Things to Do in Casablanca
Prices, opening hours, best times to visit and the stuff nobody tells you, everything you need for a first trip to Casablanca, Morocco, plus one pigeon's opinions on all of it.
Right, Casablanca. Bigger than the film ever showed you, and it's worth knowing upfront that the film wasn't shot here at all, a properly working business capital rather than a black-and-white movie set. This is the proper, no-nonsense guide to things to do in Casablanca: what things actually cost, when to go, what to skip, and which bits are worth the walk. Six main stops below, plus a quiz elsewhere on this site to see if you were paying attention.
Hassan II Mosque
An enormous mosque with a minaret over 200 metres tall, one of the tallest religious structures in the world, and properly striking for sitting partly built directly over the Atlantic Ocean, with a section of retractable roof over the main prayer hall. It's one of the few mosques in Morocco open to non-Muslim visitors, guided tours cover the building's scale and craftsmanship, hand-carved details, marble, and a vast main hall that can hold tens of thousands of worshippers.
The setting, waves crashing against the foundations, is properly part of the experience, worth timing a visit for when the tide and light are both working in your favour.
Hours Tours run several times daily except Fridays, check current schedule
Address Boulevard Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah, Casablanca
Casablanca as Morocco's Business Hub
Casablanca is Morocco's largest city and its main port and economic hub, Rabat is actually the political capital, Casablanca just has all the business, a properly different city from the romanticised Hollywood version most visitors arrive expecting. The famous 1942 film Casablanca was mostly filmed in a studio in California, practically none of it was shot here, which surprises most people, worth knowing before you go hunting for Rick's Cafe locations that never actually existed on screen here.
That said, a bar called Rick's Cafe does exist in Casablanca now, opened decades after the film specifically to give visitors the atmosphere the movie promised, a knowing, well-done piece of themed hospitality rather than a historical site.
Address Rick's Cafe, near the old medina, Casablanca
The Old Medina
Casablanca's old medina, smaller and less internationally famous than Marrakech's or Fes's, but properly more authentic and less tourist-oriented as a result, narrow streets, small shops, and a proper working neighbourhood feel rather than a curated tourist experience.
It's a good, free wander, particularly for anyone who's already visited Morocco's more famous medinas and wants a calmer, more low-key version without the same intensity of touts and hard selling.
Best time Morning, before the day heats up
Casablanca's Art Deco Architecture
A significant collection of Art Deco and Mauresque (a French colonial-era blend of Art Deco and Moroccan design) architecture, a legacy of French colonial urban planning in the early 20th century, visible throughout the city centre, particularly around Boulevard Mohammed V.
It's a good, free walking activity, worth doing with a map or guide highlighting specific buildings if architecture is a real interest, this is one of the largest concentrations of the style anywhere in Africa.
Address Boulevard Mohammed V and the city centre
The Corniche
Casablanca's coastal promenade, restaurants, beach clubs, and a properly pleasant seafront walk with views out toward the Hassan II Mosque from further along the coast. It's a good spot for an evening out, considerably more relaxed than the busier city centre.
Several beach clubs along the Corniche charge for pool and lounger access, a popular local activity, particularly on weekends, worth checking individual venue prices if that appeals.
Best time Evening for dinner and sunset views
Address Ain Diab Corniche, Casablanca
Marche Central
Casablanca's central market, fresh produce, spices, and seafood, a proper, working market rather than a tourist-oriented souk, worth a wander for the atmosphere and a good spot to pick up fresh ingredients or a quick seafood meal at one of the small stalls inside.
It's less overwhelming than markets in Morocco's more touristed cities, a solid introduction to Moroccan market culture without the intensity.
Hours Daily, busiest mornings
Address Central Casablanca
Best time to visit Casablanca
April through June and September through November give the most comfortable weather for the amount of walking this list involves, mild without summer's heat.
Casablanca's coastal position keeps temperatures somewhat more moderate than inland Moroccan cities year-round, worth knowing if you're combining this with a Marrakech or Fes visit on the same trip, expect noticeably cooler, breezier conditions here.
Getting around Casablanca
Casablanca's tram network covers the city centre reasonably well. Taxis are widely available and cheap, agree a price or ensure the meter is running before setting off. The old medina and city centre Art Deco walk are both manageable on foot.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Casablanca worth visiting?
- Yes, particularly for the Hassan II Mosque, one of the most impressive mosques anywhere and genuinely open to non-Muslim visitors, alongside a real, working city rather than a curated tourist destination.
- How many days do you need in Casablanca?
- One to two days covers the main sights comfortably; many visitors treat it as a stopover before continuing to Marrakech, Fes, or Rabat.
- Is Casablanca expensive?
- Moderate, generally comparable to Morocco's other major cities, the Hassan II Mosque tour and Corniche beach clubs are the main costs beyond food and transport.
- What is Casablanca famous for?
- The Hassan II Mosque, one of the largest in the world, being Morocco's economic and business capital rather than its political one, and the famous 1942 film that shares its name but wasn't actually filmed there.
That's everything I've got.
A note before you plan around this: prices, opening hours, booking requirements and admission details in this guide were correct at the time of writing, but venues change these often and sometimes without notice. Always check directly with the attraction or its official website before you travel or build a schedule around a specific time or price.
Before travelling to any destination featured on this site, please also check your government's latest travel advice, as safety situations, entry requirements and travel warnings can change.
