Old Medina (Casablanca) Travel Guide - Free

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Old Medina
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Old Medina Casablanca blends sea-facing walls, Moroccan cafés, craft souks and layered history beside the port, offering an atmospheric walk through the city.

Within Casablanca’s Old Walls

Casablanca’s Old Medina occupies the historic quarter beside the port, a compact district enclosed by fragments of defensive walls and shaped by centuries of exchange across the Atlantic. It is distinct from the broad boulevards and Art Deco avenues of the modern centre, though the two areas meet around the port and Place des Nations Unies. Inside the medina, lanes narrow into passages lined with groceries, cafés, workshops, fabric sellers, spice shops and household traders, while whitewashed façades catch the strong coastal light.
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A Port-Side History

The present medina grew after Sultan Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah rebuilt Casablanca in the late eighteenth century, following the destruction associated with the 1755 earthquake. Its proximity to the harbour made it a place of trade and contact, and later European commercial expansion transformed the surrounding waterfront. The 1907 bombardment and the creation of the French protectorate accelerated the city’s outward growth, leaving the old quarter as a dense historic core beside a rapidly planned colonial city.

Markets, Shrines and Everyday Casablanca

Visitors come to explore the atmosphere rather than a long sequence of formal museums. Bab Marrakech provides a useful entrance, while streets near the port lead towards traditional shops, small eateries and traces of the medina’s Jewish and Muslim past. La Sqala, a restored eighteenth-century fortification at the northern edge, combines historic defensive architecture with gardens and Moroccan dining. The quarter is most rewarding at an unhurried pace: listen for workshop sounds, notice carved doors and tiled thresholds, and allow the commercial lanes to reveal the ordinary social life of Casablanca.

Best attractions in Old Medina

The Old Medina’s principal attraction is the experience of moving through its compact network of lanes, where craft workshops, food shops and everyday household commerce occupy the same streets as historic homes and religious institutions. Bab Marrakech is the most recognisable southern gateway and a useful starting point for exploring the market quarter. Towards the north, La Sqala occupies an eighteenth-century defensive bastion beside the port and combines surviving fortification elements with planted grounds and a restaurant. The perimeter walls and sea-facing edges offer a different perspective from the dense interior, particularly around the port approaches. Visitors can also look for historic synagogues and traces of the former Jewish presence, though access to religious buildings is not always public. The medina is less a collection of ticketed sights than a living urban district whose attractions emerge through architecture, commerce, food and observation.

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Best landmarks in Old Medina

The Old Medina’s most significant landmarks are connected to its defensive, commercial and religious history. Bab Marrakech marks a principal entrance through the historic perimeter and remains one of the clearest visual points of arrival. La Sqala, at the northern edge near the port, preserves part of the eighteenth-century defensive system associated with the rebuilt town and is distinguished by its fortified walls and sea-facing position. The surviving medina walls, gateways, narrow commercial passages and traditional façades form a broader architectural landmark rather than a single monument. The quarter also contains reminders of Casablanca’s former Jewish community, including the Ettedgui Synagogue, whose presence reflects the religious diversity that shaped the port city. Access to individual religious buildings can be restricted, so their significance is often best understood from the surrounding streets.

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A handpicked selection of must-see spots in Old Medina, mapped for you.

Best restaurants in Old Medina

Eating in the Old Medina centres on Moroccan home-style cooking, simple cafés, tea, grilled foods and small restaurants serving visitors alongside local customers. Around the market lanes, food shops and modest eateries offer opportunities to encounter staples such as tagines, couscous, harira, bread, olives and fresh juices, although menus and opening arrangements vary. The port-side location also connects the quarter with Casablanca’s seafood culture, while La Sqala provides a more formal setting within a restored historic fortification. Look for places with a steady local clientele and inspect menus before sitting down, particularly where prices are not displayed. The dining scene is more atmospheric and traditional than polished, with much of its appeal coming from the relationship between food, trade and street life rather than from a concentration of destination restaurants.

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Best bars in Old Medina

Nightlife in the Old Medina is modest and centred on cafés, tea houses, casual restaurants and conversation rather than clubs or a dense bar circuit. As evening falls, the commercial lanes become quieter in some sections while cafés and food spots remain social around the busier approaches and port side. Alcohol-focused nightlife is more characteristic of Casablanca’s modern central districts and hotels than of the historic quarter itself. Visitors should therefore expect an evening of mint tea, coffee, Moroccan meals and people-watching rather than late-night entertainment venues. The medina’s residential character makes consideration for neighbours important, and those staying locally should keep noise low when returning through narrow lanes.

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Best nightclubs in Old Medina

Nightlife in the Old Medina is modest and centred on cafés, tea houses, casual restaurants and conversation rather than clubs or a dense bar circuit. As evening falls, the commercial lanes become quieter in some sections while cafés and food spots remain social around the busier approaches and port side. Alcohol-focused nightlife is more characteristic of Casablanca’s modern central districts and hotels than of the historic quarter itself. Visitors should therefore expect an evening of mint tea, coffee, Moroccan meals and people-watching rather than late-night entertainment venues. The medina’s residential character makes consideration for neighbours important, and those staying locally should keep noise low when returning through narrow lanes.

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Best shops in Old Medina

Shopping in the Old Medina is rooted in small-scale trade rather than department stores or contemporary retail complexes. The lanes around Bab Marrakech and the central souk contain shops selling Moroccan slippers, leather goods, woven textiles, djellabas, baskets, ceramics, spices, preserved foods and household items, alongside repairers and everyday grocers. Some merchandise is aimed at visitors, but much of the quarter remains a working market serving local residents, which gives the shopping streets a practical character. Compare quality and prices between several shops, especially for leather and textiles, and remember that bargaining is customary in many independent businesses but not a substitute for respectful conversation. The strongest reason to shop here is the connection between products and the crafts, food networks and trading traditions of the historic port district.

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Old Medina essentials

Getting There
The Old Medina is easiest to reach from Casa-Port railway station, which lies beside the port and within a short walk of the historic quarter’s southern and eastern approaches. Casablanca’s tram network serves the nearby Place des Nations Unies area, providing connections from the modern centre and other parts of the city. Visitors arriving from Mohammed V International Airport can use the railway connection towards Casa-Port when services suit their itinerary, or take a taxi to the medina. Ask to be dropped at a recognisable gate or main street rather than at a narrow internal lane.
Getting Around
Exploration inside the Old Medina is primarily on foot. The main entrances and lanes are accessible to pedestrians, but paving can be uneven, passages may narrow sharply and some routes include steps or changes in level. Cars and delivery vehicles use parts of the perimeter and wider lanes, so pause before crossing busy entrances. Casa-Port, the port frontage and Place des Nations Unies are convenient orientation points outside or beside the quarter. Taxis are useful for reaching the medina’s edges, but they cannot take visitors through most internal souk passages.
Safety
Use ordinary urban precautions, particularly in crowded market lanes, around transport approaches and at busy entrances where bags and phones can be difficult to monitor. Keep valuables discreet and use a secure bag rather than carrying a wallet in an open pocket. Traffic and delivery vehicles can appear unexpectedly on lanes that feel pedestrian, so stay alert. After dark, remain on busier, well-used routes and arrange onward transport from a clear meeting point. The medina is a working residential and commercial quarter, not an enclosed attraction with controlled visitor access.
Emergency Situations
In Morocco, dial 112 from a mobile phone for emergency assistance; 19 is used for police in urban areas and 15 for fire and urgent ambulance assistance. Give the operator the nearest gate, prominent street, shop or landmark, as internal medina addresses can be difficult to identify. For a medical problem that is not immediately life-threatening, ask accommodation staff, a pharmacist or a local taxi driver to help locate an appropriate clinic or hospital. Keep an offline map and your accommodation details available in case phone coverage or directions become difficult inside the lanes.
Do's and Don'ts
Dress respectfully in this historic residential quarter, particularly near mosques and religious buildings, and ask before photographing people, workshops or private interiors. Do not touch merchandise without an intention to inspect or buy, and agree clearly on a price before accepting a non-metered service. Leave doorways, prayer entrances and shop thresholds unobstructed, and keep voices moderate near homes after dark. Bargaining is common in many souks but should remain courteous rather than confrontational. Avoid treating residents, craftspeople or street scenes as photographic props.
Local Tips
The Old Medina is easiest to understand by combining a perimeter walk with an interior wander: start at Bab Marrakech, follow the commercial lanes, then head towards the northern walls and La Sqala. The port side feels more open, while the market streets become more tightly packed as they move inland. Look upwards for traces of older façades and architectural details that are easy to miss at street level. A morning visit generally offers clearer light and a more legible sense of the quarter’s working rhythm, while late afternoon brings a different atmosphere around cafés and food stalls.
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[salaam]
Goodbyeوداعا[wadaeaan]
Yesنعم[naam]
Noلا[laa]
Please/You're welcomeمن فضلك[min fadlik]
Thank youشكرا[shukran]
Excuse me/Sorryعذرا[azraan]
How are you?كيف حالك؟[kayfa halak?]
Fine. And you?بخير. وأنت؟[bikhayr. wa anta?]
Do you speak English?هل تتحدث الإنجليزية؟[hal tatahadath al'injlizia?]
I don't understandلا أفهم[laa afham]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseأريد أن أرى القائمة، من فضلك[uriidu an araa alqaimah, min fadlik]
I don't eat meatأنا لا أكل اللحوم[ana la aakulu allahm]
Cheers!في صحتك![fi sahtik!]
I would like to pay, pleaseأود أن أدفع، من فضلك[awadu an adfae, min fadlik]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!مساعدة![musaeadah!]
Go away!ارحل![irhal!]
Call the Police!اتصل بالشرطة![iatisil bilshurtah!]
Call a doctor!اتصل بالطبيب![iatisil biltabib!]
I'm lostلقد ضللت[liqad dalalt]
I'm illأنا مريض[ana mareed]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...أريد أن أشتري...[uriidu an ashtari...]
I'm just lookingأنا فقط أتفرج[ana faqat atfarij]
How much is it?كم يكلف؟[kam yaklaf?]
That's too expensiveهذا غالي جدا[hatha ghali jiddan]
Can you lower the price?هل يمكنك تخفيض السعر؟[hal yumkinuka takhfeed alsu'ar?]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?كم الساعة؟[kam alsaa'ah?]
It's one o'clockالساعة الواحدة[alsa'ah alwahidah]
Half past (10)النصف بعد (10)[alnusf baed (10)]
Morningالصباح[alsabah]
Afternoonبعد الظهر[baed althuhr]
Eveningالمساء[almasa']
Yesterdayأمس[ams]
Todayاليوم[alyawm]
Tomorrowغدا[ghadan]
1واحد[wahid]
2اثنان[ithnan]
3ثلاثة[thalathah]
4أربعة[arba'ah]
5خمسة[khamsah]
6ستة[sittah]
7سبعة[sab'ah]
8ثمانية[thamaniah]
9تسعة[tis'ah]
10عشرة[asharah]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?أين ...؟[ayn ...?]
What's the address?ما هو العنوان؟[ma huwa al'anaan?]
Can you show me (on the map)?هل يمكنك أن تريني (على الخريطة)؟[hal yumkinuka an tureeni (ala alkhariitah)?]
When's the next (bus)?متى القادمة (الحافلة)؟[mata alqadimah (alhafilah)?]
A ticket (to ....)تذكرة (إلى ....)[tazkirah (ila ....)]

History of Old Medina

An Earlier Coastal Settlement

The area now known as Casablanca developed around a coastal settlement whose fortunes were tied to the Atlantic shoreline and its harbour. The older name Anfa is associated with the site in medieval sources, although the precise relationship between the earlier settlement and the later medina should not be treated as a simple uninterrupted urban story. Portuguese attacks and occupation affected the coastal town in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, while earthquake damage and periods of decline reshaped the settlement. These earlier layers help explain why Casablanca’s historic quarter sits directly beside the sea rather than growing inland around a monumental royal centre.

Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah’s Reconstruction

After the destruction of the settlement in the eighteenth century, Sultan Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah ordered its rebuilding, creating the walled town that formed the basis of the present Old Medina. The reconstruction gave the quarter a defensive perimeter, gates, mosques, homes and commercial lanes suited to a port town. Its position near the harbour encouraged trade in agricultural goods and imported merchandise, while the medina’s compact pattern supported neighbourhood life within the walls. Much of Casablanca’s later identity as a commercial city grew from this relationship between the walled settlement and the Atlantic port.

Port Commerce and European Expansion

During the nineteenth century, European commercial activity increasingly affected Casablanca, and the port became more important to international trade. Foreign merchants, consular interests and new commercial relationships pressed against the older urban order, creating a more cosmopolitan but also more unequal port environment. In 1907, conflict connected with French intervention and opposition to foreign influence led to the bombardment and occupation of Casablanca. The episode marked a decisive rupture: the medina remained a dense historic quarter, but the city’s principal administrative, financial and residential expansion soon took place beyond its walls.

The Protectorate and the Modern City

Under the French protectorate established in 1912, Casablanca expanded rapidly around the medina with new roads, port infrastructure and planned districts. European architects and Moroccan builders produced the modern centre’s distinctive Art Deco and Neo-Moorish buildings, while the old quarter continued to house established families, traders, religious institutions and migrant workers. Independence in 1956 changed the political framework but did not remove the contrast between the historic medina and the modern city outside it. In recent decades, conservation, tourism and commercial change have brought renewed attention to the quarter, alongside continuing pressures on housing and local retail life.

Old Medina in Photos

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