T H E
O V E R V I E W
C A S A B L A N C A
Paris of the souk
Morocco’s second city mixes French colonial charmwith North African
bustle for an enticing blend that’s worth taking time to discover
ARCHITECTURE
Take a leisurely
architecture tour
(
olivebranchtours.com
)
to fully appreciate
the city’s blend of
French colonial and
traditional Moroccan
architectural heritage.
Influenced by the art
deco movement, it
embraced intricate
carved friezes,
beautiful tile work and
ornate wrought-iron
balconies. In a hurry?
Impressive colonial
buildings line Rue
Tahar Sebti and Place
16
Novembre; and
look out for interesting
façades with
decorative doorways
and ironwork on
the Rue Prince
Moulay Abdellah.
MEDINA
Built by the French
in the 1930s, the
Quartier Habous is an
idealised version of a
traditional medina,
with neatly ordered
rows of stalls selling
textiles, handicrafts,
fruits and vegetables,
including more
varieties of olives
than you thought
existed. The market is
fringed by craft shops,
bakeries and cafés
built in neo-Moorish
style. For a more
authentic experience,
explore the maze-like
passages of the Old
Medina, where the
call to prayer mingles
with the shouts of
street sellers in the
ancient souk.
FOOD AND DRINK
No visit to Casablanca
would be complete
without a trip to Rick’s
Café (
rickscafe.ma
).
Inspired by the film,
this lounge bar and
restaurant is an
endearing copy of the
set. Or take a 5km taxi
ride to À Ma Bretagne
(
tinyurl.com/cnr4xpw
),
where the excellent
wine list, sweeping
view of the ocean and
seasonal dishes by the
French chef make the
trip more than worth
it. For casual dining,
the pigeon pastilla at
Al Mounia (
tel: +212
2222 2669
) –
wrapped
in flaky pastry and
topped with sugar
and cinnamon – is
utterly delicious.
HAMMAM
Hotel spas might have
all the bells and
whistles, but for the
authentic experience,
make like the locals
and head to the basic
but modern Gauthier
Bain Turc (
5
Rue
Jean Jaures
)
to be
thoroughly scrubbed
and pummelled in
circulation-boosting
fashion. If the thought
of communal bathing
feels a step too far, the
genteel ambience of
the spa at the Hotel Le
Doge (
hotelledoge.
com
)
does an
incredible traditional
hammam
gommage
(
scrub) in a grand art
deco setting. It’s the
epitome of colonial
refinement.
MODERN ART
Casablanca has one of
the most interesting
modern-art scenes in
the Arab world. Les
Transculturelles des
Abattoirs (
Rue Jaafar el
Barmaki Avenue,
Aïn-Sebaa Hay
Mohammedi
),
for
instance, the city’s
largest art exhibition
space within an old
meat-packing
warehouse, is hosting
a year-long exhibition
of arts, videos, dance,
plays and theatre.
Galerie Atelier
21 (
atelier21.ma
),
Matisse Gallery
(
matisseartgallery.
com
)
and the Loft Art
Gallery (
loftartgallery.
net
)
are also well
worth visiting.
travellers seeking the
fabled delights of Morocco usually head straight for Marrakech and Tangier
without giving a second thought to Casablanca. But, if you can look past the teeming traffic and organised
chaos of the city, an intriguing mix of faded 1930s glamour and 21st-century urbanism will be revealed.
Casa, as the local’s affectionately call it, is Morocco’s main port, financial centre and media hub, where the
wealthiest and most cosmopolitan Moroccans (including North Africa’s biggest Jewish community) hang
out. Chic French bistros, beach-side bars and contemporary art galleries are a draw, while the awe-inspiring
Hassan II Mosque, which dominates the skyline, is an ever present reminder of Casablanca’s Islamic culture.
WORDS
TALIB CHOUDHRY
PHOTO
VICTORIA LING
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