Travel to Casablanca
| VITAL INFORMATION | |
| Population | 2,900,000 |
| Languages spoken | French, Moroccan Arabic, Spanish, English, Berber |
| Currency | 8.455 Dh = 1 USD |
| Average temperature | Summer: 72F; winter: 55F |
| High season | March to May; September to October |
Attracted by the romanticism of the 1942 film Casablanca, visitors may be disappointed to learn that the piano bar at Rick’s Café in Casablanca was built after the movie, complete with the installation of a piano player named Sam.
Luckily, Sam isn’t the only reason tourists flock to Casablanca. This Moroccan city, located on the Atlantic ocean, is full of beauty, history and culture. So, if you're looking to soak in some Moroccan architecture and cuisine, pack your bags for a brief jaunt to the country's economic capital.
All prices are listed in U.S. funds.
Day 1: Mix with the locals
The Le Royal Mansour Meridien is the perfect place to stay in Casablanca, blending magnificent Moorish architecture and authentic Arabic-style decor with distinctly Western hotel amenities and services. Rich in art and culture, and packed with things to do, sights to see, entertainment to enjoy, and food to taste, there is no better place to accommodate you during your stay in this vibrant metropolis.Step outside the calm of the hotel, and you’ll find yourself in the middle of the main commercial district, not far from the Port of Casablanca and the ancient city of Old Medina. Cars honk their horns, motorcycles weave in and out of traffic, pedestrians jostle each other, and the alluring smell of spices drifts from sellers’ stalls.
No trip to Casablanca would be complete without a spot of shopping, so walk the 10 minutes from the hotel to Old Medina for local goods. Barter in Marché Central and snap up a handwoven rug for your pad back home. Many locals believe that their first deal of the day will bring them luck for the rest of the week, so they are willing to lower prices more than usual. Speak in French or Spanish if you can, as English will elicit the highest starting prices on goods. Jump into a red petit taxi -- they shouldn’t charge you more than 7 Dh from the center -- and make your way over to Boulevard d’Anfa for a selection of European shops. Be warned though; the price tags of goods in these shops match those in other European countries.
Have lunch at Paul Villa Zevaco. Furnished with white canvas sofas and white canvas sun umbrellas, it’s like something out of Marbella. Indulge in a light pasta dish while watching the ”in” crowd sip their umbrella cocktails.
After lunch, find a café that serves a traditional Arabic hookah, a pipe used to smoke a mixture of dark leaves, fruit pulp, honey, and glycerin. While it may take you back to your hazy days at college, the smoking of this pipe is a social way to integrate with the locals. Observing hookah etiquette is essential if smoking with locals, and patience is of the utmost importance. Smoke until you are satisfied, pass it to the next person with the hose connection of the metal stem facing toward them, and keep your plastic mouthpiece for your next turn.
Visit the Grand Mosque of Hassan II, the second largest holy building in the world. Built by the French to celebrate the 60th birthday of King Hassan II, the 210-metre-high minaret of the mosque is the tallest in the world. There’s space for 25,000 worshipers inside, and that’s not including the courtyard, which can hold a further 80,000 people. Fortunately, the Grand Mosque of Hassan II is the only Moroccan mosque open to non-Muslims, and you’ll be able to venture inside and admire the stunning mosaics made up of detailed zellij tiles, sleek marble arches, wonderfully carved cedar wood panels, and a glass floor.
After returning to the hotel to freshen up, hail another petit taxi and arrive at the exquisite A Ma Bretagne seafood restaurant on the waterfront, located at Sidi Abderrahman, two kilometres west of Ain Diab. It’s pricey for Morocco, but worth every penny.
Day 2: Hitting the golf course
Head to the Pâtisserie Bennis in the Quartier des Habous district for a delicious pastry breakfast of marzipan bikkies before wandering through the 1920s-style Arabic arcades. The hybrid style -- known as neo-Moresque -- is evident in all that the French built, and features the art-deco style popular at the time with Moorish elements. Be sure to check out the Royal Palace situated between Boulevard Victor Hugo and Rue Ahmed El Figuigui, surrounded by lush Mediterranean gardens. If you have enough time, an open-top bus tour will ensure that you don’t miss a thing.Spend the rest of the morning strolling through the Parc de la Ligue Arabe. As well as providing a much-needed sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of the city, the park boasts a children’s amusement park, and several cafés and restaurants with outdoor terraces. Take a glass of nus nus in one of them -- half black coffee, half milk -- and enjoy the people-watching. Life here runs at a much slower pace than in the rest of the world, and you should embrace this aspect of Moroccan culture with open arms. As you saunter out, be sure to note the Cathédrale Sacré-Coeur. The cathedral has now been converted into a school, but it is still one of Casablanca’s best attractions.
Grab some lunch at the Port de Peche restaurant in the Port of Casablanca. Making a reservation is recommended since it’s usually packed with locals ordering the exquisite fried chipirones (squid with tentacles). It has a distinct French colonial feel, friendly service and a reasonably priced menu. Nip into the Centre 2000 shopping mall on your way out, and browse through the discounted designer sunglasses and Italian shoes.
If you’re a golfer, you may want to play the greens of the Anfa Royal Golf Club, located toward the city center. Set on the lush green hill of Anfa, and overlooking the residential district, the nine-hole par 35 course may not be big but it’s certainly beautiful. With the minaret of the mosque firmly in the distance, golfers will enjoy the challenge of the deceptively short 2,710-meter course.
After eating a more Western dinner on day one, you’ll want to sample a traditional Moroccan dinner on your second evening. Venture to La Bodega, north of the central marketplace, and indulge in some tapas, which requires you to try a little portion of everything. Make sure you sample kaliya, made of lamb, tomatoes, bell peppers, and onion. The dish is usually served with bread and couscous, which is made from steamed semolina grains. If you still have energy after your long day, go to the basement disco below, which belts out rock tunes for most of the night.
Day 3: Enjoy the view
Relaxation is key on your last day. Fortunately, Casablanca has its own beaches across the breadth of Ain Diab, a small suburb that is as famous for hosting the 1958 Formula One World Championship as it is for its sands. Spend some time at the Miami Plage Beach Club, which has saltwater pools, tennis and volleyballs courts, and even a disco. At night, the staff treats beach club-goers to traditional belly dancing.Go 50 kilometers south of Casablanca to Kasbah de Boulaouane, on the bend of the Wadi Oum er-Rbia river. A gardien will meet you, and will show you around this well-preserved fortress. Be sure to pack a camera; the view from the top is astounding. While in this area you can also visit the picturesque town of Azemmour, which was once a trader with Malaga, Spain, and fell under brief Portuguese control in 1513. Make your way up to the Sidi Boubeker lighthouse for a superb view of the entire town, including stark white houses flanked by bright pink and purple bougainvillea, and full olive and pomegranate trees.
In keeping with the theme of the film Casablanca, Rick’s Café in Old Medina is a recreation of the café in the movie. Every last detail has been painstakingly imitated, including a piano player named Sam and the waiters' uniforms. Fortunately, the menu -- unlike the movie -- comprises of more than just caviar. Owned by American Kathy Kriger, the cuisine on offer includes succulent fillet, T-bone and entrecote steaks, and seafood dishes such as oysters, salmon and sole meuniere. Expect to pay around $30 per person for your last dinner in Casablanca -- excluding drinks, of course.
Throw a few shapes on the floor at one of the clubs on the Boulevard de la Corniche. Whether you opt for La Fibule or Le Village, you’ll spot Morocco’s young crowd stepping into the clubs looking like bona fide celebrities. Wealth isn’t very common here, but when Moroccans have money they certainly like to flaunt it.
Finish with a nightcap at the ultra-hip Mystic Garden bar further up the Corniche, then return to your hotel for a well-deserved rest.
tips for the trip
- Make sure you are up-to-date on with your tetanus, polio, typhoid and cholera vaccines.
- The traditional greeting here is a firm handshake.
- You are expected to tip in bars and restaurants; about 10% to15% should do the trick.
- If you are eating in the traditional Moroccan style, use only your right hand.
- Visit in July when the annual Casablanca Music Festival draws famous singers to the city.
- Swimwear and shorts should only be worn on the beach. Remember: This is a Muslim country.
casablanca culture
Because three days might not be enough time to sample all the sights and sounds of this Moroccan city, your brief visit to Casablanca will leave you wanting more of what this cultural oasis has to offer.Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casablanca
http://www.arabwebsite.com/hassanIImosque.htm
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Africa/Morocco/Wilaya_de_Casablanca/Casablanca-2116706/Things_To_Do-Casablanca-Hassan_II_Mosque-BR-4.html
http://www.amabretagne.com/
http://www.golftoday.co.uk/clubhouse/coursedir/world/morocco/anfaroyal.html
http://www.rickscafe.ma/about.htm
http://www.travel-library.com/tours/africa/morocco/casablanca/ultimate_morocco.html
http://www.triotours.com/faq/ma/casablanca.htm
http://lexicorient.com/morocco/ain_diab.htm
http://www.ilove-casablanca.com/rdvbg/bodega/labodega.html
http://www.cntraveller.com/Guides/Morocco/Casablanca/print.html
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