Most travellers see Casablanca only through its airport — and miss the point. Give it two days and Morocco's largest city rewards you with the country's grandest mosque, one of the world's richest troves of Art-Deco architecture, and a confident, ocean-front dining scene that locals guard jealously. Here is how to spend a polished 48 hours.
Day 1 — The Hassan II Mosque & the Corniche
Begin with a private guided visit of the Hassan II Mosque — one of the very few in Morocco open to non-Muslims — its minaret rising 210 metres straight out of the Atlantic, part of it built over the water. Go for the morning tour, when the light off the ocean is at its best (we pre-book your slot).
Spend the afternoon along the Corniche at Aïn Diab, the city's seafront promenade of beach clubs and terraces. As the sun drops into the ocean, settle in for grilled catch of the day and a glass of something cold.
- ◆Dress modestly for the mosque — shoulders and knees covered; shoes come off inside.
Day 2 — Art-Deco & the Habous Quarter
Casablanca holds one of the world's densest collections of 1920s–30s Art-Deco and Mauresque architecture — a legacy of its inter-war boom. A historian-led walk through the city centre, around the Place Mohammed V and the old Boulevard, brings the façades to life.
Continue to the Habous quarter, the elegant 'new medina' built in the 1930s, for its arcades, bookshops and the best traditional sweets in the city. Wind up with a long lunch in the Ville Nouvelle before your onward train or transfer.
Where to eat & stay
Casablanca dines late and dines well — from the seafood terraces of the Corniche to a quiet fine-dining renaissance in the Ville Nouvelle (see our Casablanca After Dark guide). For where to base yourself, the city centre suits business and architecture, while Aïn Diab puts you by the ocean. We reserve the right table and arrange every transfer.
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