Often overlooked, Rabat is the capital city of Morocco and one of the 4 historial “Imperial” cities of the country. Whilst most people head straight for Marrakech, you may be wondering, is Rabat worth visiting? We spent some time in Rabat during our trip to Morocco and saw the main sights and attractions. Read on in this article as we break down the top things to see and do in Rabat, and work out once and for all, is Rabat worth visiting in Morocco?
Where is Rabat?
Rabat is situated in Northern Morocco, along the western coast. Just a 1 hour drive north from Casablanca and 3 hours south of Tangier, it is well connected to the other major city hubs of the country by road and rail. Being the 7th largest city in Morocco by population, Rabat is considerably smaller than other popular tourist destinations like Marrakech and Fes, and in our opinion, is much cleaner and greener than other major cities in the country.
5 top things to do in Rabat
1. Explore the historic old town of Rabat
Whilst much of Rabat is a modern, green, bustling city, it still has a historic old town steeped in culture and history. Unlike the more popular cities for tourists in Morocco, the old town of Rabat is much cleaner and less busy, and much more enjoyable to explore in our opinion. Quaint painted alleyways stretch in all directions, accompanied by abundant street food and local restaurants in the old town of Rabat. You can easily lose yourself for hours just exploring the streets.
2. Go shopping in the Rabat medina and its many souks
Compared to the souks of Marrakech, shopping in Rabat is a much calmer and cheaper experience. Prices in Rabat medina are considerably cheaper than the main tourist destinations of Morocco, and there are bargains to be had around every corner. From traditional Berber carpets, to decorative plates and bowls, Rabat has all the things you would expect to see in a Moroccan souk, just at a much lower price. We chose to do all our souvenir shopping in Rabat during our trip to Morocco, and saved a lot of money compared to doing it in say Marrakech or Fes.
When spending money abroad we always use our WISE international debit card. You can withdraw up to 200 euros in cash per month free of charge and won’t pay any conversion fees on transactions. Check out the WISE international debit card here.
3. Visit Hassan tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V
Hassan Tower is one of the main architectural monuments of Rabat. First commissioned in the 12th century, the tower was supposed to be the largest minaret in the muslim world, but construction stopped after the death of al-Mansur who first commissioned it. Now standing at 44 metres tall, the tower is all that remains of the original plans for the mosque, but it is nonetheless a very impressive monument and worth visiting if you go to the city. Just a 15 minute walk from the medina, the tower is easily accessed on foot.
Just a short walk from Hassan tower is the Mausoleum of Mohammed V. After the death of Mohammed V in 1961 construction of the mausoleum began, being completed 10 years later in 1971. The complex is an impressive construction of intricately carved marble arches and features a hand carved mahogany interior.
4. Escape the heat in the cities many green spaces
From our time in Morocco, we can say Rabat is the cleanest and greenest city we visited in the country. There are large green spaces dotted all over the city which make a great place to escape the heat and the hustle and bustle, especially in the peak of summer time. Hassan II park is situated about a 30 minute walk from the medina, and is a popular spot for locals to meet up and hang out. With runners and cyclists doing loops of the park, it feels more like you are in a western European capital than somewhere in north Africa.
5. Enjoy a traditional Moroccan meal in one of the cities many local restaurants
Moroccan cuisine is revered the world over, and there is no better place to try some than the capital city of Rabat. The medina is full of local spots offering up hot tagines, bowls of beans and lentils, steaming piles of couscous and for the non-vegetarians, very good fish. Whilst a meal in the medina of Marrakech might set you back 20 euros, you can eat for as little as 5 euros in Rabat. We found a number of delicious local spots during our time in Rabat and ate some of the best and cheapest meals during our entire stay in the country. You can wash it all down with a hot cup of Moroccan mint tea from one of the many tea shops that litter the medina too!
Is Rabat worth visiting?
So is Rabat worth visiting? In our opinion, definitely yes! While it might not have the allure of the other tourist destinations in Morocco, we think it should firmly be on the itinerary of anyone visiting the country. It has everything you could want from a Moroccan city. The historic old town and medina, many souks for shopping and a number of attractions to visit. Prices are cheaper than most of the country and in general it is less busy and touristy than places like Marrakech. Make sure Rabat is part of your next trip to Morocco.
Where to stay in Rabat?
There are no shortage of great places to stay in Rabat, with prices to suit all budgets. All of our recommendations below are properties within the medina rated 9+/10 and the majority include breakfast!
Hotels in Rabat View all
Getting to Rabat
Despite having an international airport, Rabat does not have many direct flights from european countries. It is however, well connected to other cities by bus and train, so easily reachable using public transport. We had our own car when visiting Morocco and think this is the best way to see everything this country has to offer. You can rent a car yourself in most major cities in the country. Click here to check car rental prices in Morocco.
Note: Travel insurance is a must for any travel abroad, especially when renting a car. Although problems rarely occur, it is better to be covered in case they do. We use SafetyWing and recommend it to anyone travelling the world.
One other option is to visit Rabat as part of an organised tour. There are many tour operators in cities around Morocco offering all inclusive tour packages that visit Rabat. Booking a tour takes all the stress out of using the slow and often unreliable public transport options. You can book these in advance online before you arrive. See below for some tour recommendations from different parts of Morocco.
From Marrakech
We recommend: This 3 day tour of the imperial cities of Morocco, including Fes, Chefchaouen, Casablanca and Rabat!
By bus / train: Bus journeys take 4 hours and cost around 10 euros. By train you can expect to pay around 15 euros for a 3 hour journey. Buy bus and train tickets here.
From Casablanca
We recommend: This guided day trip from Casablanca to Rabat, including stops at the medina and Hassan Tower!
By bus / train: By bus and train the journey only takes around 1 hour to reach Rabat, and costs around 4 euros. Buy bus and train tickets here.
From Fes
We recommend: This day trip to visit Rabat from Fes included guided tour of all the attractions with food and drinks included!
By bus: There are direct buses from Fes to Rabat a few times a day, and the journey takes around 3.5 hours. Prices start from 12 euros. Buy bus tickets in advance here.
When booking train and bus tickets abroad, we always use 12go.asia. You can check timetables and prices online and it’s often cheaper than booking in person! Check our 12go.asia here.
Best time to visit Rabat
Rabat has a mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The best time of year to visit Rabat is between April and June in spring, and between September to October in autumn. Average daily temperatures are between 16-26 degrees celsius and between 10-15 degrees at night.
During the summer months temperatures can reach 30 degrees, but Rabat remains cooler than some of the inland cities where temperatures can reach a staggering 40 celcius!
We visited Rabat in January and whilst temperatures were cooler, we still had blue skies, sun and 18 degrees. One benefit of visiting in Winter too is cheaper prices for hotels and much less busy streets from the reduced number of tourists.
Where to go after visiting Rabat?
From Rabat you can head south to the tourist capital of Morocco, Marrakech. Read all about the best tours from Marrakech in our article here.
Alternatively you can head east to the imperial city of Fes. Fes was one of our favourite cities in the whole of the country, and we highly recommend visiting if you have the time. Read all about Fes in our article here on the blog.
If you have any suggestions or comments, don’t hesitate to let us know by leaving a comment!
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