Enjoy a Subdued Morocco in Rabat
Rabat is Morocco’s capital and one of its historical imperial cities. Perhaps Morocco’s cleanest city, Rabat offers a good balance of urban beach town, modern capital city, and historical Moroccan center. Its Medina (walled Old City) is a UNESCO world heritage site and offers a taste of souk (market) shopping - without the general bustle and tourist pandering of Fez and Marrakesh. It offers a beach and modern construction like Casablanca - without the mess or lack of creativity of Morocco’s largest city.
What I’ll remember about Rabat is that it offered me a tame, non-overwhelming taste of all things Morrocco without many tourists - or the industries that pop up to pander to them. I had a few nice, chill days where I feel like I got to see more authentic modern local culture. Plus, it’s more affordable than the other imperial cities because you can easily escape the inflated tourist prices.
Search for Colorful Streets in the Medina
Like Morocco’s other imperial cities, Rabat’s Medina (walled Old City) is a UNESCO world heritage site. It feels much more accessible than those in other cities though - with wider lanes, a clearer grid structure (for westerners) and less busyness generally. The souks cater less to tourists than in other Fez or Marrakesh, so Rabat is your opportunity to buy general clothing and home goods.
What charmed me about the Rabat Medina was the amount of colorful, decorated small streets veering off of the main boulevards. While the Medina is nice, I think hunting for these charming alleys is what made the experience memorable for me.
Find More Charming Streets in the Kasbah des Oudaias
Like a city within a city, Kasbah Des Oudaias is the original site of Rabat: a walled city lined right against the Atlantic Ocean built on a cliff. A section of Rabat you can only enter into by an enormous gate, the area is now mostly residential. It’s a lovely neighborhood to explore - and one you’ll consistently bump into enchanting, colorful lanes.
In addition, it’s here that you can spend time in the Andalusian Gardens and at Rabat Beach - including finding ocean views accessible by the fort at the sea side of the neighborhood.
Other Things To Do
Rabat is easily explored in one day - but if you find yourself there for longer there’s still more to do. Here are some of the other common things to get up to:
Check Out the Grand Hassan Tower: Once envisioned to be the largest Mosque at its time, The Grand Hassan Tower is the only piece that finished construction: a large minaret. While it is one of the most visited tourist sites of Rabat, to be honest, it’s not noteworthy.
Walk Along the Corniche: Rabat has a long waterside promenade, the Corniche, that includes wonderful views of the Kasbah Des Oudaias.
Relax at the Beach: While small, Rabat Beach offers an urban seaside escape on a nice day.
Relax in a Park: If you want to spend some time amongst greenery, you can escape to the Andalusian Gardens within Kasbah Des Oudaias.
Take a Spa Day: Like all the cities in Morocco, you can get a bath and a massage at a traditional hammam.
While Rabat offers a taste of all things Morocco - it doesn’t offer the peak experience of any of them. While I really enjoyed Rabat, I think it was because I was consistently bumping into quaint, colorful streets. My best advice is to explore the city looking for charming sections as you walk around - keeping an eye open for anything that delights you.
