Casablanca-Settat
Casablanca
Morocco's main flight gateway earns a night or two for the Hassan II Mosque and the Art Deco streets before the train carries you on to Marrakech or Fez.
Best length
1-2 nights (gateway stop)
Airport
Mohammed V (CMN), ~30km southeast
Airport to centre
ONCF train ~45 min to Casa-Voyageurs, about 50 MAD (~£4)
Best base
Gauthier or city centre near Casa-Port
In short
Casablanca at a glance
Casablanca is Morocco's business capital and main flight gateway, not a classic tourist city: most UK travellers come for the Hassan II Mosque, a half-day of Art Deco streets, and the train onward to Marrakech or Fez. One or two nights is usually enough, and the airport train into the centre saves the most hassle.
The short version
- Treat Casablanca as a one- or two-night gateway, not a multi-day base: the Hassan II Mosque is the single unmissable sight.
- Book a Hassan II Mosque guided tour (non-Muslims must join one); it is the only way inside and runs several times a day.
- Take the ONCF airport train to Casa-Voyageurs or Casa-Port rather than haggling for a taxi after a flight.
- Stay in Gauthier or the city centre near Casa-Port for an easy walk to the trains; Ain Diab is for a beachfront splurge only.
- Casa-Voyageurs is your onward hub: Al Atlas trains reach Marrakech in under three hours and Fez in around four.
Casablanca is where most Morocco trips land, not where they should linger. It’s the country’s economic engine and busiest airport, a sprawl of 1930s Art Deco, modern towers and traffic that has more in common with a working port city than the photogenic medinas of Marrakech or Fez. The honest version: one really unmissable sight, a good half-day of faded French-colonial streets, and an excellent train station for moving on. Set your expectations to “interesting stopover” and Casablanca delivers; treat it as a city break to rival Marrakech and you’ll be underwhelmed.
The one thing to plan properly is the Hassan II Mosque. It sits on a platform over the Atlantic, partly built over the water, and it’s one of very few Moroccan mosques non-Muslims can enter — but only on a timed guided tour, so check the day’s slots rather than hoping to wander in. Around that, give yourself a slow walk through the Art Deco centre near Place Mohammed V and the Quartier Habous, and you’ve seen the best of the city.
For everything practical — the airport train that saves you a taxi negotiation, where to base yourself for an easy night, realistic costs in pounds, and the onward Al Atlas trains to Marrakech and Fez — the structured guide below picks up from here.
Plan your Casablanca trip
Keep a first trip focused: book the big timed sights, then leave room for neighbourhoods and food.
Top things to do in Casablanca
Hassan II Mosque
Casablanca's Hassan II Mosque is the only mosque most non-Muslims can see inside in Morocco, but only on a fixed-time guided tour — you can't wander in alone, so plan your day around the tour slots rather than turning up at random. Foreign adults pay 140 MAD (about £11) and the tour runs roughly 45–60 minutes; the interior, with its hand-carved cedar, marble and a retractable roof over a hall for 25,000, is the point, not the plaza. Buy your ticket at the on-site ticket office before the slot (or pre-book a tour), dress to cover shoulders and knees, and allow extra time on the seafront esplanade around the building.
Art Deco city centre
Casablanca's downtown was a 1930s French Art Deco showpiece, and the streets around Place Mohammed V, the Cinema Rialto and the old Post Office make the best free walk in the city. Expect faded grandeur rather than polished restoration — flaking facades and worn detail — which is much of the appeal. Go on foot by day with your eyes up.
Where to stay first
The areas that make a first visit easier — not an exhaustive directory.
City centre (Sidi Belyout / Casa-Port)
££ mid-rangeThe most practical base for a short stop: walking distance to Casa-Port station, the Art Deco core and a short taxi from the mosque. Busy and a bit rough around the edges at night, but it saves time every day.
Best for: First-timers, gateway stops, rail connections
Gauthier
££ mid-rangeCasablanca's most comfortable central district: calmer, well-kept streets, reliable hotels and good restaurants, an easy walk or short ride from the centre. The best default if you want an easy evening.
Best for: Couples, solo travellers, quieter nights
Maarif
££ mid-rangeA modern shopping and residential district around the Twin Center and Marché Central. More local everyday life than tourist sights, good for cafes and dinner, but a bit further from the trains.
Best for: Shopping, food, longer stays
Ain Diab / Corniche
£££ premiumThe beachfront strip with the city's smartest hotels and the closest beds to the Hassan II Mosque. Choose it only if you want a seafront splurge; it is a taxi ride from the trains and the centre.
Best for: Beach-first stays, a one-off splurge
Airport to city centre
| Option | Time | Cost | Book ahead? |
|---|---|---|---|
| ONCF train to Casa-Voyageurs | ~45 min | about 50 MAD (~£4) 2nd class | Station is on level -1 in Terminal 1; trains roughly hourly |
| ONCF train to Casa-Port | ~50-55 min | about 60 MAD (~£5) 2nd class | Best if staying near the city centre/Corniche side |
| Petit/grand taxi | ~30-45 min | usually 250-350 MAD (~£20-£28); agree fare first | Quicker late at night or with heavy luggage |
| Pre-booked private transfer | ~30-45 min | from about £25-£35 | Worth it for a fixed price after a late flight |
When to go
Sweet spot: April to June and September to November are the comfortable windows: warm, dry days for the mosque plaza and Corniche without the summer heat or winter rain.
Summer (July-August) is hot and busy with domestic holidaymakers on the Corniche; winter (December-February) is mild but can be grey and wet, with the lowest hotel prices of the year. Casablanca rarely sells out, but combine your dates with the wider Morocco trip rather than the city itself.
What it costs
Direct UK return flights to Casablanca (Mohammed V) run roughly £90-£220 with Royal Air Maroc and easyJet from London, more in school holidays; budget routes via Marrakech or Tangier can undercut this but add a transfer.
Daily budget per person
The dirham is a closed currency, so you cannot buy it before you fly; withdraw from an ATM or change cash on arrival. Carry small notes for petits taxis and tip the mosque guide a few dirhams.
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Airport transfers
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Also in Morocco
Casablanca FAQs
Is Casablanca worth visiting?
Can non-Muslims go inside the Hassan II Mosque?
How do I get from Casablanca airport to the city?
Can I get the train from Casablanca to Marrakech or Fez?
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