Is Casablanca worth a visit?

Morocco's largest city and major transport hub is not a spectacular choice for tourists. Casablanca certainly has its moments. Let's look at some of its treasures:                       

  
The Hassan II Mosque 
Casablanca is home of the largest mosque outside Saoudi Arabia. The Hassan II Mosque is a stunning piece of architecture and craftsmanship, situated right on the Atlantic ocean. It's also your only chance to see a mosque in Morocco from the inside.

 
Colonial architecture
Casablanca is a treasure trove of a distinct brand of French colonial architecture. In the 1920's and 30's, the French extended the city well beyond the original town (or "medina" in Arabic). The architectural style in vogue at that time, art deco, was combined with what the French believed to be "moorish" elements.
The hybrid style, known as "neo-mauresque", can be seen all through the Ville Nouvelle that the French built. The prime example of neo-mauresque architecture is the Habous area, also known as the Nouvelle Medina. It's a rendition of a "typical Moroccan village" that Walt Disney could have designed. The area is famous for its bookstores and a very friendly place to stroll around.

Beaches and nightlife
No other city in Morocco can equal Casablanca when it comes to nightlife. The Boulevard de la Corniche, along the Atlantic ocean, boasts several upmarket clubs. Expensive and exclusive, such places attract the young urban elite in their designer clothes. Wearing your sunglasses at night is not a fashion no-no as long as they're Guccis.

Casablanca's best beaches can be found in the Ain Diab area, further south from Miami Plage. Here, you will find the less fortunate Casablancans enjoying the sun and the waves. When you go swimming in the Atlantic, remember that the ocean has a very strong undercurrent here. It can be quite an effort to leave the water.

Weather in Morocco

The temperatures listed below are long-term daytime averages. They are only given as an indication.
Rain generally falls between December and March, although October and November can get quite wet in the northern half of the country, sometimes as far south as Marrakech.

Temperatures on this page are in degrees Celsius. Change to Fahrenheit

Do I need a visa for Morocco?

If you are traveling on a passport from one of the countries listed below, you do not need a visa. Instead, you will get a "visa waiver" when you enter Morocco. This is nothing more than a stamp in your passport as you pass customs. There is no cost involved. The visa waiver allows you to stay in Morocco as a tourist for 90 days.

Note that your passport must be valid until at least the day you leave Morocco. French citizens can travel on their national identity card when they come to Morocco as part of an organized tour.

Visa applications

Passport holders of countries not listed above must apply for a visa before they travel to Morocco. Requirements for a visa depend on your nationality. You will always need at least one passport-sized photograph and a completed copy of the application form.

Some nationalities need a letter of invitation from someone in Morocco; others need a copy of a two-way airline ticket or a confirmed hotel reservation for the entire period they plan to visit Morocco. Some consulates also require proof of residence.

You should apply for your visa well before you travel. Visa fees vary between consulates, expect to pay around US$30 for a three-month, single-entry tourist visa.

Moroccan Currency

The Moroccan currency is called the dirham. It is a currency that has a couple of legal restrictions attached to it.

Value of the dirham

The dirham is a "closed currency", which means that it is illegal to take it abroad and that it isn't freely traded on the international currency markets.

Instead, the value of the dirham is decided by the Moroccan central bank, based on the values of a number of foreign currencies, such as the Euro and the US dollar. This system keeps the value of the dirham stable and prices in Morocco only shift ever so slightly.

Restrictions on the dirham

You can not buy dirhams abroad or take dirhams with you when you leave Morocco.Officially, the tax-free zones at airports are not Moroccan territory, so dirhams are not accepted there. The only currencies accepted at tax-free shops are Euros, US dollars and credit cards.