Morocco is a country I could visit again and again. The food is delicious, the cities are vibrant and fun, and there is so much to do and see. When visiting Morocco, don’t skip the wonderful city of Casablanca. This coastal city is definitely a must-visit, even if it’s just for a couple days. In this post you will find a detailed Casablanca itinerary for the best Moroccan vacation!
Casablanca Itinerary and Travel Guide
Where to Stay in Casablanca
When visiting other major Moroccan cities, like Marrakech and Fes, I definitely recommend staying in a riad. A read is traditional Moroccan guest house with an interior courtyard, and, in general, they are very beautiful!
In Casablanca, however, there are far fewer riads available. Instead, Casablanca is a great place to stay in a hotel.
Casablanca is a budget friendly location. You can find very affordable 4 and 5 star hotels for a luxury stay without breaking the bank. 2 and 3 star hotels are highly affordable and there are many great options all throughout the city.
When visiting Casablanca I recommend staying in one of the following neighborhoods: Anfa (near the beach), Habbous (a nice market neighborhood) and City Center (where most of the action is.)
Hotels in Anfa – a calm area near the beach!
- Four Seasons Hotel Casablanca ($$$ – beachfront)
- No alcohol is served on site due to the hotel’s close proximity to a mosque
- Pestana Casablanca, Seaside Suites & Residences ($$)
- Villa Blanca Urban Hotel ($$)
Accommodations in Habbous – a vibrant market neighborhood
In this area there are far more AirBnbs than hotels.
If you prefer the more local experience of AirBnb stays, these are great options:
- Joli Appartement Moderne ($)
- Glamorous Habous – 2 Mars ($$)
- Life is Magnifique in a Big Flat & Green Terrace ($$$)
Hotels in City Center – where most of the action is
- Hotel Majestic ($)
- Kenzi Tower Hotel ($$)
- Hôtel & Spa Le Doge – Relais et Châteaux ($$)
- Hyatt Regency Casablanca ($$$)
The Best Casablanca Restaurants
Breakfast in Casablanca
- Bondi Coffee Kitchen
- % Arabica Casablanca
- Cafe Imperial
- A very low-key spot with an outdoor patio for an espresso in Habbous
- Citizen Coffee & Pastry
- Organic Kitchen Casablanca
Lunch and Dinner in Casablanca
- La Basmane
- A beautiful Moroccan restaurant with belly dancing shows!
- Cafe Bianca
- Beautiful views of the water, located at Villa Blanca
- Pepe Luis
- Delicious Spanish food and tapas
- Rick’s Cafe
- A definite tourist trap – but a must for fans of Casablanca the movie
- Check out my full review of Rick’s Cafe!
- Le Marly
- A Parisian style restaurant with great food and indoor and outdoor seating
- La Sqala
- A historic and famous spot for Moroccan food in a beautiful setting
Activities: What to do in Casablanca
Check out the Medina in Habbous
Habbous, also known as the New Medina, is one of my favorite places in Casablanca!
Habbous is very charming and is packed with shops in an open-air style market. You can wander the streets and find all sorts of souvenirs, including traditional clothing, leather goods, and pottery.
The atmosphere is very relaxed, and although this area is popular for tourists, it is also filled with locals who are going about their daily shopping.
Compared to the Old Medina, Habbous is a great option for a more relaxed shopping experience. You will find most of the same artisanal items but it will be much less chaotic. Furthermore, we found the vendors to be far less pushy, which made for a much better shopping experience.
In addition to the artesian shops, Habbous also has an amazing olive market. This market is located in a small square in the center of the Medina. Definitely take the time to walk through and purchase some of the many varieties of delicious olives.
Be sure to also stop at Cafe Imperial for espresso and people watching!
Mohammad V Square
Mohammad V Square is a quick but interesting stop. You’ll see a variety of government buildings (from the outside only) and the square is filled with hundreds of pigeons.
If you’re interested in learning more about the buildings, history and architecture, I recommend going on a guided tour.
Check out these Casablanca tour options:
Hassan II Mosque
The Hassan II Mosque is a stunning mosque located right on the ocean. This mosque was completed in 1993 and it is the third largest mosque in the world!
If you visit this mosque, which you totally should, definitely take a guided tour with one of the mosque’s tour guides. The tour is $6.50 for students and $10 for adults and is totally worth it. Learning about the history, architecture and significance of the mosque was fascinating. Also, it was great to be able to ask questions.
A fun fact about the mosque is that the roof opens up so you can see the sky from inside! The roof opens during the summer months, on Monday-Friday during the noon tour.
If you’re interested in learning more about religion in Casablanca (and Morocco in general), I recommend taking the Religious Casablanca: Morning Spiritual Tour. This is a great way to learn more about Christiantiy, Judaism and Islam in Casablanca.
Notre Dame De Lourdes Church
Another quick stop, but a beautiful one too!
Central Market
Central Market is an open air meat, fish and vegetable market. It’s located in the old city near the Old Medina. Many locals visit the market daily to do their grocery shopping, and it’s a great place to check out!
For a unique and memorable market experience, I recommend going on a market and local cooking/food tour with a local!
Market Tours:
- 6-Hour Private Market Tour and Cooking Class
- Moroccan Cooking Class + Eating with Locals
- Casablanca Food Tour – Central Market & Seafood Lunch
Old Medina
The Old Medina is an incredible, ancient walled market. Within Old Medina you’ll find tons of stalls selling everything from gold, to spices, to leather goods, to counterfeit luxury items. You can seriously find almost anything you’re looking for in this market!
Additionally, the market is also extremely affordable. We found traditional shoes and clothing priced as low as $3 (30 MAD).
Although wandering around and getting lost in the Old Medina can be very fun, I was SO happy that I had a guide. The Old Medina is truly a maze. Because of this, it is nearly impossible to know where you are at any given time.
You could spend an entire afternoon in the Old Medina wandering around to the different stalls, trying local food and haggling over prices.
The Old Medina can be overwhelming, especially if you get lost, but it is definitely worth a visit. For a more low-key medina experience check out Habbous.
Medina Tour:
Go Shopping at the Mall of Morocco
The Mall of Morocco opened in 2011 and it is the largest mall in all of Africa! Notably, it is one of the cleanest and most modern malls I have ever visited. It was really cool to visit this mall, and in addition to major luxury brands they have a ton of my favorite stores such as Stradivarius and Bershka.
This is a great place to visit on a rainy or especially hot day.
Fun and Unique Tours in Casablanca
I’m a huge fan of AirBnb experiences and and I love going on unique adventures with locals when visiting a new city!
There are endless options in Casablanca, but below are a few of my top recommendations!
- Casablanca Food Tour
- Tour of Casablanca Attractions on an Electric Scooter
- Photo Shoot Tour with a Local Photographer
- Discover Casablanca’s Oldest Bookstores
Thanks for reading my Casablanca itinerary for the best Moroccan vacation! If you have any questions, or anything to add to this post, be sure to let me know in the comments!
Be sure to check out my other posts for planning the best Morocco trip!
- The Best Morocco Tips and Travel Advice
- Insiders’ Casablanca, Morocco Tourism Guide for the Best Trip
- Review Of Rick’s Cafe in Casablanca, Morocco
- What to Wear in Morocco – Cute and Practical Summer Outfit Guide
- Morocco Female Traveler Lookbook
- The Best Day Trips from Casablanca, Morocco
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♡Kate
To end: this Casablanca itinerary and travel guide also includes affiliate links. Read our disclosure here
So many places to add to our list!
I’m planning my first trip to Morocco next year, and Casablanca has definitely been added to the list – it sounds absolutely wonderful!
I have been on a Maroccan tour but unfortunately we do have enough time to visit Casablanca! From your guide and pictures I can see that it is absolutely stunning! Thanks for making me travel with your article!
Prior to the pandemic, we looked at a trip to Morocco. But, that itinerary didn’t include Casablanca. I can see that when we do revisit that trip, we need to add this for sure. There seems to be a lot of great things to do! Thanks for sharing!
We’ve been to marrakech but so desperate to head back to Morocco and this is now top of our list! Thank you!
I’ve not been to Morocco, but I feel like I only ever hear about Marrakech! this looks fantastic and I would LOVE to visit here one day.
Morocco seems like a dream! I will be visiting next year + these are great recommendations! 🙂
Thank you for sharing so much information. Very helpful in planning our trip to Morocco next March.
Hi Marie, I’m so glad you found the post helpful! If you have any questions at all, please let us know. We hope you have a great trip to Morocco!
Super fantastic article full of value and info I’m travelling maybe next year to this country
I had ones in Morocco but only the north next year I will visit the whole country God willing