Your Casablanca walking tour will start with a view of the largest mosque in Morocco (and the third largest mosque in the world!), Hassan the II. From here, we’ll wander over to the famous Rick’s Café, which you may have heard of from a little movie called Casablanca. We won’t go inside, but you’ll want to note where it is for a return visit later on in your own time, we’re sure! Nearby, you’ll spot the Sqala tower, with canons dating back to the Portuguese era and a view of the Atlantic Ocean. Walk through alleyways to reach the medina, where you can browse alongside locals going about their day-to-day business, shopping for groceries, clothing and anything and everything else. From there, we’ll grab a transfer to Mahkama du Pacha, the nearby royal palace, where maybe you’ll meet the king! (Okay, probably not.) Travellers cannot visit the court of Pacha without a guide by their side, so this is your chance to see something very special. From here, we’ll make our way over to the Habous quarter, also known as the new medina, where you can shop for Moroccan goods such as traditional clothing, leather, jewellery and food. The medina was built in the 1930s by the French, so it is no surprise that it features a wonderful mix of French and Moroccan-inspired architecture, complete with numerous things to see and do and taste… like maybe some freshly baked bread. We’ll visit a local bakery where locals take their breads and pastries to be baked, and that’s also used by Bennis, one of the most famous pastry houses in town. (#localsknow tip: all the treats at Bennis are delicious, but we recommend the chicken pastilla, which is heavenly good!) No doubt tempted by all the delicious offerings around us, we’ll make our way to one of the oldest pastry houses in Casablanca, tucked in a laneway of the Souq Habous. Sample some traditional Maghribi pastries such as cornes de gazelle (gazelle horns, which are pastries filled with a paste of almond and orange water) or akda aux amandes (almond macaroons). We’ll then head to a nearby local cafe to order a coffee or tea and scoff your bounty. We’ll then take a transfer back to the city centre where your tour will end. Before you go, don’t forget to ask your guide for more tips on what else there is to see, do and eat in Casablanca.
