The Marvels of Casablanca in Morocco
Also known as Casa or Dar el Baida, Casablanca is essentially the capital of Morocco. Any European citizen or traveler will feel immediately at home here and will have an almost instinctive understanding of the life here. There are plenty of hotels in and around Casablanca. Regardless of the size of your budget, you can find a superb place to enjoy a meal in this vibrant city. Entertain your wildest holiday fantasies in Casablanca!
Casablanca was established as a town in 1906 with a population of 20 000. Later in 1907 when the French landed here, Fez was its commercial center whilst Tangier was set up as the city’s main harbor. The French were soon ousted, however, and had to seek a new port altogether and Tangier remained Moroccan. Things have changed much since then. With a population of over 3 million, Casablanca resembles a Southern European city. Today all duties are handled here except for administration.
Transport
Petits Taxis are everywhere and you shouldn’t have difficulty in catching one. The bus services are quite efficient too. If you’re hiring a car in Casa, remember that the traffic can often be a nightmare and it doesn’t take much to reach gridlock. Avoid driving if at all possible.
Accommodation
There are plenty of hotels in and around Casa. Problem is they’re almost always full, so last minute bookings are out of the question. Go to hotels, luxury hotels, self-catering, villas and apartments & studios for further accommodation information.
Beaches
Visitors can take a bus to Ain Diab, a small beach side suburb. True, it might not be the cleanest of beaches, but it still draws a huge crowd on a daily basis. It also must be said that the crowds are mostly drawn here because of the various beach clubs. These clubs each have saltwater pools, restaurants and cafes. Look around a bit and if your wallet can handle it, you’ll find a more expensive beach club with tennis & volleyball courts and even a disco.
Restaurants
Regardless of the size of your budget, you can find a superb place to enjoy a meal in Casa. Generally accepted as the best place to eat when in Morocco, Casablanca has a large variety of traditional, seafood and take-away eateries. Try making a turn by ‘Stella’. This ice-cream parlor will have 30 different flavors at any one time available for your testing.
Bars & Nightclubs
Unfortunately Casa’s nightclub offerings are somewhat meager. For a quiet drink at a bar, your best bet is probably your hotel’s bar. There are a few semi-decent discos in Casa and they get going around 11pm and stay open until 3am.
Things to See & Do
Rialto Cinema
This beautiful Art Deco cinema palace was constructed in 1930. Catch a movie and enjoy the architecture too.
Cathedral of Sacre C’ur
This cathedral has a refreshing design that features many traditional Moroccan styles. In the past it was used as a school and then a culture center. Now however, whilst the exterior holds its visual appeal, the interior has succumbed to entropy.
Villa des Arts
This Art Deco exhibition center houses many lovely contemporary art pieces.
Getting Around
CTM has buses running constantly in and around the city. Grands Taxis are quick and usually quite easy to catch. Your best bet for a train is at the Casa Port station or the Casa Voyageurs station.
