Casablanca Through My Eyes
It so happened that during my first visit, I didn’t really explore Casablanca — just a few hours in the city, mostly spent near the Hassan II Mosque. Although I did see the main attraction, drove around the city, got stuck in traffic jams, and took a walk in the city center — I did see Casa Blanca.
So, five years later, in 2024, I had to return and see what the Moroccans had done during my absence. At first, I wanted to write a new post, but then I decided to update the current one, adding new places, useful information, and a few photos.
We chose Casablanca as an intermediate stop to see the Hassan II Mosque with the tallest minaret in the world (Wikipedia) and to mark our visit to the city where the film “Casablanca” was allegedly filmed (which, in reality, it wasn’t).
We stayed at Relax Casa Voyagers Hotel. It’s located a 15-minute leisurely walk from the Casablanca Casa Voyagers train station. There are several train stations in Casablanca; this one is the main one.
After all those stinky old riads, finding ourselves in a regular European hotel was simply divine. The room was unpretentious, with a Scandinavian style. Everything was very clean. The shower had a great hot water pressure, and the Wi-Fi was fast. Right next to the hotel entrance (through the neighboring door) is a large shopping center with a pizzeria, McDonald’s, a supermarket, and a food-to-go section. I definitely recommend this hotel.
Casablanca Travel Tips
Casablanca is the financial and business center of Morocco. Many expats live here, so English is less of a problem. And taxi drivers automatically turn on the meter! That was simply incredible.
Catching a taxi, especially in the center where the offices are located, can be problematic. We stood for 20 minutes; all the taxis were occupied. Even the drivers didn’t want to pick us up.
From the hotel to the Hassan II Mosque is only 5 km, but the ride took a long time — there are traffic jams in Casablanca.
Update! In the Middle East (UAE) and some African countries, the Uber equivalent is the Careem app. Uber has acquired it, and now you can normally order a taxi in Casablanca. This is just AAAA!!! So, install Careem and you’ll be happy in Casablanca. It seems to work in Tangier, but I never managed to use it — drivers kept canceling the order. And in Marrakesh, but I didn’t need it — I used buses.
Regarding public transport: Google Maps plots routes in Casablanca using buses. But there are two nuances — the bus stop is not marked on the sidewalk; you need to ask locals when you reach the approximate boarding place. And the driver stops upon request — keep an eye on Google Maps to see where you are and knock on the door in advance — that’s the signal to stop. Boarding is through the front door, and exiting is through the middle door. Tickets are purchased from the driver upon entry.
Main Mosque – Hassan II Mosque
The main mosque of Morocco is not an ancient mosque but a modern building. The first stone was laid by the King of Morocco, Hassan II.
Part of the mosque’s square is built directly over the Atlantic Ocean.
According to the chief architect, Michel Pinseau, he was inspired by the words from the Quran: “The throne of Allah is upon the water.” He used this idea in the design of the building. (Wikipedia)
The construction involved 2,500 builders and 10,000 interior craftsmen. All materials used in the construction were brought from different regions of Morocco. Only in Italy was white granite for the columns and 50-ton glass chandeliers purchased.
Construction was completed in 1989 for the king’s 60th birthday.
Modern technological features were used in the mosque’s construction: heated floors, a retractable roof. At the very top of the minaret is a laser projector that creates a green light beam visible for 30 km and directed towards Mecca.
The height of the single minaret is 210 meters. From the giant prayer hall, which accommodates 25,000 worshipers, there is a view of the Atlantic Ocean. The building is designed so that worshipers feel as if they are on a floating ship, and the bigger the waves, the stronger this feeling. An additional 80,000 worshipers can be accommodated in the adjacent square.
The Hassan II Mosque ranks fifth in the list of the largest mosques in the world (the first is the Al-Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina accommodates 1 million people).
Non-Muslims are not allowed into the prayer hall during prayer time. But the large entrance door is open. You can come up, take a look, and take photos. The interior is truly impressive.
Update. Now the entrance to the complex has been made paid. But only until 3 p.m. After that time, Muslims are admitted for free, and others are not allowed in. As you understand, no one really checks your religion at the entrance. Of course, everyone gets through.
If you expect to see old colonial buildings, this is not in Casablanca. The whole city center is being built and rebuilt into modern districts. Walk a little from the Hassan II Mosque and you’ll find entire quarters of business and office centers.
From the mosque you can walk to the lighthouse. This is another interesting place.
The truth is, the area around is completely trashed, plus homeless people live there. Late in the evening I would not recommend walking here.
Out of the blue ruins jumped a madman who started demanding money to look at his “house.”
– Puta! No dineiro – no Morocco!
– Fuck you! (a short dialogue with a local).
Call Greta!
One of Casablanca’s calling cards is its murals. Many and varied. Here are just a few.
After walking around Casablanca until dark, we returned to the hotel to taste another Moroccan gray wine with cheese, and along with the mandarins in Carrefour we found the juiciest mangoes.
In the morning a long road to Essaouira awaited us.
