The Capital of Morocco, Rabat is a beautiful city on the Atlantic coast. It has a certain calm and harmony other big cities lack in Morocco. It effortlessly mixes the present with its past. Whether it’s the Oudayas kasbah protecting whitewashed art deco villas, or the walls of the old city seperating the traditional medina from the trendy Agdal district. Rabat is seperated from its sister city, Sale, by the Bou Regreg river whose riverside is fast becoming a popular entertainment district. During the 12th century, Rabat became capital of the Moroccan empire, after a successful stint as a strategic center for attacks on Spain, where Yacub al Mansour began but never finished construction of the world’s biggest mosque, now known as the Hassan Tower. During the French protectorate, the capital was moved back to Rabat where a beautiful heritage of colonial era buildings and villas remain in the medina and part of Agdal.

Oudayas

The Oudayas is a pleasant neighborhood set behind the walls of the Kasbah with beautiful views of the sea and the river, especially from the terrace. The Oudayas date from the 12th century and inside is a palace, beautiful Andalusian gardens and the city’s oldest mosque.

Hassan Tower and Mohamed V Mausoleum

The Hassan mosque was to be the world’s largest mosque. Unfortunately, construction was abrupltly halted in 1199 following the death of Yacoub al Mansour. The mosque was never entirely finished and a massive earthquake in 1755 destroyed most of the unfinished mosque and tower. Still magnificent in its scale to this day, the mosque is a bittersweet testament to an unfinished vision. The site also houses the beautiful mausoleum of the late King Mohamed V, grandfather of the current king Mohamed VI.

Chellah

Built on the ruins of the ancien Roman outpost of Sala Colonia, this necropolis dates from the 13th century. At the center is the Zaouia, a mosque, Coranic school and dormitory said to have been even more luxurious than the madrassas of Fes. Much like the Hassan Tower, Chellah was destroyed during the earthquake of 1755 and robbed of its most precious pieces by vandals. What remains however is a beautiful, site where vegetation grows over the ruins of what was an architectural wonder of its time.

Archeological Museum of Rabat

Morocco has a rich and ancient history at the crossroads of major civilizations. This museum exhibits artifacts found from the Carthigineans, Phoenicians and Romans. The museum houses an exceptional collection of Roman bronzes worth the trip.

The Beach

Rabat and its surrounding area have many popular beaches. The most notable ones are in Skhirat and Temara, both on the outskirts of the city.

Shop at the Craft Village (Oulja)

The craft village of Oulja in Sale is a a great place to shop for quality Moroccan crafts, including rugs, leather, clothing, ceramics, wood and metalwork.