata alhafilat altaliat?]
A ticket (to ....)تذكرة (إلى ....)[tazkirah (ila ....)]

History of Casablanca

Anfa and Early Coastal Settlement

The site of Casablanca was associated with Anfa, a settlement traditionally linked to an ancient Berber community and later incorporated into the wider trading world of the Moroccan Atlantic coast. Medieval sources describe Anfa as a prosperous port connected to inland routes, although its fortunes changed through conflict and maritime disruption. In 1468, Portuguese forces attacked and destroyed the settlement, reflecting the strategic importance of Atlantic ports during a period of competition between Moroccan powers and European maritime states. The Portuguese later established a fortified settlement known as Casa Branca, but an earthquake in 1755 caused extensive destruction. Sultan Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah subsequently rebuilt the town in the eighteenth century, giving it the Arabic name al-Dar al-Bayda, translated into Spanish as Casablanca.

A Port and Trading Town Rebuilt

The rebuilt town developed around a modest harbour and gradually resumed its role in coastal commerce. Merchants, artisans and communities from different parts of Morocco contributed to its social and economic life, while European traders became increasingly present. Casablanca remained smaller than imperial capitals such as Fez, Marrakesh and Meknes, but its Atlantic position made it well placed for the export of agricultural products and the import of manufactured goods. The old medina that survives today reflects this later phase of development rather than the medieval settlement itself. Its lanes, walls and religious buildings preserve the scale of the pre-modern port town beside the much larger city that followed.

French Protectorate and Urban Expansion

The establishment of the French Protectorate over Morocco in 1912 transformed Casablanca more dramatically than almost any other Moroccan city. The port was expanded, rail connections strengthened and new administrative, residential and commercial districts planned beyond the medina. The urban planner Henri Prost helped organise this growth, while architects developed an influential mixture of Art Deco, modernism and Moroccan forms. Mohammed V Square, Boulevard Mohammed V and the area around the central market belong to this period of expansion. European settlement, Moroccan migration and industrial employment rapidly increased the population, making Casablanca the protectorate’s main economic engine and its most visibly modern urban centre.

Nationalism and Independence

Casablanca became an important setting for Morocco’s nationalist movement during the final decades of the Protectorate. The city’s expanding working population, commercial networks and politically active urban society created conditions for organised opposition to colonial rule. Tensions culminated in unrest at several points, including the Casablanca riots of December 1952, which followed the assassination of the Tunisian nationalist leader Farhat Hached and contributed to a wider crisis in French North Africa. Morocco regained independence in 1956, and Casablanca inherited the role of national economic capital. Its institutions, port, factories and growing suburbs then became central to the country’s post-independence development.

Modern Metropolis and Cultural Symbol

Since independence, Casablanca has continued to expand as Morocco’s principal business centre, drawing residents from across the country and strengthening links with international markets. New neighbourhoods have spread beyond the historic core, while the port, finance sector, universities and transport infrastructure have reinforced its national importance. The Hassan II Mosque, completed in 1993, provided the modern city with a monumental religious and civic landmark on the Atlantic shore. Casablanca’s history is therefore visible in several overlapping forms: the enclosed medina, the Protectorate-era boulevards, the industrial and commercial city, and the contemporary metropolis shaped by migration, redevelopment and global connections.

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Evendo - Your Ultimate Travel Guide to Casablanca

Discover the best of Casablanca with Evendo, your 100% free app-based travel guide covering attractions, landmarks, restaurants, hotels, tours, and more.

  • Detailed information on attractions, landmarks, shops, bars, nightclubs, restaurants, hotels, tours, experiences, and activities
  • High-quality images and descriptions
  • Local tips and maps
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Explore Casablanca like never before with Evendo, the ultimate free travel guide app. Discover attractions, book hotels, enjoy local experiences, and much more—all in one place.

  • Easy hotel, tour, and ticket booking
  • Comprehensive history of Casablanca
  • Travel essentials and local advice
  • User-friendly navigation
  • 'Near Me' feature to find nearby attractions
  • Free to use forever with no in-app purchases
  • Global coverage with over 7,000 destinations

Welcome to Evendo, the ultimate travel guide app that will transform your trip to Casablanca, Morocco. Whether you're a first-time visitor or a seasoned traveler, Evendo provides detailed information on the best attractions, landmarks, shops, bars, nightclubs, restaurants, hotels, tours, experiences, and activities in Casablanca.

Imagine strolling through the bustling streets of Casablanca, guided by the rich history and local tips provided by Evendo. Visit the famous Hassan II Mosque, explore the vibrant Central Market, or unwind at the Ain Diab Corniche. Hungry? Evendo has got you covered with recommendations for top-notch restaurants like Rick's Café and La Sqala, complete with images, descriptions, and contact details.

Planning your stay has never been easier. With Evendo, you can easily book hotels, tours, tickets, and unique experiences directly through the app. No need to worry about searching for what to do next or how to get there; everything you need is right at your fingertips.

With features like a comprehensive history of Casablanca, travel essentials, curated local tips, and a 'Near Me' feature to discover attractions around you, Evendo ensures you get the most out of your visit. Best of all, it's 100% free to use with no in-app purchases or additional costs. Plus, Evendo covers over 7,000 other destinations worldwide, making it your go-to travel companion wherever you go.

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