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Home » Travel » Asia and Africa » Africa » Things to Do in Rabat, the Fascinating Capital City of Morocco

Things to Do in Rabat, the Fascinating Capital City of Morocco

Last Updated: September 10, 2022 // by Rhonda Albom // 11 Comments
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Visiting Hassan Tower is one of the unique things to do in Rabat Morocco
Visiting Hassan Tower is one of the unique things to do in Rabat Morocco
Visiting the never completed Hassan Tower is one of the many interesting things to do in Rabat, the capital city of Morocco.

Rabat, the capital of Morocco is a surprisingly modern city with a long history. While we opted to spend the majority of our time in the older historic sections of town, there are plenty of things to do in Rabat.

It’s a city often overlooked by visitors who head straight for the more popular parts of the country. In fact, our original Morocco travel plans didn’t include it. But it didn’t take long for us to fall in love with the country and increase our time in Morocco from a week to a month.

Honestly, I am glad we added Rabat, as it is an easier place to be than the other imperial cities. Less touristy, we had more time to discover the culture, and importantly, to relax a bit as we had been ‘all go’ through other parts of the country.

A coastal city, Rabat is located on the Atlantic coast, also boarded by the Bou Regreg River. In 2012, it gained world heritage status.

Therefore, we had plenty of time to discover some of the fascinating things to do in Rabat.

Top things to do in Rabat

  • Kasbah of the Udayas
  • Dar al-Makhzen (King’s Palace)
  • Chellah
  • Hassan Tower
  • Mausoleum of Mohamed V
  • Old Medina
  • Waterfront

Kasbah of the Udayas

Blue walls on narrow streets inside the Kasbah of the Udayas
Blue walls on narrow streets inside the Kasbah of the Udayas
Girl on steps of the tower inside Kasbah of the Udayas
Visiting the Kasbah of the Udayas is one of the key things to do in Rabat, Morocco
Kasbah of the Udayas

Overlooking the Bou Regreg River and the Atlantic Ocean, the 12-century Kasbah of the Udayas (Kasabah des Oudeyas) once protected the city of Rabat. In fact, at that time, the fort encased the city.

It’s a must-see, found on probably every list of things to do in Rabat.

Inside, we walked along the narrow streets of the residential area with a sense of déjà vu, the half-painted blue walls reminiscent of our time in Chefchauen, the blue city.

Next, we enjoyed mint tea and a surprising large snack tray at Café Maure, overlooking the water. Then we checked out one of Morocco’s oldest public museums (Musée Des Oudeyas).

Just outside of the walls, we strolled through the lovely Andalusian Gardens.

Dar al-Makhzen (King’s Palace)

Royal Palace of Morocco
Royal Palace

Each of Morocco’s Imperial cities has a royal palace. King Mohammed VI currently resides in Dar al-Makhzen (Rabat’s palace).

Visitors can enter the grounds, but are only permitted to do so through a designated gate.

While this seems pretty simple, for us it wasn’t. When we arrived at what we thought was the correct gate, we were sent back in the direction we had come from.

However, when we finally made it to the newly described gate, the guards told us we had been right the first time. Giving up, we figured it was a language translation issue.

Pro tip: Be sure to have your passport with you if you want to visit the grounds.

Chellah

Entrance gate to the Chellah, one of the unique things to do in Rabat
Chellah main gate
 Walking through the ruins of the Chellah is one of the unique things to do in Rabat Morocco
Mosque of the Marinid complex
Mineret and another carved building in the Chellah
Marinid religious complex
Chellah in Rabat

The Chellah is probably my favourite place in Rabat. These former ruins have been built over multiple times.

First by the Phoenicians in the first millennium BC. Next, the Romans added it to their empire.

In the 1300s, it was built over as a dynastic necropolis for the Marinid dynasty, although there is still evidence that the Romans had been here.

The ruins are interesting, and the gardens are well maintained, featuring flowers and fruit trees. There are English-speaking guides at the entrance that will help make the visit more interesting. Their price is generally negotiable.

Chellah is smaller than Vollibulis, the Roman ruins we visited from Meknes. However, the structures at Chellah, many of which are 1000 years newer, are naturally more intact.

If you are a fan of ruins and not planning a visit to Meknes on your own, you won’t want to miss this full-day tour from Rabat to Volubilis and the imperial city of Meknes. Reserve your tour here.

Note: there is some talk on-line suggesting Chellah is closed temporarily, others suggest it is a permanent closure.

Hassan Tower and Mausoleum of Mohamed V

Minaret of Hassan tower, unfinished old mosque in courtyard with stone columns, famous historical and touristic place in Rabat, Morocco, Africa
Minaret at Hassan tower
Mausoleum of Mohammed V located on Yacoub al Mansour esplanade in Rabat. Morocco. Africa
Mausoleum of Mohammed V

Construction on this unfinished mosque began in the 12th century. Under orders from the then ruler, Yacub al-Mansur, it was to hold 20,000 worshippers and be the world’s largest mosque. Similarly, the minaret would be the world’s tallest, standing at 60 metres.

Unfortunately, upon al-Mansur’s death in 1199, the project was stopped. The 1755 Lisbon earthquake further damaged these ruins.

The mausoleum, built in the 1960s, is the final resting place for former ruler Mohammed V (1909 – 1961), who guided the country to its independence.

Also entombed here are his two sons, King Hassan II (1929-1999), and Prince Abdallah (1935-1983). Open to the public, the mausoleum is protected by the Moroccan Royal Guard.

Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V should be on your list of things to do in Rabat.

Old Medina

Strolling through the old Medina is is one of the things to do in Rabat Morocco
Medina
Shopping at the old souks is one of the many things to do in Rabat Morocco
Jeff shopping at the old souks

Unlike the medinas we visited in Fes, Marrakesh, or Essaouira, the old Medina in Rabat is smaller and much less touristy. Therefore, it seemed easier to shop here. Yet, the handcrafts were equally as exquisite and the food as exotic.

A great place to find souvenirs, Jeff also purchased an electrical adapter from one of the old souk vendors.

Located just inland from the river, a visit to the old medina should be on your list of things to do in Rabat.

Waterfront

Coastside in Rabar
Boats on the waterway in Rabat

While there are several sandy Atlantic Ocean beaches, and even a surf beach in Rabat, we didn’t visit any of them. However, we did walk along the coast path and enjoy the views.

More things to do in Rabat

Rabat Mohammed VI museum of Contemporary Art
Contemporary Arts musuem
Photo credit: J. N’Demenye (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Walking by one of the government buildings is one of the things to do in Rabat Morocco
Government buildings
Cemetery in Rabat Morocco
Cemetery
Walkway outside of old city wall, one of the many things to do in Rabat
Walkway alongside the city wall
  • Mohammed VI Museum of Contemporary Arts: Reviewed as an impressive art museum, it opened since our last visit, and we haven’t been yet.
  • Jardins Exotiques de Bouknadel: Beautiful gardens with botanical displays from around Asia, the Caribbean, the amazon, and other African nations.
  • MegaMall: As the name implies, there is a modern mega mall in town, complete with shops, food court, and even an ice skating rink.
  • Take a hammam bath: Like every city we visited in Morocco, there are choices here. You can enjoy a luxurious “tourist” spa-like hammam or visit a no-frills, strictly traditional hammam as we did in Fes.
  • Visit the nearby town of Salé: If you want a sense of purely local life, cross the Bou Regreg River to Salé. Be sure to explore the medina, view the Grand Mosque (non-muslims cannot enter), and include a visit to the former pirates slave prison.
  • Take a cooking class: Discovering the food and preparation is one of the best ways to learn about a culture. And doing it in a family home is even better. Check out this tour that takes you first to the market, then back to the home to prepare either a traditional Moroccan three-course meal or to enjoy a cooking session of pastries and cakes. Reserve your cooking class here.

Tips for visiting Rabat

  • One of the best ways to see the city is with a private guide. We tend to use Tours By Locals when we visit unfamiliar cities, especially places with an interesting and significant history that we want to understand. We generally discuss the details with a guide before we hire them, as we frequently alter their pre-scheduled suggested itinerary and need to be sure our revised plan will work. Check out these Tours By Locals guides in Rabat.
  • We arrived in Rabat on the train, a quick, easy, and efficient way to travel if you pay the nominal extra fee for a first-class car. Otherwise still quick, but overcrowded and hot.
  • As with anywhere in Morocco (and several other countries), avoid public protests and demonstrations as they often quickly turn violent. We were nearly caught up in one as we walked past parliament at the wrong time. We quickly turned a corner and avoided the impending clash between the police and the approaching rioters.
  • Take caution when crossing streets. In our experience, drivers ignored crosswalk signs.
  • We stayed at and recommend Dar Yanis, a lovely riad just outside the old medina and a five-minute walk to the beach. Reserve your room at Dar Yanis here.

Save on your trip with these resources

We use these aggregator companies to save time and money. They do the work for us by providing a list of options, prices, and reviews for anywhere we are travelling worldwide. Plus, we have personally had positive customer service experiences with all of them: 

  • Flights: we use Expedia for the best and cheapest flight options.
  • Hotels: we use Booking.com as they consistently return the best rates and their reviews are from actual guests. However, for self-contained lodging, use VRBO
  • Cars: we use RentalCars to find the best deals and dealer ratings.
  • Private guides: we often hire private guides from Tours by Locals
  • Travel Insurance: we start at InsureMyTrip as they are the best option to compare plans and find the right coverage for you.

Before you book the rest of your trip: Check out our travel resources page for more companies that we use when you travel.

We believe this list to be the best in each category. You can’t go wrong using them on your trip too.

Save for later

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Visiting the never completed Hassan Tower is one of the many interesting things to do in Rabat, the capital city of Morocco.

Which of these things to do in Rabat will you try?

More from Morocco you might enjoy:

Classic scene in Chefchaouen, the Blue City in Morocco.

Discovering the Secrets of Chefchaouen Blue City of Morocco

Finding the best things to do in Marrakesh Morocco

10 of the Best Things to Do in Marrakesh Morocco

Imperial City gate, one of the main things to do in Meknes Morocco

Things to do in Meknes, Volubilis and Moulay Idriss, Morocco

Entrance gate toEntrance gate to the Jewish Cemetery is just down the street from the synagogue, Marrakech Morocco the Jewish Cemetery is just down the street from the sy

Inside a Synagogue in Marrakech and Sacred Jewish Cemetery

Photo Credits:

All photos on this page are either shot by our team and watermarked as such or stock images from Depositphotos.

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Category: AfricaTag: Morocco, Palace

About Rhonda Albom

Capturing the essence of travel through photography, Rhonda Albom is the primary author and photographer at Albom Adventures. She is an American expat based in New Zealand. She travels the world with her husband.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Krista

    October 10, 2022 at 2:16 am

    There’s certainly a lot of history to explore here which is right up my street. I would love to spend a few days here at least taking in all of the culture.

    Reply
  2. Farrah

    October 9, 2022 at 3:57 am

    I’ve never been to Morocco but it looks like a really cool place to visit! That’s awesome that you ended up getting to stay a month to explore more! It looks so rich with history there!

    Reply
  3. Fatima

    October 3, 2022 at 11:34 pm

    I can’t think of a better way of describing the beautiful city of Rabat. Morocco is such an inspiring country and Rabat should be on anyone’s travel list. I have been to the city a few times and I really love it. Thanks for the detailed post

    Reply
  4. Sue

    October 3, 2022 at 2:30 pm

    You never hear much about Rabat. It sounds like a great place to visit with so much history. My Morocco bucket list keeps getting longer!

    Reply
  5. Carrie

    October 3, 2022 at 11:07 am

    I would definitely want to visit the Chellah – I love ruins with multicultural histories behind them. Rabat seems like a great stop after the more touristy cities in Morocco to get away from the crowds.

    Reply
  6. Erin

    October 3, 2022 at 1:58 am

    I’m with you, I think I would love The Chellah. Anything with ruins and that much history would have me there for hours. I would love to visit it one day.

    Reply
  7. Michelle

    January 19, 2015 at 7:36 am

    Interesting tombstones.

    Reply
  8. Lisa

    October 27, 2012 at 1:09 am

    I like Sarah’s tshirt 🙂
    and the cemetry head stones

    Reply
    • Rhonda

      October 27, 2012 at 1:10 am

      That is one of her favorite shirts this trip.

      Reply
  9. Joyce

    October 25, 2012 at 3:11 pm

    This truly has been an amazing trip!

    Reply
  10. Comedy Plus

    October 25, 2012 at 10:06 am

    Wow, that really is hot. It’s miserable when the air conditioner doesn’t work.

    Have a terrific day. 🙂

    Reply

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