Casablanca (Arabic: الدار البيضاء, Dar al-Bayda) may be the cosmopolitan, industrial and economic heart of Morocco, and its largest city, but it is one of the less endearing of the country's sights. With a small, unassuming medina and a traffic-congested ville nouvelle, travellers arriving via Casablanca may be tempted to find the first train out to nearby Rabat. The awe-inspiring Hassan II Mosque and happening nightlife and architecture (mostly colonial times buildings), however, are worth at least a day of your Moroccan itinerary.
The modern city of Casablanca was founded by Berber fishermen in the 10th century BCE, and was used by the Phoenicians, Romans, and the Merenids as a strategic port called Anfa. The Portuguese destroyed it and rebuilt it under the name Casa Branca, only to abandon it after an earthquake in 1755. The Moroccan sultan rebuilt the city as Daru l-Badya and it was given the name Casablanca by Spanish traders who established trading bases there. The French occupied the city in 1907, establishing it as a protectorate in 1912 and starting construction of the ville nouvelle.
During World War II in Africa, Morocco became part of Vichy France, a non-belligerent puppet state of Germany. Casablanca became a haven for spies, as well as well-off Europeans who wanted to escape the war, with a prospect to flee to the New World. The 1942 film Casablanca presented the intrigues of the city in a romanticized manner.
Morocco gained independence in 1956, and Casablanca is now Morocco's largest city with a population of almost 4 million. It has the world's largest artificial port, but no ferry service of any kind. Casablanca is also the most liberal and progressive of Morocco's cities. Young men flirt brazenly with scantily-clad women, designer labels are the norm in the chic, beachfront neighbourhood of 'Ain Diab and many young Moroccans speak to each other in a mix of Arabic and French.
But not everyone is living the Casablancan dream. Tens of thousands of rural Moroccans who fled the drought-ravaged interior to find work in the city are struggling under high unemployment rates and expensive housing. The poverty, prevalent in slums on the city's outskirts, has led to high rates of crime, drug use, prostitution and the rise of Islamism.
Casablanca is a mixed bag of Moroccan extremes.
Casablanca's airport is the busiest gateway to the country. Royal Air Maroc flies to New York JFK, Washington Dulles, Montreal, many cities in Europe, and has connecting flights to African countries such as Nigeria, Central African Republic, Senegal and others. WizzAir flies from Rome.
Mohammed V Int'l Airport (IATA: CMN), 33.367222°, -7.589722°. There are two terminals: Terminal 1 handles domestic and international flights, Terminal 2 - only international ones. Airport has ATMs, bank branches and currency exchange, post office, pharmacy, cafes, grocery stores and duty-free outlets. Arrive at the airport a tad earlier as there is a very slow security check after the train. 2022-08-16
Getting there/away:
The only available public transport is train, departures are every hour, journey time 45 min, 70/50 dirham for 1/2 class (as of Jan 2023). Operating hours: 3:00 - 22:00 for departures from the city and 04:00 to 23:45 for departures from the airport; trains leave at 50 minutes past the hour. The train schedule is available at the ONCF website (dead link: February 2023).
Taxi, the fare to Casablanca is 280 dirham (as of Nov 2022).
For more international connections and budget flights you may also want to consider flying to the airports of Rabat, Marrakesh, Fes or Tangier. From there you can take an intercity bus or train to Casablanca. From Tangier there is also a high-speed train.
The most convenient way to reach major Moroccan cities is by train. Trains are divided into first and second-class compartments; the first-class ones generally cost an extra 50%, but have more room and guarantee a seat. In case of boarding second-class compartments and not finding available seats, head to first class and pay the difference to the ticket collector.
Casa Port station is closer to the center but it serves only a couple of trains, while the main station is Casa Voyageurs. It has trains to Meknes/Fez/Oujda, Marrakech or Tangier with stops in between. Trains for Rabat leave half-hourly. The trains are comfortable with boards displaying the time of departure/arrival. ONCF site (dead link: February 2023) for checking the schedule.
CTM and other private companies run services to most Moroccan cities as well as a number of European cities:
Marrakech – every 1-2 hr, 4 hr, 80-95 dirham.
Essaouira – 3-4 buses per day, 6-7 hr, CTM 140 dirham / regular 110 dirham.
El Jadida – hourly, 1½ hr, 25 dirham.
Rabat – at least hourly, 1½ hr, 30-40 dirham. Other longer-distance routes exist (sometimes overnight) from Meknes, Fez, Ouarzazate.
Gare CTM, 23 Rue Leon l'Africain, 33.59611°, -7.61113°. M-Su 04:00-00:00. Bus station for CTM buses. 2019-05-02
Gare Routière, Ouled Ziane. The main bus terminal serving all destinations. The fares are slightly cheaper and buses tend to leave more frequently than CTM, however their quality might be lower and sometimes slower (always ask if they use the highway [autoroute]). 2019-05-02
Getting there/away: Gare Routière is on the outskirts of the city. Local buses are obscure and unreliable, buses #10 and #11 supposedly run there. A taxi from downtown (or Casa Voyageurs) should cost no more than 12 dirham, although you may have a hard time getting this fare (especially from downtown). There is a grand taxi rank about 200 m south of Place des Nations Unies, get there for 6 dirham per person.
There is a well maintained toll that runs from Tangier to El Jadida, passing through Casablanca and Rabat.
The minimum driving age in Casablanca is 21. Always carry your driver's licence and passport while driving. Avoid driving if possible: car rental prices are high as is the accident rate. If you are leaving Casablanca by car, make sure to fill up in the city. Gas/petrol stations becomes scarce outside Casablanca.
A government department puts out an exhaustive map of Casablanca in book form called Carte Guide de Casablanca that you can find in bookstores or online; in all likelihood, though, it isn't necessary.
Other than that, Casablanca is like any European city: the streets (mostly) have signs, and passersby are extremely helpful in French or Arabic and, more rarely, Spanish or English. The Medina can be hard to navigate, but it's so small that no matter how blindly you wander into it, you're never more than ten minutes from an exit.
Casablanca is one of the two Moroccan cities with a tram. The first line opened in late 2012. Service runs from 05:30 to 22:30 with frequent trains (during the day, the interval seems to be shorter than 10 minutes).
Most vending machines only take coins. One journey is 6 dirham with a rechargeable card, 8 dirham otherwise. A fee of 2 dirhams will be added for the card when you buy a ticket. Tram stops are announced in Arabic and French. Further information including the network ("réseau") and schedule ("horaires") is available in French and Arabic on the Casa Tramway website.
The Al Bidaoui service (i.e. airport service) also has some stops in the city, although they are spaced out much further from each other compared to the tram.
Many bus companies run through the city, the bus routes are the same for a given number, although the route remains completely unclear (Google maps has some bus stops for Casa though).
Going by bus is the cheapest way to get around (5 dirham) but some companies such as Hana Bus have vehicles in a disastrous state. It could be worth taking the chance given the cost-saving and experience of what many locals experience, but watch out for pickpockets.
All taxis red in colour, drivers know how to get to every single place in every single guide book, even if you tell them just "the restaurant on Blvd. Hassan II." Check the meter is running to avoid being overcharged at the end of the trip. Don't be surprised if the taxi stops to pick someone else up. The minimum fare is 7 dirham. White "grand taxis" are another local alternative. They have a defined itinerary so you should know in which station you should take it depending on your destination (ask locals, they will inform you easily). They only leaves when they are full, which means two people on the passenger seat and four people in the back, so expect to be packed likes sardines. However, it is cheaper than the red taxi, especially for longer distances.
Almost all of the things to see in Casablanca are in the north of the city; very few maps even show the southern end of this sprawling metropolis.
King Hassan II Mosque, Blvd Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah (Half an hour walk from the closest tram stop at Place des Nations Unies, taxi from anywhere in central centre shouldn’t be more than 20 dirham), 33.6084°, -7.63277°, +212 5 22 48 28 86, +212 5 22 48 28 89. Tours: Sat-Thu 09:00, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00; Fri 09:00, 10:00 and 15:00. In summer (Mar 15-Sep 15) also at 16:00. The largest mosque in Morocco and the third largest in the world. The 210 m high minaret is the tallest in the world. It opened in 1993, after six years of construction. It is one of the two main mosques in Morocco open to non-Muslims. Beautiful interior complete with water features, a roof that opens to the sky, a huge hammam in the basement (not in use), and beautiful tile work. 130 dirham for Mosque, 30 dirham for museum, 140 for combined ticket 2023-01-26
Old Medina, 33.60031°, -7.61953°. This is a small traditional walled town in the north of Casablanca. If you are in town it's worth a visit, but it is nothing compared to the glories of Fez or Marrakesh.
The Corniche, 33.59472°, -7.67668°. A neighborhood on the ocean, west of the Hassan II Mosque. Decades ago it was a thriving resort area - hotels line the ocean side of the Boulevard de la Corniche, and nightclubs line the other side. Most look like they've seen better days. Along the Boulevard de l'Ocean Atlantique are many newer, fancier hotels. The Corniche is also home to many western fast food chains. A new western-style movie theater can also be found here, but the best option is to walk up and down the street, resting at one of the many ocean-view cafes.
Shrine of Sidi Abderrahman, 33.58242°, -7.70442°. Built on a rock off shore, well past The Corniche, and only accessible at low tide. The shrine itself is off-limits to non-Muslims, but visitors are permitted to explore the tiny, medina-like neighborhood that has sprung up around it. A better bet is to walk to it along the beach and catch a view of the beautiful white walls before taking a cab to less remote areas.
Mahkama du Pacha. M-Sa 08:00-12:00 & 14:00-18:00. This is a Hispanic-Moorish building comprised of more than 60 ornate rooms with delicately carved wooden ceilings. There are many stuccoes and intricate wrought-iron railings as well as beautifully tiled floors. While entrance may be free it is not easy to get in. You need to find a guide to accompany you. Ask around - especially if you speak some French - it is worth it. To get there take bus 81 on Boulevard de Paris.
Central Post Office. Come here to send your postcards in style! Built in 1918, the façade is composed of both round and rectangular shapes. Once you approach you will get a good view of the excellent mosaics.
Museum of Moroccan Judaism (متحف اليهودية المغربية), 81, Rue Chasseur Jules Gros, 33.552137°, -7.639021°, +212 5229 94940. The only museum devoted to Judaism in the Arab world. Within the museum, visitors can find artifacts of Moroccan Jewry, including the bimah (c. 1944) from the Beni-Issakhar Synagogue in Casablanca, mezuzahs, and Hanukiah menorah. The museum also touts a considerable collection of Berber history, including costumes, jewelry, and Fatima pendants. 2021-09-18
Art galleries (commercial - they live off earnings they make by selling art, and you can usually enter for free):
Restaurants in Morocco are like restaurants in Spain - they don't open until around 19:00 at the earliest, and most people don't eat until much later. Be sure to call first and make sure your restaurant of choice is actually open.
Nightlife in Casablanca has mixed reviews. Women might feel a bit uncomfortable with the mostly male crowds in many bars and nightclubs. But if you dig a bit, you'll find some excellent spots to drink, dance and people watch. Certain clubs are flooded with prostitutes at night.
If you want a drink in your hotel room, supermarkets like Acima and Marjane carry a wide variety of liquor and wine, though the beer selection is fairly stunted. The best places to drink are either European-style restaurants, which usually have a decent selection, or hotel bars, which are inevitably safer and more relaxed. Many western-style nightclubs exist in the Maarif and Gironde neighborhoods. Pubs will cost around 100 dirham per head, it will be half if visited in the happy hours from 19:00-23:00. Pubs to visit Tiger House, La Notte.
Budget: under 400 dirham, mid-range: 400–1000, splurge: 1000 dirham and over (standard double room).
Unsurprisingly, all three Moroccan mobile operators (Inwi, Orange, and Maroc Telecom) are available in Casablanca.
Internet
Common sense will alleviate 99% of problems; try to look as little like a tourist as possible, do not flash large quantities of cash, and so on. Faux guides are much less of a problem here than in the rest of Morocco and are limited mainly to the area around the Old Medina. It is inadvisable to walk alone in Casablanca at night. Women, as in all Moroccan cities, should dress modestly to avoid harassment (which almost always consists of lewd comments, but nothing physical.)
Pickpocketing and moto-drive-by theft seem more to be a problem here—hide your valuables!
Casablanca is unlikely to cause North American or European travellers a lot of headache. Plenty of European/American food: pizzas and hamburgers are as frequent as tajines and couscous. In some areas, such as the Maarif and Gironde neighborhoods, seeing a man in a djellaba or a donkey pulling a cart of vegetables are rarities. If even the trappings of Moroccan culture such as these are too much for you, any hotel bar or restaurant is going to be just like home for a few hours.
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