See Morocco, One Of The World’s Most Popular Tourist Destinations In 2 Weeks 7/2023 (Stop 10 – Rabat)

7-8 July 2023 From Essaouira in the south, I finally made it to Rabat, the capital of Morocco. Unlike the names of Marrakech and Casablanca, Rabat did not sound so familiar to me before I planned to come. A distance of 450 Km, blessed with some good highways, it should not take 8 hours but it did. On a slow local intercity bus, it picked up and dropped off passengers along the route but had no pitstop for the passengers for the entire journey. Now, that’s 10/10 customer service.

I checked into a guesthouse in the old city. Typical of other Moroccan cities, the depth of its history is defined by the medina, its survival story told by the old city walls and gates. Behind these walls were the throbbing activities of the market (the old souk). The merchandise has kept up with the time, and the crowd has exploded, but the same narrow cobbled stone streets, the old shops, and houses remained. The buildings were mostly painted white, as opposed to the red of Marrakech. It looks good without even having to try. 

From the old souk, I walked up the alleys of white houses, all proudly done up and looking good. The historical citadel, Kasbah of the Odayas, is located on a hill at the mouth of the Bou Regreg River. At the top, the invigorating panoramic views of the sea, the river, and the few wide sandy beaches below awaited. The river looked tamed, luring young people to swim in it. Its’ promenade was a scenic walk to the historical Hasan Tower and Mausoleum. This is such a big and open space for fun and recreation, yet surrounded by history. 

Moroccan breakfast of egg and beef in a tagine dish
Narrow and quiet street of the old town early in the morning
The Bou Regreg Riverfront, the Kasbah of the Udayas in the background
The walls and gates of Kasbah of the Udayas
The beautiful Bou Regreg River, with Kasbah of the Udayas on a hill at the river mouth
The façade of Bab Oudaya, the monumental Almohad gate of the Kasbah
Sandstone walls of the citadel Kasbah of the Udayas, at Bou Regreg River mouth
The beach of Bou Regreg River
The typical white walls and houses in the Kasbah
Laalou Muslim cemetery near the Kasbah of the Udayah, with view on the Atlantic Ocean
On top of the walls of Kasbah of the Udayas, looking out to the ocean

           

The city is rich in its Islamic and French-colonial heritage. Trams sliced through the old city, giving it a modern and futuristic look. Rabat, is deservedly Morocco’s capital.

Avenue Mohammed V, a major thoroughfare in downtown Rabat
Crowd in the medina square
The modern tram running near the Medina
Entrance gate to the medina
Mausoleum of Mohammed V
Hassan Tower and columns, an incomplete mosque in Rabat, when the then ruler died in 1199
A healthy and refreshing dinner in Rabat

Click here to see all the stops on this trip

Morocco route map

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