Rabat, administrative capital of Kingdom of Morocco( not to be confused with small town of Rabat at Malta) is often ignored by tour operators .
But its historic Kasbah and medina ( world heritage site) along with modern architecture and mesmerising beauty of Atlantic Ocean makes it a very lovable city .
Rabat is situated on Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of river Bou Regreg opposite its twin city Sale .Promenade at the riverfront is very beautiful where tourists and local residents can enjoy nice walk and savour delicious seafood at multiple water front restaurants.
Both the cities are connected by a bridge and trams and other vehicles ply between them.
After checking in to hotel Onomo,a nice moderate size hotel near Train terminus,we headed for Kasbah of Udayas .
This Kasbah is a huge citadel and visible from almost all parts of the city and is situated at junction of river meeting the ocean, adjacent to medina quarter of Rabat.This is also UNESCO world heritage site.
It is stated that Umayyad berbers of Cordoba had built a Kasbah in 10 th century which was destroyed by Almohad kingdom and replaced by the present Kasbah, however it is still known as Kasbah of Udayas. Almohad kingdom also made a larger wall encircling present day medina and built a huge mosque known as Hassan tower which remained incomplete after decline of their resources and Rabat went in to oblivion and faced piracy for a long time . Meanwhile nearby Sale prospered during Merinid dynasty. However, Rabat was made capital of French protectorate in 1912 and King Mohammed V maintained Rabat as administrative capital of free Morocco in 1956 .
After wandering in the alleys of Kasbah as we reached the terrace and mesmerising beauty of Atlantic Ocean along with breathtaking view of the river and Sale city overwhelmed us .
Then we visited Royal palace and we were awestruck by sheer expanse of the palace and its grandeur.
Incomplete Hassan tower and Mausoleum of King Mohammed V are must visit attractions as they form an important historical and tourist complex in the capital city.
After spending time in numerous shops in medina and purchasing some good leather articles we drove down to see two modern architectural marvels,namely Grand theatre of Rabat and Bank of Africa tower.
Bank of Africa tower also known as Mohammed VI tower is the tallest tower at Rabat and whole of Morocco.Its height is 250 meters and is a commercial complex.
Grand theatre designed by famous late Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid is yet to be completed and this will be the finest architectural complex and largest theatre in Africa after its completion in 2026.
We drove down to see the lighthouse on the promenade over Atlantic Ocean and this is a lovely place for walking,jogging or relaxing watching the waves coming and breaking on the cliff.Afterwards we settled for a lovely sunset dinner cruise on Bou Regreg river.
How to Reach
Rabat has its own airport and connected to other cities by ONCF rail system.
By road takes one hour to reach from Casablanca and 4 hours from Marakkesh and roads are very good.
Also guided day trips are available via Get your guide or viator platforms.
Where to stay : Many budget hotels and hostels to 5 star hotels are available.
