Sunday 16 December 2018

Postcard from Casablanca, Morocco

Greetings! Last month I took a trip to visit Morocco. My itinerary included Rabat, Volubilis, Fez, Marrakesh, and Casablanca. You might like to read my posts on Rabat and Volubilis here, on Fez here, and on Marrakesh here.


 They're fascinating cities.

Today I'm sharing the top six sights that I've visited in Casablanca. I had included Casablanca in my trip itinerary since it was easier for me to book my flights home from this city.

Casablanca's Mohamed V International airport is about forty minutes by car from the city centre, in off-peak hours. If you're flying out from this airport, allow enough time to get there.



QUICK FACTS:
  • Casablanca is located about 90 km (56 miles) south west of the Moroccan capital of Rabat and bordering the Atlantic Ocean. 
  • Casablanca is the largest city in Morocco, with a population of almost 4 million and also boasts the world's largest artificial port. 
  • Casablanca is also the most liberal and progressive of Morocco's cities. Many young Moroccans speak to each other exclusively in French. 
  • Casablanca main colour is white. Unlike Marrakesh and Fez, there are high rise buildings in Casablanca.

TOP SIX SIGHTS IN CASABLANCA (Click to enlarge the pictures):

1. The Hassan II Mosque - Standing partly over the water, the enormous Hassan II Mosque, designed by the French architect Michel Pinseau, was completed in 1993. It has a 210 meters (690 feet) minaret topped with lasers directed toward Mecca. It's the largest mosque in Morocco and the third largest in the world.

Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca, Morocco

Fountain at Hassan II Mosque

The mosque has room for 25,000 worshippers inside, and a further 80,000 can be accommodated in the mosque's courtyard, which boasts a retractable roof. Astonishingly intricate decoration covers every centimeter of its surface. It is one of the two main mosques in Morocco open to non-Muslims who can visit the mosque on guided tours. One interesting tidbit: The Mosque's doors are made of Canadian titanium! Everything else is made of local Moroccan materials.

Doors at Hassan II Mosque

Ceilings and columns at Hassan II Mosque

Mosaic tile at Hassan II Mosque

2. The Corniche is a beachfront neighbourhood on the ocean, west of the Hassan II Mosque. Along the Boulevard de l'Ocean Atlantique are many newer, fancier hotels, and many western fast food chains. The best option is to walk up and down the street, and enjoy Moroccan tapas at one of the many ocean-view cafes. In the photo below, you can see the lighthouse in the distance.

Ocean view from Hassan II Mosque

A beach in Casablanca, Morocco

3. Place Mohammed V is the central plaza of Casablanca. It is home to many of the city's important official buildings, including the main post office, Palace of Justice, Prefecture, French consulate, and the main Bank of Morocco. In the photo below, if you zoom in to the signage of the Palace of Justice, under the roof, you see it is written in Arabic and Berber languages.

Place Mohammed V, Casablanca, Morocco

4. The Notre Dame de Lourdes is a church built in 1954-1956 by the French architect Gaston Zimmer. The church exterior includes a massive concrete ‘hood’ which towers over the doorways and is completed with a small crucifix attached at its highest point.

The Notre-Dame de Lourdes

It's the beautiful stained glass windows inside the church that capture everyone's attention. The open, airy interiors are lit up by the beams of light that filter through these stained glass windows which cover an entire wall of more than 800 square meters. The stained glass was created by French stained glass artist, Gabriel Loire.

Stained glass windows, Notre-Dame de Lourdes

Stained glass windows, Notre-Dame de Lourdes

Mother and Child stained glass

Unusual Devil stained glass

5. Rick's Café - If you’ve heard about Casablanca, it’s probably because of Casablanca, the Academy-award movie starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in 1942. A replica of Rick's Café as seen in the movie was created ten years later in Casablanca's Old Town, within a 20 minute walk of the Hassan II Mosque and in the walls of the Old Medina bordering the ocean.

Rick's Café, Casablanca

My tour guide advised that the food is good at Rick's Café. Reservations and dress code are required for dinner. Alternatively, come here just for drinks at the bar, and soak up the 1940's Casablanca atmosphere.

6. Central Market - Casablanca's bustling central market is right in the city centre. It's where locals come to buy and sell. You'll find everything here from lamps, silver, spices, to Morocco's famous slippers. Be vigilante of your belongings and surroundings. If you're seriously interested in buying something, be prepared to haggle and disengage the negotiations amicably.

Moroccan silverware

Moroccan curry and Tagine mix

Moroccan beans and nuts

Moroccan jewelry boxes and wallets

IN CONCLUSION:

Casablanca is a busy city. It's well-connected to other cities and towns in Morocco by air, train, or bus so it's a convenient gateway. Its location by the Atlantic Ocean is a big draw in nice weather. In the city centre, I saw many Art Deco buildings which, if restored, would add more charms to the city.

I was glad that I had spent more time in Rabat, Volubilis, Fez, and Marrakesh. I found the layouts of these imperial cities more appealing than Casablanca, and their Medinas and ancient buildings or ruins a lot more fascinating than the Medina in Casablanca.

This is the last stop of my trip in Morocco. I've immensely enjoyed exploring this exotic country for the first time. It's a captivating destination. I've learned a lot from the places I've visited. I hope you enjoy my posts and photos.

What do you think? I'd love to hear your comments.

42 comments:

  1. Those stained glass windows, those markets. Sigh. Thanks for taking us to Casablanca.

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    1. I know, I know :) Thanks, Jo, for stopping by.

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  2. It's the colours that strike me most, Natalie! The mosaics, at the market, the stained glass windows. Just beautiful.
    SSG xxx

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    1. I love the vibrant colours in Morocco, too. Thanks, SSG, for stopping by.

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  3. Hi, Natalie - What an amazing trip you've had!! On this stop, the stained glass windows of Notre-Dame de Lourdes really caught my eye. They are stunning even in the photo. IRL they must have been breathtaking! Thank you for sharing your trip with us. I'm sad that this is the last stop.

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    1. Hi Donna - It was a sunny day when I visited that church so the stained glass windows were truly stunning with beams of natural light streaming through them. I'm planning on one more Morocco-inspired post next week :)

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  4. Love the photos. I will add Morocco to my bucket list of places to visit.

    #GlobalBlogging

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    1. Thank you, Veronica, for stopping by. I hope you get to visit Morocco in the near future.

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  5. It looks so beautiful. Glad you are posting more about this trip.

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    1. Thank you, Terri, for your comment. I plan to have one more Morocco-inspired post.

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  6. Wow, the Hassan II Mosque sure is huge, and modern with its laser beams and retractable roof! I guess that fits into the modern look of Casablanca. The tall church looks a bit out of place, but I agree that the stained glass panels are impressive, beautiful and unique.

    The only thing I remember from a brief visit to Casablanca many years ago is a walk on the beach. I also think that it is one of the less attractive cities in Morocco. Thanks for sharing your experience and photos, Natalie!

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    1. Thanks, Liesbet, for reading my post and commenting. Casablanca has a population almost four times more than Fez, or Marrakesh, and about seven times more than Rabat so it felt chaotic and tight in the city core. Many older buildings didn't look well maintained either and in my opinion that's unfortunate because their Art Deco facades show tremendous potential for tourism.

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  7. Those stained glass windows...the architecture stunning...I would love to wander through the markets.

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    1. Thank you, Bree, for your visit and comment. The stained glass windows were stunning, and the markets were fun to watch and take photos.

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  8. What a fabulous trip. I appreciate you sharing it with us. I don't think of any of these cities as being modern, but of course they have modern buildings as well as historic ones. That just shows that most of my impressions comes from movies! I would love to see the markets someday.

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    1. Welcome back, Michele! There is a lot of history and ancient sites that I visited in Fez, Marrakesh, Rabat, and Volubilis. Casablanca is the "newer" city in my itinerary. The Moroccan markets were very fun to watch.

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  9. Each time I read your postcards from Morocco, Natalie I am reminded of some places I visited in Spain. The stained glass windows are gorgeous and I find mosques fascinating. I wish you every happiness for Christmas and 2019. Thank you so much for being an integral part of #MLSTL and also for your Wellness Wednesday link up. I look forward to continuing our friendship in 2019. xx

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    1. Morocco was French and Spanish protectorate at one point and with its Mediterranean location so close to Spain, there are similar architectural features in Spain and Morocco.

      Thank you, Sue, for hosting MLSTL this year. I also look forward to continuing our friendship in 2019. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2019 to you and your family!

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  10. Such a beautiful place and your pics are very beautiful. #MLSTL

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    1. Thank you, Patrick, for your comment. I greatly appreciate it.

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  11. Hi Natalie - I've really enjoyed your postcards and pictures from your Moroccan adventure - it's all so exotic and beautiful.
    Thanks for linking up with us at MLSTL - I've shared your post on my SM - Merry Christmas! :)

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    1. Thank you, Leanne, for hosting MLSTL this year. Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones!

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  12. Oh wow, I was entranced by the colours in the tiles, the stainglass and more!

    Thank you for your connections & comments on #lifethisweek in 2018. It has been fun and I welcome you back in 2019. Next week's optional prompt is "We Made It". The last one in 2018. Denyse x

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    1. Thank you, Denyse, for hosting #lifethisweek this year and for welcoming me back in 2019. I look forward to reading your post next week.

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  13. What a great adventure Natalie! I love the colours of the jewellery boxes and wallets, Your photos are captivating! Thanks for taking us with you on your travels #mlstl

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    1. Going to Morocco is surely an adventure for me, Debbie, and it's well worth the trip. Thank you for stopping by.

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  14. You are really making me travel hungry lol Thanks for the tour - Casablanca and Marrakesh have long been on my list of places I'd love to see. My friend is just back and flights are really cheap there at the moment, so maybe next year..

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    1. Thank you, Fil, for your visit and comment. I enjoyed Marrakesh very much. Morocco is a less expensive travel destination atm and there's plenty to see so it's worth considering.

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  15. Wow, The windows!!! Incredible. #teamlovinlife

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    1. Yes, about 800 square meters of stunning stained glass. Thanks, Leanne, for stopping by.

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  16. Oh that mosque! The architecture and most importantly - those mosaics! I'd be lost for hours there. And those markets - I would love to peruse those!! What a wonderful trip you had Natalie. Thank you for sharing it with us. #TeamLovinLife

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    1. Thank you, Min, for reading my travel posts. Morocco is a captivating country.

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  17. Absolutely gorgeous. I've pinned it to my "want to go" board. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Thank you, Leah, for your comment. There is a lot to see in Morocco.

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  18. Hi Natalie. I really enjoyed your post about Casablanca! Such a beautiful city. We were in Esaquira, a few years ago. Maybe Casablanca should be next on our list of places to go!

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    1. Hi Christina - Thank you for your visit and comment. If you have a chance to revisit Morocco, and like cities with a lot of history, I'd recommend Fez, Marrakesh, and Rabat, too.

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  19. I love the Stained Glass windows. I don't see many of those anymore. They are beautiful! #AnythingGoes

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    1. Thank you, Michelle, for your visit and comment. The stained glass windows in Notre Dame de Lourdes were stunning. They're really a treasure now.

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  20. Oh nice! Beautiful pictures! The church is beautiful and always love markets!

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    1. Thank you, Sanch, for your comment. I'm glad you like my pictures.

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  21. I would love to visit Casablanca, it looks so lovely! #GlobalBlogging

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    1. Thank you, Heather, for your comment. You could see the main sights in Casablanca in one day and add other cities or towns to make an interesting itinerary.

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