The city of Casablanca, meaning 'the white house', is the economic and financial capital of the country that will unexpectedly surprise you.
Reading time 3 minutes
For this reason, from a tourist point of view, people tend to exclude it, convinced that there is nothing interesting to see. And it is true the opposite, because in Casablanca the Moorish architecture of the city city centre, the food, the shopping in Morocco's largest mall and the lively nightlife pleasantly surprised us.
Worth a visit
Hassan II Mosque
The first place you must see is the wonderful Hassan II Mosque , the third largest in the world, the largest mosque in Africa and the world’s tallest minaret. It is located on the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean, it takes up 90.000 square metres and can receive 20.000 worshippers (the number can raise to 80.000 considering the mosque’s outside ground). You will be delighted by the different types of marble, the gorgeous chandeliers, the heated floors and the glass wall which let you glimpse the waves coming and going.
The New Medina and the Old Medina
The new Medina (the Habous district) and the old Medina (the old town) where you will find bazaars, coffee shops, bakeries, bookstores and varied workshops. What you need to do, if you really want to buy something here, is negotiating. But it actually works like this in almost all of the African countries.
The Ain Diab neighbourhood
About the late afternoon we would recommend to reach the district of Ain Diab one of the areas mostly loved by tourists because of its long and beautiful corniche (seafront) and its sinuous, white shore. Here you can enjoy an unforgettable sunset on the ocean!
Morocco's largest shopping mall
If you just have a two-day holiday, you could decide to visit the Notre Dame de Lourdes church and the Sacred Heart Cathedral or as an alternative going shopping. We decided for some shopping in the Morocco Mall, a must-see place, a shopping mall with a view to the Atlantic Ocean. The luxury shops, supermarkets, restaurants, the Aquadream and the extended aquarium where a 360-degree view is possible make, this mall the biggest of the African continent!
What to eat
As the most popular Moroccan dish, couscous with meat and vegetables is always on the menu. The slow cooking and the combination of ingredients make it a delicious, complete and unique course, that will satisfy your hunger.
Tagine is a meat dish (chicken, beef, turkey, mutton) with stewed vegetables and plenty of spices. Beef tagine with prunes and almonds is definitely to try. Because of the onion and almonds gravy the taste is a bit sweet, but very mild.
Where to spend the night
Abbiamo dormito in un Riad vicino alla Medina dove ci siamo trovati bene, ma va detto che tutti i Riad nella zona sono ugualmente belli e accoglienti.
L’unico appunto che ci siamo presi per la prossima volta è di scegliere un posto un pochino meno rumoroso.
EN 
IT