Rabat Travel Guide

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Rabat

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 Oudaïas

Kasbah des Oudaïas

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

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

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

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