Uncover the Top Things To Do in Casablanca

From its historic medina to its stylish boulevards, Casablanca offers a fascinating blend of Moroccan cultural heritage, architectural wonders and seaside charm. Whether you’re wandering through bustling souks, admiring Art Deco landmarks or soaking in ocean views along La Corniche, there’s something for everyone. Discover the must-see sights, from the iconic Hassan II Mosque to hidden gems like the Abderrahman Slaoui Foundation Museum. Here’s where to go first!

Dive right into the heart of the city at the Casablanca Medina. Almost completely rebuilt in the 19th century, it is not as expansive or ancient as the medinas of Fez and Marrakesh, but it is refreshingly compact and effortless to walk around. Inside this fascinating walled district, you can spend a couple of hours meandering through spice and textile souks, watching artisans at work and soaking in the ebb and flow of workaday life in Casablanca. Book a stay at the five-star Sofitel Casablanca Tour Blanche, just minutes from the Medina, and you can return to your elegant sanctuary for a swim in the heated pool or relaxing spa session.

The spirit of the Atlantic Ocean is constant in Casablanca, and the best way to experience this is by strolling along La Corniche. Hugging the coastline for several kilometres, this wide, landscaped promenade is where locals come to exercise, relax and eat out. At night, you’ll find dance clubs and lively fish restaurants. During the day, it's quieter and populated by surfers if the waves are right. Take your best shots of the Hassan II Mosque and historic El Hank lighthouse as you stroll along.

Casablanca’s main public square is more than a place of administration and government – it’s the anchor of the French redesign of the city from the early 1900s. A work by Henri Prost, who was inspired by the Place Stanislas in the French city of Nancy, fountains and palm-lined esplanades make the square a pleasant place to while away the time, especially in the evenings when the area is beautifully lit.

One of the largest green spaces in Casablanca, Parc de la Ligue Arabe is a beautiful urban park perfect for a leisurely walk or a picnic, a favourite local thing to do in Casablanca. With wide pathways, fountains and shaded areas, it provides a peaceful escape from the city's hustle and bustle. Within the park, you'll find the Sacred Heart Cathedral. Built during the French protectorate, its bone-white façade has a neo-Gothic tone with Andaluz details, making it an oddity within the canon of Moroccan architecture. No longer used as a place of worship, the building hosts occasional cultural events and exhibitions.

The Habbous Quarter, more commonly known as the New Medina, was also built during the French colonial period. Its enchanting mix of traditional and Art Deco European architecture is unique in Morocco, while its ordered urban layout, a work of architect Albert Laprade, is a joy to wander through. Within the New Medina, you will find charming alleyways and squares, porticos and hidden gardens.
 

There are three outstanding landmarks here to admire: the Moulay Youssef Mosque, the Mohammed VI Mosque and the Royal Palace. While none are open to the public, they are worth seeking out and viewing from the exterior for their dazzling façades that combine colourful zellige tiles and intricate plasterwork adornment.
 

The New Medina is a shopper's paradise and probably the best neighbourhood to pick up authentic handicrafts in Casablanca, from traditional kilim rugs to pretty bottles of argan oil, leather bags, pointy-toe "babouche" slippers, and beaten copper pots. For lunch, follow your nose to the grilled meat hawkers in El Baladya square, or grab a table in an old-fashioned bakery for a cup of mint tea and a pistachio-filled pastry.

The most famous landmark in Casablanca, this architectural marvel is the largest mosque in Africa and the seventh-largest in the world. Completed in 1993 and perched on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, its conception was inspired by the verse from the Koran "The throne of God was upon the water".
 

The building features intricate Moroccan craftsmanship, including stunning mosaics and carved wooden ceilings combined with innovative features: its minaret towers at 200 metres and at night emits a laser light pointing towards Mecca. Unlike many mosques in Morocco, non-Muslim visitors are welcome to take guided tours, providing a unique opportunity to explore its breathtaking interiors.

• Address: Boulevard de La Corniche, 20000, Casablanca
• Open: Guided tours are available on Saturday to Thursday at 9am, 10am, 11am and 2pm. Friday 9am, 10am and 2pm

Casablanca is home to the only Jewish museum in the Arab world. It provides insight into the history and contributions of Morocco’s Jewish community via artefacts, photographs, religious objects and reconstructions of Moroccan synagogues.
 

Jewish communities in Morocco date back to the Roman period and today continue to exist in mellahs (Jewish neighbourhoods) in a handful of cities and rural areas. Casablanca hosts the largest Jewish community in Morocco, and this museum, shedding light on how coexistence between religious faiths has helped shape the city, is a top thing to do in Casablanca.

• Address: 81 rue du chasseur Jules Gros, Casablanca
• Open: Monday to Friday, 10am-3pm

A beacon on Casablanca’s contemporary culture scene, the Villa des Arts showcases modern Moroccan art and exhibitions, both from national and international artists, plus workshops and cultural events. The building itself, a grand Art Deco villa set amongst landscaped gardens, is a must-see.

• Address: 30 boulevard Brahim Roudani, 20000, Casablanca
• Open: Tuesday to Sunday, 9am-7pm

Looking for a thing to do in Casablanca that's off the beaten path? This hidden gem house-museum showcases Moroccan decorative art and craft, from jewellery to textiles and even vintage travel posters. Highlights include landscape paintings by Jacques Majorelle, creator of the famous Majorelle Gardens in Marrakech, and gorgeous ceramic pieces from the workshops of Fez. Temporary shows feature modern Moroccan artists.

• Address: 12 rue du Parc, 20070, Casablanca
• Open: Tuesday to Saturday 10am-4pm

For many, the ultimate thing to do in Casablanca is to visit Rick’s Café. A recreation of the famous piano bar that featured in the famous Humphrey Bogart film Casablanca, it is steeped in the classic elegance of 1940s Morocco. A more upmarket restaurant now than a whiskey bar, it’s a romantic place to linger over dinner while listening to classic tunes played on a baby grand piano.

• Address: 248 Boulevard Sour Jdid, 20110, Casablanca
• Open: Daily noon–3pm, 6:30pm–12:30am

Shopping in Casablanca falls into two main categories: the markets and street traders where bargaining is the norm, and Western-style shops that have fixed prices.

How to negotiate the best price for an item in a souk or marketplace? Here are our top tips:

• The rule of thumb is to offer a third of the asking price and work your way upward.
• It's considered bad form to enter into a barter unless you are truly interested in the item.
• Remember that many traders buy their goods from wholesalers, so it doesn’t make any business sense to sell items at a greatly reduced price.

If you find the ritual of bargaining a daunting thing to do, Casablanca has plenty of alternatives:

• Located at the far end of La Corniche, the Morocco Mall is the largest shopping centre in Africa. Along with international brands in fashion, homewares and electronics, you will find locally produced handcrafts as well in a special souk section. There's also a plethora of restaurants, an aquarium and an ice-skating rink, so you may spend longer here than expected!
• Alpha 55 (Avenue Mers Sultan, 20250) is Casablanca’s only department store and stocks a large selection of quality homeware and decor with a Moroccan edge.
• Finally, for die-hard bargain hunters, the Derb Ghallef Flea Market is a vast place situated in the neighbourhood of the same name. Open daily, it’s famous for scoring second-hand electrical gadgets, though with patience you may find vintage caftans, textiles and antiques too. It's also one of the best spots in Casablanca for sampling street food – kebabs and spicy merguez sausages fresh off the coals – from one of the many vendors tucked away in its labyrinth of passageways.

Whether you’re here for history, shopping or dining, Casablanca’s energy and elegance will captivate you with all these things you can do. Planning a trip further south to Marrakech? Keep up to date with the best times to go to this colourful Moroccan city.