Rabat: Exploring Morocco’s Underrated Capital

Morocco’s capital, Rabat, might very well be the most underrated city in the country.

Despite its rich cultural and historical significance, this city is hardly mentioned by most travellers, and even some of our Moroccan friends were puzzled as to why exactly we would want to go there. So, of course, this only stoked our curiosity, and meant we had to include Rabat as a destination on our itinerary!

We packed our bags, bid farewell to Marrakech, and after a three-and-a-half-hour train ride that took us halfway across the country, we stepped out into the heart of Morocco’s capital. Our time there was very different from anything we had previously experienced, and completely unlike anything we had expected.

So, is Rabat truly deserving of being so overlooked, or is it in reality a Moroccan hidden gem?

Let’s get started!

A city out of a Hollywood movie set

Our first impression as we exited the train station is that we had somehow stumbled onto a movie set.

Instead of the loud and bustling streets of Marrakech, Rabat’s avenues are lined with elegant, colonial-style white buildings, palm trees and arched passageways that lead to small, quaint cafés and shops. More than anything, it reminded us of the 1942 film Casablanca.

Something else that we immediately took notice of was how much cleaner everything was, from the streets to the air quality. The heavy and intense smell of pollution that permeated almost every corner of Marrakech was gone, and so was the heavy traffic and the incessant noise. But most of all, what struck us was how relaxed and cheerful the atmosphere felt.

For lack of a better explanation, people in Marrakech often felt more tense and on edge, while in Rabat they seemed much more at ease and laidback, which helped us feel more comfortable as well.

Rabat is also one of the most modern and developed cities we visited in Morocco. Along with Casablanca, it is one of only two cities in the whole country with a fully developed tram network, ensuring both locals and visitors can easily move around.

Even without relying on public transport, the city is super walkable and very enjoyable to explore on foot, and it also helps that the vast majority of sights are located in walking distance from each other.

The city of Rabat seen from the entrance to the Kasbah of the Oudayas.

Visiting Rabat’s UNESCO Heritage medina

Rabat’s beautiful medina was another unexpected surprise.

Surrounded on its southern side by the stunning ancient Andalusian walls, this maze of narrow streets, white buildings and covered markets truly made us feel as we had stepped into another world. The contrast between the new and old city is even more evident due to how modern Rabat is.

The area of the medina is very local, and we hardly spotted any foreigners while exploring the winding alleyways. Of course, you still have the typical stalls selling the same trinkets you see in every Moroccan city, but the main difference here was that the locals were the main clients, not the tourists. Vendors were also less aggressive and insistent than other locations we had visited, and we were never approached or hassled by anyone.

Rabat’s medina also has the widest and the most budget-friendly choice of eateries out of all cities we visited in Morocco. From the classic tajine and couscous dishes to harira soup and pastilla, we ate like kings and for much cheaper compared to other destinations such as Marrakech or Casablanca.

Our favourite place to catch a bite to eat was definitely Restaurant Taghazout, a local spot with incredibly friendly staff that serves huge portions of Moroccan dishes at a very affordable price.

What’s more, there is a central market that offers a wide selection of sweets and pastries, along with fresh fruits and street food, and where we enjoyed some massive portions of delicious fried seafood.

We loved exploring the Kasbah of the Oudayas

On the medina’s northern side lies the Kasbah of the Oudayas, another of Rabat’s UNESCO World Heritage sites, and one of the city’s most recognisable locations.

At the base of the citadel you’ll find the Andalusian Gardens, accessible for free from a door outside of the walls or from inside by going through a passage located next to the Café des Oudayas. The Moorish-inspired gardens were created during the French occupation of Morocco, and are a beautiful location to stroll around, or just sit and relax while enjoying the sun.

Climbing up the steps, you’ll reach a maze of small streets flanked by white and blue buildings, somehow reminiscent of a typical Greek village. The citadel is free to visit and absolutely a must-see in Rabat. We loved wandering around and getting lost, occasionally catching a glimpse of the city below from an opening in between the buildings.

At the top you’ll find a large square that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and the neighbouring city of Salé, and where you’ll also be able to catch one of the most incredible sunsets in Morocco.

You can’t miss the Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V

Not far from the medina and the kasbah, a short walk away along the Bou Regreg River, you’ll reach Rabat’s most iconic sight.

The Hassan Tower is a 144 ft (44 m) tall, intricately decorated minaret of a 12th century mosque, that was intended to be the tallest in the world upon completion but, unfortunately, the ruling Caliph passed away before it could be finished. The columns and parts of the walls of the mosque still remain, offering a fascinating insight into the city’s ancient history.

Part of this complex is also the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, the grandfather of Morocco’s current king Mohammed VI, and contains his tomb and that of his sons. The interior of the mausoleum, protected by royal guards, is very small but beautifully decorated and really worth a visit for its historical significance.

Alongside the mausoleum is a mosque that, like almost all others in Morocco, is not accessible to non-muslims. Still, its massive doors and decorated walls are a sight to behold, and make for a gorgeous background if you’re looking to snap a few pictures. On that note, since the complex is free to visit and easily reachable on foot, we recommend coming by in the early morning or at sunset for some really stunning light!

View of the Hassan Tower of Rabat seen from the Mausoleum of Mohammed V.

Is Rabat worth visiting?

With its centuries of history, delicious and budget-friendly food, numerous free attractions and chill, local atmosphere, do we think Rabat is severely underrated?

Absolutely, and not only, we can say that Rabat was by far the biggest surprise of our trip and one of our favourite locations we travelled to.

We loved wandering through the streets with no particular destination in mind, strolling by the river at the end of the day, getting lost in the labyrinthine alleys of the medina and catching the sunset from the top of the Kasbah of the Oudayas.

Sure, it might not be as hectic and thrilling as destinations such as Marrakech, Casablanca or Tangier, and you might not need more than a couple of days to see most of what the city has to offer, but Rabat nevertheless managed to charm us.

Being the capital, it’s also extremely well connected both by land and air, making it the perfect starting point from which to explore the rest of the country. If you had doubts about whether or not to include Morocco’s capital in your itinerary, then we definitely recommend you do.

We’re already thinking about when we’ll be going back.

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