- Pastilla in the medina's old restaurants.
- Grilled sardines along the Bou Regreg.
- Café Maure in the Kasbah of the Udayas for mint tea over the river.
Rabat City Guide
The Hassan Tower, Rabat. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Rabat is the calmest of Morocco's big cities: the administrative capital, all wide avenues, embassy gardens and the slow Bou Regreg river. Its historic core is a UNESCO site, and its medina is refreshingly free of hard-sell.
The Hassan Tower and the Kasbah of the Udayas are the essential sights; the Chellah necropolis, with storks nesting on Roman columns, is the surprise. Salé, across the river, makes a good half day.
What to do in Rabat
The city
- 1
Hassan Tower The unfinished Almohad minaret (1195) and its esplanade of columns. - 2
Mausoleum of Mohammed V The marble tomb of the independence king and his sons. - 3
Kasbah of the Udayas The blue-and-white citadel, the Andalusian Gardens and the river view. - 4
Chellah The Merinid necropolis among Roman ruins, with nesting storks. - 5
Rabat medina The souks, the Rue des Consuls and the kasbah gate. - 6
Mohammed VI Museum The modern and contemporary art museum.
Across the river
- 1
Salé medina The corsair city's Great Mosque and madrasa.
Rabat Hotel Guide
How to choose the best places to stay in Rabat. Verified properties below; for the full list, search live availability on Booking.com.
Luxury
La Tour Hassan Palace
The landmark palace hotel on the edge of the old town.
View on Booking.com
Where to eat
Getting there and around
Rabat-Salé (RBA) is 10 km northeast. Al Boraq reaches Casablanca in about 35 minutes. The tram connects Rabat and Salé; Rabat-Ville station is central.
Eating in Rabat
Fledge Food has a full guide to how Rabat eats: its defining dishes and how to order them, street food decoded, the markets, and the neighborhoods to eat in.