
King's mausoleum, Rabat
*While Morocco has experienced a number of anti-government
rallies in recent months, the government's response has been
progressive and there has been no widespread violence. It is wise
to consult your travel agent or tour operator before travelling to
Rabat, but for now, there is no immediate danger. Tourists are
always advised to avoid any political gathering when travelling in
Rabat.
Rabat, Morocco's capital, is a modern city with wide boulevards
and gardens and light, white buildings, and is for the most part a
far cry from the hectic warrens of the other Imperial cities of
Marrakech and Fez. It is, however, no less steeped in history with
its origins dating back to the 7th century. The King of Morocco
lives here in his palace amid trees and flowers. Being an
administrative capital the city is somewhat conservative and
serious, but there is some local colour to be found in the old part
of the city, the Medina, and the Kasbah, where there is a more
relaxed atmosphere. Recreational opportunities abound too, with a
world-renowned golf course (the Dar Es Salaam Course) and a few
lovely beaches at hand. Rabat sits on the Atlantic coastal plain at
the mouth of the river Bou Regreg, opposite its twin city of
Sale.
Attractions

Fresco from Volubilis © Catchpenny
Archaeological Museum
An exceptional collection of Roman bronzes dating from the first
and second centuries and recovered from the site at Volubilis,
takes pride of place at Rabat's Archaeological Museum. Other
artefacts unearthed at sites of Phoenician, Carthaginian and Roman
settlements around Morocco are displayed on...
see full details
Hassan Mosque
Hassan Mosque
The massive minaret of the Hassan Mosque, dating from 1195,
towers over Rabat, although the huge mosque itself was never
entirely completed and was largely destroyed in an earthquake in
1755. The minaret is unusually sited at the centre of the mosque
building, and...
see full details
Kasbah des Oudaļas
Kasbah des Oudaļas
An airy 'village within the city', the Kasbah is a pleasant
place to take a stroll to admire some interesting architecture and
see some sights. The Kasbah was the Alhomad citadel of medieval
Rabat, and is guarded by an impressive arched gate built...
see full details
Medina
Medina
Rabat's Medina, or old city, was created by Andalucian Muslim
refugees from Badajoz in Spain, and was essentially all there was
to the city until the arrival of the French in 1912 and the
subsequent building of the Ville Nouvelle or new quarter....
see full details
A view of the Palace © the javelina
Palace Museum and Gardens
The Palace in the Kasbah on the Rue Bazzo dates from the 17th
century and was built by Moulay Ismail after he subdued the pirate
republic of Rabat and took over the Kasbah as a garrison for the
Oudaias, a Saharan tribe who...
see full details
Temara beach, Rabat © leitmotiv
Temara
The seaside town of Temara, about eight miles (13km) from Rabat,
is a favourite weekend picnic spot and campsite for city dwellers.
The beach has several stretches of sand, some good hotels,
restaurants and nightclubs. Temara also sports a zoo and several
other leisure...
see full details
Chellah
The Citadel of Chellah
Emerging from the boulevards of the Ville Nouvelle (New Town) of
Rabat one comes across the ruins of Chellah, once the thriving
walled Roman port city of Sala Colonia, abandoned in 1154 in favour
of Sale across the other side of the river...
see full details
Volubilis, Rabat © leitmotiv
Volubilis
Volubilis, near the Moroccan town of Meknes sited between Rabat
and Fez, was a central Roman administrative city in Africa from
around the third century BC, built atop a previous Carthaginian
city. Volubilis was unique in that it was not abandoned after the
Romans...
see full details