Casablanca

Casablanca — Morocco’s largest city and economic capital — is the country’s main international gateway and far more rewarding than its reputation as a transit hub suggests. The Hassan II Mosque, completed in 1993 on a promontory over the Atlantic Ocean, is one of the largest mosques in the world — its 210-metre minaret is the tallest religious structure on earth — and one of the very few mosques in Morocco open to non-Muslim visitors. The Art Deco architecture of the Ville Nouvelle district is extraordinary: built during the French Protectorate between 1912 and 1956, the city centre contains one of the finest concentrations of Art Deco buildings outside Miami and Paris. The Corniche — the Atlantic seafront promenade — stretches for kilometres with seafood restaurants, ocean pools and sunset views. The Central Market supplies the freshest fish and produce in Morocco. The twin cities of Casablanca and Rabat sit 85km apart on the Atlantic coast, connected by motorway and high-speed train in under an hour. Most international Morocco tours begin or end in Casablanca, making it the natural bookend to the 12-day Casablanca loop itinerary.