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Looking for the top activities to fill your itinerary in Casablanca? You’ve come to the right place!
This is a melting pot of cultures that boasts stunning architecture, glamorous nightlife, and Hollywood history. We love visiting Casablanca because it’s such a unique place to travel – there’s really nowhere else like it!
Having spent a lot of time uncovering Casablanca’s hidden gems and must-see sights, as well as a few fun day trips, we’ve put together our list of the ultimate Casablanca activities. This guide will help you to discover Casablanca’s blend of traditional charm and modern energy, and enjoy plenty of food and scenery along the way. So if you’re ready to explore Casablanca like a pro, then let’s dive in!
Don’t Miss Out On Our Top Choice!
The tour we loved the most and suggest booking ASAP is this one!
Our personal FAVORITE thing we did was this Casablanca city tour with a local guide! We got to explore iconic sights, such as the Hassan II Mosque and Rick’s Cafe, and learn so much from our guide.
Check out the 1,800+ 5-star reviews and book this tour here.
- Don't Miss Out On Our Top Choice!
- Things to do in Casablanca
- 1. Explore Casablanca at night and have a traditional Moroccan dinner
- 2. Visit Marrakech and take a camel ride through the desert
- 3. See Casablanca's iconic sights with a local
- 4. Learn how to cook Moroccan food
- 5. Take a day trip to Morocco’s capital city, Rabat
- 6. Pedal your way around Casablanca on a bicycle tour
- 7. Taste Moroccan street food
- 8. Visit the historic city of Fez
- Where to Stay in Casablanca, Morocco
- Thanks for reading!
- Why We Book Tours with Viator
- Don't Forget Travel Insurance!
Things to do in Casablanca
1. Explore Casablanca at night and have a traditional Moroccan dinner
- Price: $64 USD
- Duration: 3.5 hours
- Time: 7 pm
- Highlights: seeing Hassan II Mosque, walking through the old Medina, stopping in Mohammed V Square, strolling through the boardwalk area, dinner at a beautiful Moroccan restaurant, live Andalusian cultural show
- Inclusions: hotel pickup and drop-off, multilingual driver and guide, guided city tour, traditional dinner, entertainment
- Rating: 5 stars (check 250+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: yes
If you’re looking for an unforgettable evening in Casablanca, then we suggest that you book this nighttime tour ASAP! We beat the heat by exploring the city at dusk and then enjoyed a traditional Moroccan dinner at a beautiful restaurant, complete with live entertainment. It was truly a night to remember!
The evening began with a stop outside the majestic Hassan II Mosque, which looked so beautiful at sunset. Next up, we strolled through the Old Medina, which is a maze of narrow streets filled with markets and local shops. To say it’s vibrant and charming would be a bit of an understatement, and we loved glimpsing Casablanca’s traditional local life.
Then, we went to Mohammed V Square to admire the French colonial buildings and learn more about the city’s history. We took a walk along the Ain Diab boardwalk, and then it was dinner time!
Naturally, enjoying a traditional Moroccan feast was a real highlight of this tour. We loved the decor, but the food was even better. We positively gorged ourselves on tagine and we loved the dinner show, too. It was so entertaining and ended the night on a very high note.
Our guide, Wahid, was awesome and weaved stories about Casablanca into every stop we made. This tour was an unforgettable way to see the city come alive at night, indulge in local food, and meet new people. We highly recommend it to anyone visiting Casablanca for the first time!
Book this tour in advance here and get FREE cancellation 24 hours before you go!
2. Visit Marrakech and take a camel ride through the desert
- Price: $103 – $183 USD
- Duration: 12 hours
- Time: 7 am – 3 pm
- Highlights: Koutoubia Mosque, exploring Jemaa el-Fna market, visiting the secret botanical garden, Bahia Palace, Souk Semmarine Market, the medina, camel ride through a palm grove
- Inclusions: hotel pickup and drop-off, historian tour guide, camel ride, transport, bottled water
- Rating: 5 stars (check 600+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: yes
You can’t go to Morocco without exploring the ancient city of Marrakech! But if you don’t have time to spend a few nights there, there’s no need to miss out because you can book this tour instead. That’s what we did, and we loved it!
What we like about this tour is that it delivers a personalized experience whether you choose the private or small group option. Having said that, we opted for a private tour, and we’re really glad that we did!
Before we actually got to Marrakech, we were able to enjoy a fun camel ride through the serene palm groves. This is a quintessential Moroccan experience, not to mention an amazing photo op!
Once we got to the city, our lovely guide, Idir, also helped us explore Marrakech’s ancient medina, which is actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was like stepping back in time, and we were so glad that we had Idir to help us navigate the busy streets.
Lunch was on our own account, but Idir suggested a gorgeous rooftop restaurant overlooking the medina. After refueling, we had renewed energy to explore the iconic Koutoubia Mosque. We finished up in Jemaa el-Fna square, where we grabbed a mint tea and just took it all in.
If you want to check out Marrakech, then you can’t go wrong by booking this tour! It really showcased the beauty, history, and vibrant charm of the city. We’re so glad that we did it, and we would 100% do it again!
Check out the HUNDREDS of 5-star reviews and book this tour here!
3. See Casablanca’s iconic sights with a local
- Price: $38 USD
- Duration: 4.5 hours
- Time: 8:30 am – 3 pm
- Highlights: learning about how the famous movie Casablanca was filmed, Hassan II Mosque, Old Medina, Rick’s Café, Arab League Park, Church of Notre Dame of Lourdes, Quartier Habous, Square of Mohamed V, Marche Central
- Inclusions: professional driver and guide, hotel pickup and drop-off, air-conditioned transport
- Rating: 5 stars (check 2,000 reviews here)
- Free cancellation: yes
If it’s your first time visiting Casablanca, booking this tour is a must! It was a fantastic way to get to know the city’s history, culture, and cinematic charm. Our guide, Mehdi, was super knowledgeable, and he ensured that we got to see Casablanca’s key highlights in half a day.
The tour started out strong, with a guided visit inside the Hassan II Mosque, which is a true masterpiece of Moroccan architecture. It’s one of the only mosques here that non-Muslims are permitted to enter, so we couldn’t pass up the chance to explore, and we were able to skip the queues! Then, we ventured into the Old Medina, where Mehdi helped us explore the narrow alleyways and bustling souks.
Next up, we went to Rick’s Café, which is a must for any fan of the Casablanca movie! The café featured in the film was actually fictional, but a real-life version opened here in 2004.
As we continued exploring, we visited the lovely Arab League Park and the enchanting Quartier Habous. This is the ‘New Medina’ that was built to solve the city’s housing crisis in the 1930s, and we very much enjoyed hearing Mehdi’s commentary on this part of the city. We also visited the lovely Arab League Park, and Sacred Heart Cathedral, as well as the more modern United Nations Square.
This tour is the best way to see all of Casablanca in one day!
Book this tour with over 2,000 glowing reviews here, before it sells out!
4. Learn how to cook Moroccan food
- Price: $63 USD
- Duration: 4 hours
- Time: 10 am, 12 pm, 5 pm, or 6 pm
- Highlights: learning to make traditional Moroccan dishes, trying on authentic Moroccan clothing, cooking in a local home, hearing stories about Moroccan life and culture, preparing mocktails
- Inclusions: all ingredients and equipment, instructors, tea and mocktails, full lunch or dinner, e-book of recipes
- Rating: 5 stars (check 150+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: yes
This Moroccan cooking class was truly one of the most enriching cultural experiences we’ve ever had, so we can’t recommend it enough!
Our host, Wissal, and her mother welcomed us into their home with open arms and made us feel like part of the family. It was such a special experience to get to learn traditional Moroccan recipes in a local home!
We started by preparing mint tea and homemade cookies, and we changed into a traditional Moroccan dress. Cooking like this made the class even more fun!
Once we looked the part, we dove into the hands-on cooking portion of the class. Wissal guided us step-by-step through the process of making classic dishes like tajine, zaalouk, and taktouka using techniques that have been passed down through multiple generations.
The only thing better than cooking the food in this class was eating it! We loved sitting down and talking more with Wissal, and we got to wash it down with some refreshing mocktails that we had prepared. Before we left, Wissal even gave us some locally-made souvenirs and promised to send us an e-book of the recipes we had followed in class so that we could recreate them back home.
This tour was one of the best things that we did in Casablanca. It’s an amazing opportunity to dive into Moroccan culture. And the best part is that anyone can enjoy it, from parents and kids to big groups of friends, and everyone in between!
Dive into Casablanca’s culture when you book this cooking class here!
Why We Book Tours with Viator
Viator is a trusted online booking system for tours around the world! We almost always book our tours using Viator for a couple of reasons:
- Free cancellation on most tours – Most of the tours on Viator allow you to cancel and get a full refund up to 24 hours in advance. This is handy in case plans change, or if booking an outdoor activity, the weather forecast is looking grim.
- Reserve now and pay later – You can secure your spot on some of the most popular tours well in advance and not pay until closer to the day of the tour.
- Lowest price guarantee – If you happen to find the same tour at a lower price elsewhere, Viator will refund you the price difference.
- Pay in your chosen currency – Avoid costly international transaction fees by choosing to pay in your home currency.
- Peace of mind – When booking with tour operators you find in person on the street or in small booking offices, you are often promised one thing and given another. This online platform holds tour operators accountable with a written description of inclusions as well as the opportunity for customers to leave reviews.
Check out the Viator website here! Or, for more info, read our detailed review about Viator here.
5. Take a day trip to Morocco’s capital city, Rabat
- Price: $81 – $145 USD
- Duration: 8 hours
- Time: 8 am
- Highlights: Mausoleum of Mohammed V, Hassan Tower, Chellah, Ancient Walls of the Rabat Medina, Andalusian Gardens, Kasbah des Oudaias
- Inclusions: hotel pickup and drop-off, driver and guide, bottled water
- Rating: 5 stars (check 250+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: yes
We loved this day trip to Rabat – Morocco’s capital city! It was a pretty peaceful escape from Casablanca, as Rabat is less popular with tourists and it boasts a rich cultural heritage. This is the best way to learn about Morocco’s culture, and with over 250 5-star reviews you know it’s a great experience!
We were excited to get to Rabat and the first stop of the day was the Mausoleum of Mohammed V. With its intricately carved white walls and green pyramid roof, it’s truly one of the most beautiful examples of Islamic architecture that we’ve ever seen. We also loved visiting the Hassan Tower, which is the ruins of an unfinished 12th-century mosque.
The Chellah fortress was another standout stop for me. Walking among the ruins was like peeling back layers of history, as our guide taught us how the site was first a Roman site and then home to a necropolis.
We also loved exploring the Kasbah des Oudaias and the adjoining Andalusian Gardens. Strolling in the shade of the orange trees was just the break from the heat that we needed!
We loved the laidback pace of Rabat, the ruins, and the rich history. We had heard it was a cool, cultural city but honestly, it exceeded our expectations! If you have time to make the trip, then we highly recommend booking this tour before it sells out.
Check availability and book this tour here to access FREE cancellation options.
6. Pedal your way around Casablanca on a bicycle tour
- Price: $39 – $59 USD
- Duration: 2-3 hours
- Time: 10 am – 8 pm
- Highlights: Central Market, United Nations Square, Old Medina, Rick’s Cafe, Marina area, Hassan II Mosque, Corniche, El Hank lighthouse, Arab League, Mohamed V Square, Sacred Heart Cathedral
- Inclusions: bike or e-bike rental, bottled water, snacks, local guide, helmet
- Rating: 5 stars (check reviews here)
- Free cancellation: yes
If you’re short on time in Casablanca, then we highly recommend donning a helmet and exploring on this bike tour! And if you’re not much of a cyclist, no worries, because e-bikes are available, and they take all of the hard work out of it.
We found cycling around Casablanca was both an exciting and efficient way to explore the city. We got to see so much and we loved our guide, Yassine. He was so enthusiastic about Casablanca’s history and culture and he also made us really safe as we tackled the city’s traffic.
We began with a ride down Mohammed V Boulevard, which is the bustling heart of the city. We then ticked off major sights like United Nations Square, which is a modern melting pot, and the oceanfront Corniche neighborhood. We also wove through the Old Medina to get a taste of its narrow alleys and vibrant markets. It was basically a deep dive into Casablanca’s rich heritage!
We also had time to visit landmarks including Rick’s Cafe, El Hank Lighthouse, and the Sacred Heart Cathedral. The latter was one of my favorite stops – it’s a huge, gleaming white cathedral that’s truly a work of art.
This tour was a pretty epic adventure! Cycling around is so much fun, and booking an e-bike is a great way to avoid getting too sweaty in the Moroccan heat.
Check availability and secure your spot on this bicycle tour here!
7. Taste Moroccan street food
- Price: $105 USD
- Duration: 3.5 hours
- Time: 11 am
- Highlights: exploring the historic Habbous neighborhood, tasting at least 10 different types of food, checking out a covered market, learning about urban life in Casablanca
- Inclusions: enough food for a full meal, a local guide
- Rating: 5 stars (check 75+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: yes
We had a blast exploring Casablanca’s street food scene on this walking tour! Our guide, Nezha, was amazing and we loved exploring the atmospheric Habbous neighborhood with her.
We enjoyed the Islamic architecture, but the best part is that this area is home to tons of hidden foodie gems that we would never have found on our own!
Speaking of food, we got to eat so much on this tour! We lost count, but we enjoyed at least 10 different samples.
We started with freshly baked flatbreads with warm honey, then stuffed our face with savory pastries, and headed to a local covered market to discover different spices and olive oils. It was clear that Nezha has built strong relationships with local vendors over the years, as they were all delighted to see her, and definitely gave our tour group some special treatment.
The fun didn’t end there, either. We tasted piping hot keftas and freshly pressed sugarcane juice, as well as my favorite, kebabs! It was a true culinary journey, as cheesy as that sounds!
Whether you’re a foodie or just curious about local life in Casablanca, this tour is a must-do. It was so much fun, we ate amazing food, and explored new part of the city that we totally fell in love with. What more could you ask for?
Reserve your spot on this food tour now and pay later when you book it here!
8. Visit the historic city of Fez
- Price: $124 – $182 USD
- Duration: 12 hours
- Time: 7 am
- Highlights: Nejjarine Museum, Bab Boujloud, Aben Danan Synagogue, Kairaouine Mosque, Chouara Tannery, Art d’Agile manufacturer
- Inclusions: hotel pickup and drop-off, official tour guide, lunch, entrance fees
- Rating: 5 stars (check 400+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: yes
Fez is Morocco’s cultural capital, so we think visiting is a must! We booked this full day tour from Casablanca and we had so much fun diving deep into the city’s history with Wahid, our awesome driver, and Idrissi, our fantastic local guide.
Our first stop of the day was the Bab Boujloud, an ornate blue-and-white city gate. Once we went through the gate and into the city’s medina, we truly felt as though we were stepping back in time.
Idrissi took us on what we can only describe as a true adventure down those narrow, winding streets, and we loved taking in the sights and sounds of daily life in Fez.
The Kairaouine Mosque was another highlight. It’s not just a mosque, but the world’s oldest university, so to say that it’s steeped in history is a huge understatement. We think it’s the jewel in Fez’s crown, which is saying something!
We also got a peek into Fez’s artisan scene at the Chouara Tannery, and the Nejjarine Museum, which is dedicated to traditional wooden arts and crafts. Oh, and we can’t forget about the lunch that we had. It was basically a Moroccan feast at a classic local restaurant, and we’d go back to Fez just to have this meal again.
We didn’t have time to go and stay overnight in Fez, so booking this tour ensured that we didn’t miss out!
Book this tour here to get FREE cancellation 24 hours before you go.
Where to Stay in Casablanca, Morocco
Now that you’ve planned the perfect Casablanca itinerary, you need somewhere equally amazing to stay! To help narrow down your options, I’ve put together three excellent hotels in the city. They range in budget so there’s a perfect hotel for any traveler!
Luxury – $$$
Barceló Anfa Casablanca is my top choice for the luxury traveler! They offer standard hotel rooms or suites, all are decorated modern and sleek and many have views of the sea, city, or pool. You can also enjoy the outdoor pool, shared lounge, onsite restaurant, or terrace and bar. It’s located just 1 kilometer from the old medina, so you’re not too far from the top sights.
Prices range from about $170 to $300 USD for a standard room, or are upwards of $500 USD for a suite. Check out all the options and book this stay on Booking.com.
Mid-range – $$
Situated in the heart of Old Casablanca, ODYSSEE Boutique Hotel Casablanca is a lovely stay at a moderate price point. Rooms can accommodate one to three people, and you can get a standard hotel room or a suite. They are trendy rooms, and have a top-rated restaurant and bar onsite. The hotel is located within walking distance to the United Nations Square and the old medina.
Rooms are available for $90 to $200+ USD and can be reserved on Booking.com.
Budget – $
Hôtel Astrid is another hotel located in the city center, and this stay is budget friendly! I love the quaint and charming design of this hotel, and it has a welcoming atmosphere. They offer clean and comfortable double or single rooms, ranging from $30 to $50 USD. It’s within walking distance to Old Casablanca’s top sights.
Check availability and book this stay on Booking.com.
For more options, check out all of the hotels in Casablanca here!
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance!
If you’re looking to save money on travel insurance, we currently use and recommend SafetyWing. We’ve been using their coverage since 2018 and they’ve had our backs when we needed emergency flights and got sick overseas.
SafetyWing is one of the cheapest providers out there and covers everything from medical costs to lost luggage, travel delays, and emergency flights. A huge difference we’ve found between them and other companies is that they let you take out a policy AFTER leaving your home country. We’ve also found it handy that it’s a monthly payment rather than a lump sum, and you can get a refund for unused time.
SafetyWing has helped us out in some scary situations before and their affordable coverage has given us peace of mind. You can read our honest review of SafetyWing for all the pros and cons.
Thanks for reading!
Casablanca is truly one of those bucket list places. Whether you fell in love with the movie or are curious about Moroccan culture, this is one of the most unique cities I’ve ever traveled to. If you check off just a few things on this list, I’m sure you’ll experience all the wonder Casablanca has to offer!
Thanks for reading our blog! If you found this guide helpful, be sure to check out our other travel blogs. We’ve been all around the world and love sharing our favorite places and experiences. Here are a few related blogs to help inspire your travels and plan your next vacation!
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