Casablanca: The Heart of Morocco

Contagious Dynamism

 In the atlantic coast of Africa you’ll breathe the energy of modernity and live with glow in the biggest moroccan industrial and trade centre. On the other side of the coin, Casablanca distinguishes from other cities of Morocco through its european side that, in spite of everything, doesn’t overshadows the traditional arabic roots of some of its most hidden places. Get in the streets of this city and find the nightlife and the commercial offer of boutiques and stores that fill in the palm avenues.

In Corniche (the famous avenue by the sea) you’ll be presented with lots of restaurants and nightclubs that promise fun and relax. With a hollywood-like environment, Casablanca is a city of passage for thousands of wondered tourists.

Every Hotel’s View

 688 feet high, Hassan II Mosque is the second biggest and third tallest religious building in the world. Its Minaret has 60 storeys and on the top there is a laser that points to Mecca. This mosque can gather up to 105 thousand people to pray, as the land has a total of 22 acres.

To build this majestic monument it was needed granite, marble and wood — most of it extracted from places near to Morocco. Designed by the architect Michel Pinseau, it was raised through the hands of 1400 men during the day and 1100 who continued the work in the night.

To visitants, it is an unforgettable place that combines arabic architecture and the typical moroccan style with Moorish influences that, still, shows signs of urbanism. Its interior also reveals some modern elements that improve the visit for tourists. This is one of the very few mosques that allow non-muslims to visit it.

French Heritage

A century has passed since the french taking of the Portuguese port in Casablanca and the avenues filled with stores keep their charm. The Parisian style Art Deco is visible in the moroccan buildings of this metropolis, whether it is in the galleries or in the wide and detailed façades, in the friezes or in the decorated windows and balconies.

Whoever walks through Mohammed V Avenue travels in time and witnesses the historical perseverance of Casablanca in its public buildings, such as the Justice Palacepolice station or the post office. Besides these, a more attentive look is able to discover many other influences and references of Art Deco in the corners of this city.

Let’s Go Shopping

There are two major options to spend some moroccan dirhams: the Central Market and Medina. The difference is in the location and in the style. For those who intend to get lost in the frenetic movement of the cosmopolitan Casablanca, it is recommended the Central Market. In the typical avenue environment, it is the perfect place to buy the famous moroccan flip flops. In Medina — the most ancient part of the city — it is visible the contrast between the rural and city scenarios, where tourists can make good deals and buy good handicrafts.