Casablanca, Morocco
ABOUT
The history of Casablanca spans from its early settlements by Berbers in the 7th century BC to its modern status as Morocco’s largest city.
The area, known as Anfa, was a key port for Phoenicians and Romans, then later flourished under local rulers. It faced destruction by the Portuguese in the 15th century, followed by their establishment of a fortified settlement called Casa Branca (White House). After an earthquake in 1755, the Portuguese abandoned the area, which was later rebuilt by a Moroccan sultan. European traders, including the French, then settled there, leading to French colonial rule and the city’s development into Morocco’s chief port.
Today it is a lively and cosmopolitan city blending tradition with modern life. It boasts one of the world’s largest Mosques, striking architecture, bustling souks and cafes.
The urban population is in excess of 3 million.
Currency is the Dirham (this is a closed currency which can only be bought once you are in Morocco.
THINGS TO DO
There is much to see and do in the city of Casablanca. Probably the most iconic building to visit is the majestic Hassan II Mosque. It can only be visited by non-Muslims by way of organised group tour, but it is certainly worth it. You will see more below.
There are souks to visit with all the sights sounds and smells of local food and culture.
You may prefer to see the Old Medina where there are many colourful shops to visit.
Heading out of the City you can take a tour to Rabat to discover the Royal Palace and its history. It is about a 90 minute drive from Casablanca.
Alternatively take a drive into the countryside or visit a Moroccan home and learn more about the tasty cuisine.
Don’t miss the chance to visit Rick’s Cafe, inspired by the timeless film complete with decor reminiscent of the 1942 classic.
OUR FAVOURITE THINGS TO DO
Our first visit to this intriguing city was in 2025 aboard Fred Olsen’s Borealis. Visiting in February we were not sure what weather to expect. It turned out to be a wet morning however the sun poked its head through the clouds later making for a much nicer experience.
As this was our first visit to this area we booked a ship’s tour which took us to the Hassan II Mosque, the Notre-Dame de Lourdes Church, a walk through the Medina and a stop with refreshments at `Rick’s Cafe’.
Hassan II Mosque
The Hassan II Mosque is the second largest functioning mosque in Africa and the 14th largest in the world. Its minaret is the world’s 2nd tallest at 210 metres and is topped with a laser pointing towards Mecca.
25,000 worshipers can gather for prayer inside the mosque and another 80,ooo outside.
Commissioned by King Hassan II it was finally completed in 1993 and is named after the King. Designed by French architect Michel Pinseau and funded by the Royal funds and public subscriptions.
It is truly amazing. Over 12,500 local craftsmen worked on this building whether that was in the main construction or its incredible decor. Seeing this majestic, impressive building both outside and in was amazing.
You can see more of this building in the video below.
We make no apology for the amount of photographs below and it features in the video below as well. Nothing can truly give a sense of sheer size of the building and the abilities of the craftsmen who built it.
Read on to find out more about the rest of our trip.
Notre-Dame de Lourdes Church
Notre-Dame de Lourdes Church is a Roman Catholic church in modernist style in Casablanca, Morocco. Built in 1954 by architect Achille Dangleterre and engineer Gaston Zimmer, it is impressive and striking in its differences to local influences. The stained glass within the building is quite magnificent.
Coloured glass throws different shadows through the building throughout the day. Whilst we were not inside the church for long, we did manage to see some of the reflections. Unfortunately it is very difficult to photograph.
Rick's Cafe
Next we had a brief photo stop at Mohammed V Square. The fountains are quite beautiful but if, like Lindsey, you don’t like birds it may not be somewhere to stop for long. We also briefly walked through part of a souk but the weather had deteriorated at that point and we did stop for long.
We went to Rick’s Cafe for refreshments. It has been created within a Moroccan mansion with a central courtyard. Opened in 2004 it has been designed to replicate the bar in the movie classic, Casablanca.
The inside of this building is authentic and a lot of research must have been done by the architects and designers.
We were all seated in an upper room so that we had a nice view of the inner courtyard. Refreshments were served by very amenable and professional staff.
We really didn’t know what to expect from this tour and we were pleasantly surprised. We saw areas of the city that we would not have chance to unless on an organised tour and it was very worthwhile.
To check out our experiences in Casablanca just click the video below – and if you enjoy the content simply ‘Like’ and ‘Subscribe’ to see more (subscription is free)