Casablanca is a hefty mix of architectural treasures that glisten with gold in the sunshine and near-decrepit old buildings. A sprawling city that brims with a cosmopolitan flair, Casablanca is Morocco's largest city and most hectic port.
Sitting on the country's Atlantic coast, it blends a frenetic lifestyle with stylish restaurants and vibrant shopping opportunities, opening up in a destination that slowly starts living up to its Western counterparts.
Boasting a romantic flair given by Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman's 1942 namesake film, Casablanca is the capital of Morocco in all but name. Rabat has the honour, but Casablanca is widely regarded as the most important city due to its key economic, commercial, industrial and shipping activities.
Such activities have conveyed the city's cutting-edge 21st century feel, an attitude that is seen around Boulevard Brahim Roudaini where modern business centres have helped to create areas of fine-dining restaurants and cultural venues in stark contrast to the tiny streets of the Old Town and the bustling souks littered by dusty colonial-style buildings.
Also known as Casa and Dar el Baida (Arabic), Casablanca has a lively history. This was most notable during the 15th century Portuguese occupation thanks to the country’s desire to curb piracy by using the port to launch attacks. The city was consequentially destroyed by an earthquake in 1755, an event that lessened the Portuguese interest in Casablanca, leading to the city's renaissance under the Moroccan leader Sidi Mohammed III.Read More
