Overview
Casablanca is Morocco's largest city and economic capital — a modern Atlantic metropolis whose great landmark is the colossal Hassan II Mosque, set dramatically over the ocean, alongside a remarkable downtown of 1920s–30s Art Deco and Mauresque architecture, a lively seafront corniche, and the country's busiest airport and port.
Travel
Casablanca (Dar el-Beida, “the white house”) is Morocco's biggest city, its economic and business capital, and the country's main gateway to the world — a sprawling, fast-moving Atlantic metropolis that feels markedly more modern and cosmopolitan than the imperial cities. Most travellers pass through it on the way elsewhere, but it rewards a stop, above all for its single unmissable sight: the Hassan II Mosque, one of the largest mosques in the world, rising on a platform over the Atlantic with a 210-metre minaret (among the tallest religious structures anywhere), part of it cantilevered above the sea. Completed in 1993 with extraordinary craftsmanship in marble, cedar, zellij and carved plaster, it is one of the few mosques in Morocco that non-Muslims may enter, on guided tours — a genuinely awe-inspiring experience. Beyond the mosque, Casablanca's distinctive character lies in its architecture: the city centre is one of the world's great showcases of early-20th-century Art Deco and Mauresque (Moorish-revival) buildings, clustered around the palm-lined Mohammed V Square and the surrounding boulevards. Along the coast, the Ain Diab corniche is the city's leisure strip of beaches, pools, seafront restaurants and nightlife, while the small old medina and the early-20th-century Habous quarter (the “new medina”) offer more traditional shopping and atmosphere. The vast Morocco Mall, the cathedral (no longer a place of worship), and the film-inspired Rick's Café — an affectionate homage to the 1942 movie that was not actually filmed here — round out the city. Casablanca is also the country's transport hub, with the busiest airport (Mohammed V) and fast trains to Rabat, Marrakech and Tangier. The climate is mild and Atlantic-tempered year-round, never as hot as the interior, making the city pleasant in almost any season.
The Hassan II Mosque is Casablanca's overwhelming highlight and one of the most remarkable buildings in the Islamic world. Completed in 1993, it stands partly over the Atlantic on a vast platform, its minaret soaring to 210 metres — for years the tallest in the world — and topped by a laser that points toward Mecca. The scale is staggering: the prayer hall can hold tens of thousands of worshippers under a retractable roof, with a glass floor section above the sea, while the craftsmanship is sublime, the work of thousands of Moroccan artisans in hand-carved cedar, sculpted plaster, marble and the intricate mosaic tilework known as zellij. Crucially for visitors, it is one of the very few mosques in Morocco open to non-Muslims, who can explore the interior on guided tours scheduled throughout the day (outside prayer times). Even from the outside, the great esplanade around it — popular with families at sunset, with the waves breaking below — is a magnificent place to take in the building against the ocean. For many travellers it alone justifies a day in Casablanca.
Frequently asked questions
Diplomatic missions in Casablanca
5 embassies based in this city, grouped by region.
Visaja keeps this page's contact details and visa guidance under continuous review — still, requirements can change at short notice, so confirm the essentials with the mission or the official government portal before you travel.