Discovering...
Off the Beaten Path
12 Hidden Gems in Casablanca
Beyond the mosque: Africa's Art Deco capital, underground markets, Atlantic sunsets, hidden patisseries, and the creative energy of Morocco's largest city.
1
Quartier Habous: The Beautiful Medina
Architecture Boulevard Victor Hugo — 20 minutes south of the centre by taxi (30 MAD)
In the 1930s, French architect Henri Prost designed a "new medina" — the Quartier Habous — blending traditional Moroccan architecture with French urban planning. The result is extraordinary: arched colonnades, carved stone facades, peaceful courtyards, and covered passages — all on a geometric grid. The Royal Palace entrance is here, flanked by formal gardens. The Mahkama du Pacha (an ornate judicial building with 64 rooms of zellige and carved stucco) is the architectural highlight. Most tourists never visit Habous. The atmosphere is calmer and more photogenic than the old medina. Free to explore.
2
Art Deco Walking Tour
Architecture Boulevard Mohammed V and surrounding streets — start at Place Mohammed V
Casablanca has the largest collection of Art Deco buildings in Africa — hundreds of buildings from the 1920s–1940s French colonial period. The concentration is extraordinary: Boulevard Mohammed V alone has dozens of facades with geometric motifs, decorative balconies, and ornate entrances. Key buildings: the Cinema Rialto (Moorish-Art Deco fusion), the Central Post Office (massive and ornate), and the residential buildings on Rue Jean Jaurès (wrought-iron balconies and stained glass). Most are unlabelled — the discovery is part of the joy. Free to walk. Start at Place Mohammed V and explore outward.
3
Villa des Arts Contemporary Museum
Art Parc de la Ligue Arabe, Boulevard Moulay Hassan — free entry
A stunning 1930s Art Deco villa in the Parc de la Ligue Arabe — converted into a contemporary art museum with rotating exhibitions of Moroccan and international artists. The building itself (curved walls, original tilework, period details) is as interesting as the art. Free entry. The gallery spaces are intimate and uncrowded. The surrounding park is Casablanca's best green space — formal gardens, palm trees, a playground, and the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart (a decommissioned cathedral, now a cultural centre). The combination of Art Deco architecture, contemporary art, and parkland is unique.
4
Marché Central Fish Market
Market Boulevard Mohammed V, between Place des Nations Unies and Rue Chaouia
The Marché Central (Central Market) is Casablanca's covered food market — and one of the most vivid sensory experiences in Morocco. The fish section is extraordinary: Atlantic fish and seafood laid on ice, vendors shouting prices, the smell of the ocean. Buy your fish from the stall and take it to one of the surrounding grill restaurants — they'll cook it for 20–30 MAD. A whole grilled fish with salad, bread, and harissa costs under 100 MAD total. The flower section, the olive vendors, and the spice stalls are equally good. The market building itself is Art Deco. Open daily except Sunday.
5
Old Medina Spice Lanes
Heritage Old Medina — enter from the Clock Tower (Boulevard des Almohades)
Casablanca's old medina is small, authentic, and almost completely tourist-free. While Marrakech and Fes medinas are overwhelmed, Casa's old medina has the same architecture — carved doorways, covered passages, traditional shops — with zero hassle. The spice lanes near the Clock Tower entrance are atmospheric: sacks of saffron, pyramids of cumin, barrels of olives, and the scent of a dozen spices mixing in the air. The lanes are narrow, the walls are old, and the atmosphere is genuinely local. Free to explore. The contrast with the modern city surrounding it is striking.
6
Ain Diab Corniche at Sunset
Experience Corniche d'Ain Diab — from the Phare d'El Hank lighthouse south
The Ain Diab corniche — the Atlantic beachfront boulevard west of the centre — is Casablanca's social spine. At sunset, thousands of Casablancais walk, jog, sit on the seawall, and socialise. The clubs, pools, and beach restaurants line the coast. The Atlantic sunset (Casa faces west) turns the sky orange and purple. The Hassan II Mosque — visible along the coast — catches the last golden light. This is Casablanca at its most atmospheric and local. Take a taxi to Ain Diab (30 MAD from the centre), walk south along the coast, and watch the sun drop into the Atlantic. Free.
7
Cathedral of the Sacred Heart
Architecture Parc de la Ligue Arabe — Boulevard Rachidi
A massive French Gothic-Art Deco hybrid cathedral in the centre of Casablanca — decommissioned as a church in 1956, now used as a cultural centre and exhibition space. The twin towers are among Casablanca's tallest structures. The interior (free to enter during exhibitions) is cavernous and atmospheric — the mix of European Gothic and Moroccan Deco elements is unique. The stained-glass windows filter coloured light across the stone interior. Outside, the cathedral sits in the Parc de la Ligue Arabe. The building tells the story of French colonial ambition — built to impress, now repurposed by an independent Morocco.
8
Mahkama du Pacha
Architecture Quartier Habous — near the Royal Palace entrance
Hidden in the Quartier Habous, the Mahkama du Pacha is one of Morocco's most extraordinary buildings — a 1950s judicial palace with 64 rooms, each decorated differently in zellige, carved stucco, and painted cedarwood. The craftsmanship is comparable to the Royal Palaces. The building functions as a courthouse, so access is limited — but the main hall and courtyard are often open to respectful visitors during working hours (ask at the entrance). The exterior courtyard with its carved stone arcade is free to admire. The scale and quality of decoration are staggering. Free (when accessible).
9
Phare d'El Hank Lighthouse
Views Pointe d'El Hank — western tip of the corniche
The El Hank lighthouse — built in 1920 at the western tip of Casablanca's coast — offers panoramic views of the entire Atlantic waterfront, the Hassan II Mosque (the mosque was built partly on reclaimed land extending into the ocean), and the corniche. The lighthouse itself (50 MAD to climb the spiral staircase) has a viewing platform at the top. Below, the rocky coast is a popular local spot for fishing, sunset-watching, and weekend picnics. The view of the Hassan II Mosque from this angle — silhouetted against the sea — is the most dramatic available. Morning light is best for photography.
10
Rick's Café Upper Bar
Culture Place du Jardin Public, medina edge — upstairs bar, after 9 PM
Rick's Café — the restaurant inspired by the film Casablanca — is well-known. What's less known: the intimate upstairs bar has live jazz, craft cocktails, and a far more atmospheric experience than the tourist-heavy ground floor restaurant. The bar is smaller, darker, and genuinely evokes 1940s ambiance. The music quality is high — Casablanca has a strong jazz scene. A cocktail costs 100–150 MAD. Go after 9 PM when the dinner crowd thins and the music picks up. The courtyard fountain, the carved wooden bar, and the Bogart-era decor are surprisingly authentic for a movie tribute.
11
Street Art of Derb Ghallef
Art Derb Ghallef market and Quartier Industriel — various walls
Casablanca has a growing street art scene — and the most unexpected gallery is Derb Ghallef, traditionally the electronics flea market. International and local artists have painted massive murals on the market's walls: Amazigh-inspired geometric patterns, portraits, calligraphic art, and social commentary. The contrast between the chaotic market activity and the elaborate murals is pure Casablanca. The Quartier Industriel and the areas around the Abattoirs arts complex also have significant murals. Street art is free to see. The scene reflects Casa's identity as Morocco's most modern, diverse, and creatively restless city.
12
Habous Patisserie Row
Food Quartier Habous — the lane of patisseries near the mosque
The Quartier Habous has a lane of traditional patisseries that is arguably the best sweet-shop row in Morocco. Cornes de gazelle (almond-paste crescents), chebakia (sesame-honey cookies), briwat (filled pastry triangles), and ghriba (crumbly almond cookies) are made fresh daily. The shops display their pastries like jewellery — geometric arrangements of golden, honey-coloured, and white pastries in glass cases. Buy by weight (80–120 MAD per kilo). Each shop has a specialty. The patisseries supply weddings and celebrations across Casablanca — the quality is exceptional. Taste before you choose a shop.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best hidden gems in Casablanca?
Casablanca's best hidden gems include the Quartier Habous (a 1930s French-designed "new medina" — quieter and more beautiful than the old medina), the Villa des Arts (a stunning Art Deco mansion turned contemporary art museum, free entry), the Marché Central (the covered food market with the freshest seafood in Morocco), the Art Deco walking tour (Casablanca has the largest collection of Art Deco buildings in Africa), and the Rick's Café back bar (beyond the tourist-facing restaurant, the quiet upstairs bar has live jazz and genuine atmosphere). The Ain Diab corniche at sunset and the old medina's spice lanes are also underappreciated.
Is Casablanca worth exploring beyond the Hassan II Mosque?
Absolutely — Casablanca is Morocco's most misunderstood city. Most tourists see the Hassan II Mosque and leave. But Casa has North Africa's best Art Deco architecture, a vibrant food scene, Morocco's best contemporary art galleries, the Atlantic corniche for sunset walks, the Quartier Habous for calm shopping, and an energy that the imperial cities lack. The old medina has lanes as atmospheric as Fes (with zero tourists). The restaurant scene is Morocco's most diverse — international cuisine alongside traditional. Casablanca rewards the visitor who goes beyond the mosque.