What to do in casablanca

What to do in casablanca

Casablanca, the “city of white houses” is the largest city in Morocco, surpassing even the capital Rabat in terms of population. Casablanca is firmly associated by many with the 1942 film of the same name, the phrase “I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship” and the song “Casablanka”, which at one time was heard literally from every newspaper.

Casablanca is now a major port and economic center, a modern European city with beautiful hotels of the world’s famous chains and a magnificent ocean coastline.

Climate and weather in Casablanca

Casablanca is not too hot, although the breath of the desert can be felt there. The situation is saved by the ocean breeze blowing off the coast. There are cold currents that keep the atmosphere cool. The best time to visit Casablanca is from May to September.

The beaches and sea of Casablanca

Casablanca cannot boast of luxurious beaches, most of them artificial. The waves are steep and can be dangerous to swim in. The most famous beach in the city is Ain Diab. There are swimming pools and beach clubs on the shore, so fans of swimming will be something to occupy themselves.

Another popular beach area in Casablanca is by the Corniche promenade. The beaches are run by private hotels, perfectly equipped. They are accessible only to hotel guests.

Things to do in Casablanca

Casablanca is a fairly old town, which has preserved its Oriental flavor, diluted with Portuguese and French heritage. The narrow crooked streets, white buildings of the Old City (medina) and mosques attract crowds of tourists. Two of the most visited sites in Casablanca are the Mahakma do Pacha and the Hassan II Mosque. Mahakma do Pacha is a huge white-washed building which used to be the residence of the ruler of Casablanca.Extensive sculptures and mosaics are used to embellish the various opulent rooms, gardens, and galleries.

Hassan II Mosque is a grandiose structure, inferior in beauty and majesty of size only to the mosque in Mecca. A huge minaret 210 m high (the highest in the world!) is perfectly visible from anywhere in the city. The mosque has a capacity of 105,000 worshipers. The unique “zest” of the mosque is a retractable roof, which turns the prayer hall into a terrace. The mosque is richly decorated with carvings, paintings, mosaics and stucco, but tourists cannot see it, as entrance to the territory of the mosque is prohibited for visitors. There is a lot to see outside too – don’t get upset, but take pictures of the arches and the beautiful entrance gate.

For local flavor, which you can take with you, go to the market quarter Habbus. Here you can haggle and choose gifts for yourself and your loved ones – leather shoes, jewelry, furnishings, spices, sweets, ceramics (tajin) and much more.

The lighthouse at Cape El Hank guides the ships with the light of the searchlight, which is located at a height of 50 meters. The lighthouse is white, slender and very photogenic.

Fans of nightlife Casablanca will not disappoint: there are bars, restaurants and nightclubs with discos. The Casablanca Bar in one of the hotels, where the atmosphere of the movie of the same name has been carefully recreated, deserves a special mention.