2024-01-25 11:30:00
” You have already visited Marocco ? » A recurring question, at every meeting. It’s well known that the French love this country, just a three-hour flight from Paris… And they’re not the only ones! The proof is that the country welcomed 11 million travelers in 2022. Even if Marrakech remains the most visited city, others have many treasures to offer, such as Rabat, a little-known capital. An ideal destination for spring, summer is much more bearable there than inland, thanks to the sea winds. Here are 3 reasons to visit the Moroccan capital at all costs!
To discover a historic city that is modernizing
Often nicknamed “Africa’s greenest city” by the locals, Rabat has nothing to envy of other Moroccan cities. Located on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, it covers an area of 118.5 km². Since June 2012, several sites in the city have been included on the UNESCO world heritage list, forming a group recognized as cultural property. This includes the ” new city “the Kasbah of the Oudayas, the Jardin d’Essais, the medina, the ramparts and the Almohad gates, the sites of the Hassan mosque, the Mohammed-V mausoleum and the habous district of Diour Jamaâ.
photo credit: Shutterstock The medieval ramparts of the Kasbah des Oudayas.
Furthermore, the city of Rabat has embarked on major works. In particular, it aims to build the tallest tower in Morocco, the Mohammed VI Tower, which will be 250 meters high and have 55 floors. This will house offices, very high standard apartments, hotels and even a shopping center. Cost of this project? 500 million euros.
The Moroccan capital also wishes to continue its cultural development. It has embarked on the construction of a museum complex, which will be the neighboring building of the Mohammed VI Museum of Modern Art. It will contain the Rabat Museum, the Museum of the African continent, and the Center for training and conservation of museographic heritage.
To relax in the new Fairmont hotel
This desire to modernize and welcome more visitors is accompanied by the opening of new hotel establishments such as the Fairmont La Marina Rabat-Salé, inaugurated in November 2022, composed of 186 rooms including 27 suites and a residence. of 88 apartments. Brand new, its exterior architecture recalls the silhouette of a boat. Like other Fairmont hotels, this one reflects local culture through its decoration.
Within this hotel, travelers have many possibilities to enjoy their stay, starting with the range of restaurants found there. Under a large glass roof, we discover the address of the same name, open in the morning for the first meal of the day, passing through for snacks with delicious pastries, until the evening. From breakfast to lunch, you can also go to L’Écume, where fresh fish and beautiful butcher cuts are on display, in a brasserie style. For more typical cuisine, go to Dahlia, which gives us a warm welcome with freshly baked bread and local olive oil. Otherwise, you can also end the evening at the Deck, which offers an incredible view of Rabat at nightfall and personalized cocktails.
Finally, to relax between two visits to the city, the hotel also has a SPA, ideal for pampering yourself with the expert hands of the staff. The perfect treatment? A personalized massage performed using your responses on a touchscreen tablet. We can also enjoy a Hammam room in the VIP suite to finish our wellness session… Or take a quick dip in the swimming pool located on the rooftop, a few steps from the Deck.
To take in the sights
For a weekend in Morocco, the city of Rabat will probably appeal to you, and is only a three-hour flight from Paris. If your hotel room is on the Salé side, simply cross the Bouregreg river, which separates the two towns, by flouka – it will only cost you a few dirhams.
Then, it’s up to you to explore the Moroccan capital! Don’t miss the Kasbah des Oudayas, listed as a UNESCO world heritage site since 2012. You can visit the National Museum of Ornament, the Andalusian garden, then take a short break at the Café Maure, where cat lovers will be very well surrounded! An unmissable place to enjoy a delicious mint tea accompanied by a pastry, facing a superb panorama.
It is also impossible to pass through the Moroccan capital without going to the Hassan Tower, which is undoubtedly the emblematic tower of the city. This was built in the 12th century and is in fact the minaret of an unfinished mosque. A few steps away, you can also visit the Mohammed V Mausoleum, recognizable from the outside with its large white marble pavilion. Finally, to bring back some souvenirs, you can take a short detour to the covered souk of Rabat, where you will find Moroccan crafts.
One thing is certain, the capital wants to modernize and welcome more tourists thanks to its new infrastructure. In a few years, Rabat will perhaps steal the show from Marrakech!
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