12 of the best things to do in Rabat, Morocco

Many first-time travellers to Morocco often head straight for the bustling cities of Marrakech or Fes, missing out on the wonders of the country’s oceanside capital. From admiring photography exhibitions inside a fortress to picking soupy snails out of their shells, Rabat holds so much more than the typical medina experience – but only if you know where to look. Here, we explore some of the best things to do in Rabat to make it worth adding to your itinerary.

Navigating the narrow streets of Rabat’s medina is no easy feat. Go beyond the peripheral touristy parts filled with souvenir and carpet shops into the central labyrinth where locals do their daily shopping and kids play soccer in the alleyways. Test your bargaining skills if you fancy a souvenir or a tasty snack, whether that be leather products, wood crafts or tajines. You can also quench your thirst with freshly squeezed pomegranate juice or sugarcane juice – ask to add lemon and ginger for a richer taste.

Just across the street from medina is Kasbah des Oudayas, a citadel dating back to the 1100s. Admire the intricately carved stonework as you walk through arched gates; inside you’ll find white-and-blue walls and cobbled streets where kittens play. Sit down at a café and sip Moroccan mint tea, or make your way to the edge of the fortress and look through the cannon holes to see waves splash against the shore. Fun fact: Tom Cruise once drove down the Oudayas stairs as part of a thrilling Mission: Impossible chase.

Morocco has a rich history of Phoenician commerce and Roman settlements. That is evident at Chellah, a Marinid necropolis built upon Roman ruins and Phoenician trading posts. Today, Chellah sits atop a lush green hill encircled by orange trees, only a 10-minute taxi ride from city centre. Explore the archaeological site and marvel at the sands of time. On a sunny day, you can find a nice patch of grass for an impromptu picnic. Also look for the Mohammed VI Tower, the rocket-shaped skyscraper proudly standing as the third-tallest building in Africa – it’s hard to miss.

Intended to be the world’s largest minaret, Hassan Tower was never finished after the death of its commissioner Almohad emperor Yacoub al-Mansour in 1100s. Today, hundreds of columns herald the red sandstone tower, opposite the much newer mausoleum for King Mohammed V. This solemn structure holds the tombs of its eponymous king and his son King Hassan II. The exterior boasts white Moorish arches white interior walls are covered by the magreb’s signature zellij patterns. Usually, you can spot a pair of guards donning traditional garments mounted atop their majestic horses. Don’t forget to look along the walls for traditional fountains with their blue tilework.

If you can only visit one museum in Morocco, let this be the one. The National Photography Museum is seamlessly integrated into an 1800s German-built fortress decked out with canons gifted from Hamburg. Climb its tower to behold Rabat’s Atlantic coast, with a lighthouse on one side and curving beaches on the other. Duck inside for the season’s exhibits hanging on dimly lit walls. You can learn about women’s clothing, the plight of overworked coal miners, and other thought-provoking perspectives of Morocco. Here, the camera allows you to see through photographers’ eyes – and muse on their relationship with this complicated country.

Relax in a steaming sauna, lather yourself with sabon beldi (soft soap), and scrub away the week’s exhaustion with a kis (glove). If you don’t usually exfoliate, you might be horrified by the rolls of dead skin snowballing off your body, but afterward you’ll feel the cleanest you’ve ever been. First-timers unfamiliar with the process could pay a bit extra for an assisted scrub. Separated by gender, local Hammams are welcoming places where people of all ages and sizes can feel comfortable in their bodies, so go for the authentic experience if you’re okay with nudity and language barriers. But if you prefer a more private setting, there are also pricier Hammams available.

River Bou Regreg runs between Rabat and its much larger neighbour Sla, with Kasbah des Oudayas on one side and an array of higher-end restaurants on the other. While the tram does take you across, the more scenic route is taking a small boat. On the Sla side, venture around Bab Lamrissa, a 1200s gate that once helped Sla’s legendary pirates get away after raiding large European ships. The marina is at its most gorgeous around dusk and into the night, when lights from fortress walls and riverside restaurants reflect in the rippling river. Let the swaying boats carry you back through the gentle water where lights are dancing, and you’ll feel like you’re dancing too.

French escargot is tasty but baabouche is an affordable street food that might just beat the expensive delicacy. Not to be confused with the similar-sounding shoes, these snails are served alongside handy toothpicks with which you pop the juicy snails out of their shells. Make sure to drink the fragrant broth, which is commonly seasoned with tea leaves, thyme, aniseed, liquorice root, Arabic gum, and pepper – perfect for warming up on a cold day. Tempted? The catch is, finding a baabouche vendor is often an adventure. In Rabat’s medina, one vendor likes to leave a pile of snail shells and an arrow pointing to his obscure alleyway, like a trail of breadcrumbs. So go and seek out this gastronomical delight, because its grounding flavours are so worthy of your time.

King Mohammed VI, the richest monarch in Africa, opens the Moroccan parliamentary session each year with a speech delivered from the building’s balcony. This occasion attracts huge crowds, usually young men from the countryside jostling to catch a glimpse of the king. Amid parades in honours of the king, men bring out bendir (drum), ghaita (double reed), and qraqeb (a handheld percussion instrument) and dance with nimble feet to the lively music. If you wade into the crowd, they will absolutely pull you into a circle of swaying hips and shaking shoulders. You find yourself enraptured by the cheerful tunes and celebratory atmosphere.

If you happen to visit during the second half of Ramadan, don’t go to sleep early. Rabat comes alive around 10pm to midnight, its medina streets bustling with people. Although you don’t have to, willing travellers could try fasting – with some willpower it would not impede your activities at all. The hunger, thirst, and fatigue enable you to better enjoy iftar and feel connected with the local community. You wait eagerly for the sound of adhan, and at the first echo of “Allahu Akbar” you can finally take a sip of water and bite into the medjool date you’ve been craving. There’s no greater satisfaction! The last ten days of Ramadan are most important, as any of them could be Laylat al-Qadr, the holiest night when the Qu’ran was revealed to Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). People fill the mosques and spill into the streets during nightly Taraweeh prayers.

Keep an eye on the calendar for Yennayer (Amazigh New Year) and learn about the cultures of Morocco’s indigenous Amazigh people, formerly known as Berbers – a name many now consider offensive due to its roots in European ridicule. Tamazight is one of Morocco’s two official languages, so you may spot its script around the city. If you’re learning to say “salam”, why not pick up some Tamazigh phrases like “azul” (hello/peace) as well?

Surprisingly, Christmas is another holiday to note because Morocco has a large Catholic sub-Saharan African immigrant community. Attend Christmas mass at Rabat’s elegant Cathédrale Saint-Pierre to sing, dance, and see light-hearted multilingual skits. Maybe you imagine Catholic masses as solemn events, but these nights are all about joy and community.

Moroccans show their love for football by flocking to the streets, lighting up red flairs, and belting out never-ending chants. With cars honking joyously all night long, people run along tram tracks with flags trailing behind them while fireworks bloom above the city. Such celebrations broke out repeatedly when the Atlas Lions advanced to the semi-finals at the 2022 World Cup. So if you’re lucky enough to visit during a major football tournament, join the locals in a café to cheer on the national team. Even off-season, you can spot the omnipresent red-and-green jerseys around the city.