1. Is Casablanca worth visiting as a tourist?

Casablanca is worth visiting if you approach it correctly. It is not a city built around tourist attractions in the way that Marrakech or Fes are. What it offers instead is a genuine window into modern Moroccan urban life: the Corniche, the Habous neighbourhood, the food scene, and the social culture of Morocco’s largest city. Visitors who arrive expecting a medina experience will be disappointed. Visitors who arrive curious about contemporary Morocco will find it one of the most interesting cities in the country.

2. What is Casablanca known for?

Casablanca is Morocco’s largest city and its economic capital. It is known internationally for the Hassan II Mosque, one of the largest mosques in the world and the only one in Morocco open to non-Muslim visitors. Within Morocco, Casablanca is known for its Atlantic Corniche, its cosmopolitan food and nightlife scene, the historic Habous neighbourhood, and its role as the country’s centre of commerce, fashion, and contemporary culture.

3. What should I eat in Casablanca Morocco?

In Casablanca, the must-try foods are the pastries and baklava at Pâtisserie Bennis Habous in the Habous neighbourhood, the Moroccan shawarma at FouLan on the Corniche, and the olives and traditional snacks at the Great Habous Olive Market. For drinks, order a nus-nus at The Imperial tea house in the Habous — it is the local version of a cappuccino and one of the small pleasures unique to Casablanca. A traditional tajine lunch at Café Restaurant Zayna rounds out the full local food experience.

4. What is the Habous in Casablanca?

The Habous, also called the New Medina, is a planned Moroccan neighbourhood built in Casablanca during the 1930s under the French protectorate. It was designed to blend traditional Moroccan medina architecture with French urban planning, wide shaded arcades, tiled archways, and a calm, structured layout. Today it is home to the Great Habous Olive Market, Pâtisserie Bennis, traditional shoe shops, and The Imperial tea house. It is one of the most pleasant and least touristy areas to spend a few hours in Casablanca.

Perfect Day in Casablanca: Join the Club

What is the perfect day? While every traveler has their own definition of a perfect day, in this blog series, you are going to get the roadmap to a day that captures the essence of the city and embraces local customs and locally-owned establishments. This is what I believe: A perfect day includes local food and drink specialties, a little adventure, a little shopping, and a little time in a beautiful location to people-watch and unwind. And yes, you will get your steps in because I think you have to work hard for a perfect day.

Morning: Breakfast at Marina Juice and Boardwalk Rides

Casablanca has a lot to offer if you are a local, but less so if you are a tourist expecting tons of worthy attractions. If you are visiting Casablanca and want to appreciate it like a local, be ready for a different kind of experience.

The day starts at Marina Juice for a trendy breakfast. You can find their locations in Ain Diab, Bournazel, or Californie, but we are heading to the coast for this breakfast. Enjoy a classic Moroccan breakfast from their enormous menu or something more continental such as their American pancakes. Before you leave, be sure to visit the two parrots that live at this massive cafe. Sometimes they are out of the cage and available for shoulder-selfies.

After breakfast, take a walk across the street to the ocean boardwalk. In the distance is a stunning view of the Hassan II Mosque. You can walk all the way over there if you’d like. Along the way, you’ll notice that this section of the city is covered with massive murals by local and foreign artists, featuring famous soccer players and more traditional scenes and characters. On the boardwalk is where you’ll find many playgrounds for kids and rental Tonka Trucks and electric Barbie cars. For just a 10 dirham coin, a kid can have the ride of their life with the salty ocean breeze whipping through their hair. It’s a simple joy that perfectly encapsulates local family life.

Midday: The Habous Oasis

Next, we are jumping into a red taxi to the Habous. It is a historic and beautiful oasis within the city. While it has typical touristy shops, it also hides gems like The Great Habous Olive Market, an outdoor market packed with every kind of olive, spice, lotion, and oil you can imagine. You are free to taste every kind of olive and explore their selection of exotic beauty products such as blue Nile lotion, barbary cactus face cream and even a mysterious salve that claims to enlarge your breasts and butt cheeks.

This is also the spot where locals go to buy traditional footwear, especially the fancy kind for weddings and parties. Make sure to stop at the incredible traditional Pâtisserie Bennis Habous for the best cookies and baklava in the city. Bend down to get through the door and squeeze into this tiny hole in the wall sweet shop. It is covered in tiles and is like nothing you’ve ever seen. The team at Bennis will happily help you sample and create your own snack box mix. Take it two minutes down the street to Cafe Imperial tea house and set up shop. Order a limonade, mint tea – or my favorite – the local version of a cappuccino called a nus-nus. You won’t have a hard time finding The Imperial because it is always packed. The canopy of trees overhead keeps it shaded and cool all day long. You never know what will pass by—once, I even saw a cart full of colorful baby chicks. I’m not a fan of animal cruelty, but it was a sight to behold. The Imperial is your perfect spot to people watch, read, and rest and reflect.

I don’t suppose you are going to be very hungry after all of this snacking, but just in case, Cafe Restaurant Zayna is across the plaza and is a perfect traditional spot for a tajine or light lunch. Sometimes there is a musician playing the loutar (a traditional stringed instrument) which creates the most magical atmosphere imaginable.

Evening: The Corniche and Moroccan Shawarma

As the sun begins to set, we head back to the Atlantic to the Corniche to cool off. Corniche translates to shell, named for the curved shape of this coast line. While the area is known for beach-side clubs, you can’t just eat at a club and call it a day. Instead, go to FouLan, a shawarma joint at the start of the Corniche.

When you see it, you might ask, “Cari, what is happening? Why here?” It’s a dive where you order at the front and take your food to the garden for a peaceful meal—and it is standard for locals because it’s cheap, good, and makes the night out less expensive. This isn’t Lebanese shawarma; it’s Moroccan shawarma, and it shouldn’t be missed. When in Rome…

Late Night: Vibe, Views, and Shisha

After dinner, walk down the Corniche pier toward the beach clubs. I suggest La Paillote for the view, the service, and the vibe. The party really starts when the sun goes down, so stay for the fun if you want.

Alternatively, you can end the night at a shisha club like XS Casablanca. It is a couple blocks walk from La Paillote. XS has a very cool vibe with soccer playing on huge screens at low volume so it doesn’t interfere with the chill atmosphere. The service is great—you’ll never have to ask for new coals. Just remember that Casablanca has a different ethos on smoking; the clubs have security, and you need to get a little fancy (but not overly-chic) to chill with friends or on your own.

This perfect day isn’t for everyone, but it is a true slice of Casablanca life. If this isn’t your vibe, check out my other Perfect Day in Casablanca posts!