As one of the most emblematic Moroccan cities, Casablanca is one the most European cities in the country thanks to its town planning carried out under French colonial rule and its resulting status as the economic capital of the country. Yet it is also a most Moroccan city with its incredible Hassan II mosque and the Bab Marrakech medina.
I spent a few days in Casablanca and the city remains for me one of the most pleasant in the country. With it truly amazing architecture the city moves from majestic Art Deco avenues to its labyrinth of narrow winding medieval streets where it is almost impossible not to get lost. You move just as easily from traditional souks to cocktail bars in glass towers. A city of contrasts I think Casablanca is a reflection of Morocco today, held between tradition and modernity. In any case it is a must-see destination on a trip to Morocco.
For many visitors, Casablanca is not a must-see destination in Moroccan tourism I had been to the country several times without stopping there until one day I took advantage of a stopover on my way to Mali to visit the city.
It is true you could almost believe you are in Europe. Large avenues, residential areas, luxury boutiques… Yet Casablanca is not just the economic epicentre of the country. I suggest you come and lose yourselves in the maze of small streets of the medina, walk the length of the coast and especially visit the sublime Hassan II Mosque. It is dazzling white and one of the only ones in Morocco open to non-Muslims. Standing on an immense esplanade, it is the third largest in the world and its minaret is the tallest in the Maghreb.
Even if Casablanca is far from being a tourist stereotype, the welcome is warm and it is worth a visit.