Casablanca, Morocco

Ain Diab is known as the place ‘where the rich come to swim.” A luxury seaside community only a short distance from downtown Casablanca, Ain Diab is a pleasant spot to spend a weekend or a mini-holiday in one of the many modern, and not so modern, hotels. This large sandy beach gets very crowded during the summer season, but the water is too cold to swim the rest of the year.

Daytime activities are limited to laying in the sun and splashing in the water. The real action starts at night, when all local clubs and discos come alive. Keep in mind that very few serve alcohol. Ain Diab got its 15-minutes of international fame in 1958 when it hosted a round of the Formula One world championship.

The Casablanca Tramway is a great way to go around the city in air-conditioned splendor. It started operations in 2014 and it has 48 stations, or stops, along its 31-mile-long line. It connects Sidi Moumen on the east side with Ain Diab and the university district.

They are planning to install more lines, but until then, get a map of all stops, and just like locals, have a sit and watch the city pass by. Trams are low, easy to get on and off, and tinted windows and air conditioning make them very comfortable. They usually go linked together to reach a total length of 213 feet. The tickets are cheap, so ask at your hotel where you can buy them and where is the closest stop to you. Map

The best spot from which to see the entire city is a restaurant on the 27th floor of Casablanca Twin Center or La Grande Casa as the locals call it affectionately. They are justifiably proud of the 377 foot tall twin towers located in the heart of the city, in the Maarif district, on the corner of Al Massira Al Khadra Boulevard and Zerktouni Boulevard.

The towers each have 28 floors and are joined on the lower level where a large shopping center attracts thousands of people. The five-star Kenzi Tower Hotel occupies the East Tower and the West Tower is shared by various offices.

Casablanca Twin Center, Boulevard Zerktouni-Al Massira, Casablanca 20000, Morocco

The Cathedrale Sacre-Coeur is an architectural masterpiece designed by the French architect Paul Tournon and built in 1930 in a Neo-Gothic style with Moroccan Muslim and Art Deco influences. Its two towers in front resemble minarets and the small windows on the upper part of the cathedral look very much like those on a mosque.

The cathedral played an important role in Casablanca during Catholic French rule until Morocco gained its independence in 1956, when it was abandoned. For a while, it was used for a school and a cultural center. Nowadays it hosts exhibitions and fairs. The view from the towers is spectacular.

Cathedrale Sacre-Coeur, Angle Rue d'Alger et Blvd Rachdi, Hay Tarik n63 Rue 45 Sidi Bernoussi, Casablanca 20000, Morocco

According to in the Qur'an, God's throne was found over the water. This quote from the Qur'an prompted the King Hassan II to demand that the mosque be built on the coast of the ocean, where it stands today battered by the waves, magnificent and imposing. Built in 1993 and designed by French architect Michel Pinseau, at 689 feet tall, Hassan II mosque is the second largest in the world.

Hassan II Mosque can survive earthquakes and accommodate 25,000 people at prayer inside the mosque and 80,000 people in the courtyard. Its floor is made of glass so worshipers can see the sea, the roof can be opened to see the stars, the doors are electric and the floor is heated. It is one of few mosques where people of all denominations are allowed to enter and admire its majesty.

Hassan II Mosque, Blvd Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah, Casablanca, Morocco

According to those who have seen it, King's Palace in Casablanca is an Islamic architectural masterpiece, surrounded by fragrant orange groves and an ornate water feature. Located in New Medina quarter, there is a tall wall around it, guarded by heavily armed guards, and if you are lucky, you might get a glimpse of the inside if the gate opens to let someone in.

Truly royal and lavish, the palace hosts many important receptions and events and serves as the residence of the Moroccan king and his family while in Casablanca. The king has equally luxurious, opulent residences all over the country.

King's Palace , Palais Royal, Casablanca, Morocco

Magic Lamp Tours is a tour company run by a group of Berber tourism professionals, who want to share the lesser known areas of Morocco with their guests; the Morocco from the stories they heard from their grandmothers, like the one of the magic lamp that makes wishes come true.

They offer a range of tours, from royal palaces to the vast Moroccan desert. While the tours last about ten days, they also have day-long excursions to the locations near Casablanca, from visits to the small fishing village of Essaouira, to Ourika Valley and river in the mountains. The tours are accompanied with stories, history, culture and anecdotes about the places and people you visit. You will travel by car, bus, plane, camel or horse and will bring home memories you will never forget.

Magic Lamp Tours, Casablanca 20000, Morocco, Phone: +212-622-712981

Right in the heart of the city is Casablanca's main market, Marche Central. This bustling central market is large, colorful, noisy and a photographers' dream. It is a great place to get a feel for the local culture since locals come to the market to get produce for the next meal, to buy shoes, jewelry and carpets, and to bargain, make deals, eat or just hang around.

Tourists are always looking for bargains or trying local delicacies since everything is fresh and cooked in front of you. You can also see what grows in the area and what swims in the sea, it is all lined up in front of you with thousands of colors, smells and textures.

Marche Central, Blvd Mohammed V, Station Tramway "Marche Central, Casablanca 20200, Morocco