Top Things to Do in Rabat

This is not merely a taxi, but a curated journey along the Atlantic coast in a premium vehicle, with the ocean a constant, shimmering presence to your left. The driver anticipates needs, perhaps pointing out the silhouette of the Hassan II Mosque as you approach Casablanca, its minaret piercing the hazy skyline.

Feel the cool, salty spray on your face as an instructor guides you into the rolling Atlantic waves just south of the city, where long, consistent breaks are good for learning. The roar of the ocean drowns out all else as you practice popping up on the board, with the golden beach and the distant white cityscape of Rabat as your backdrop.

Zip through the wide French colonial avenues and then duck into the narrow, shaded passages of the old medina with the wind in your hair, the three-wheeled engine puttering past walls of bougainvillea. This mode of transport lets you cover more ground than walking, feeling the city's varied textures, from the smooth tilework of the Mohammed VI Museum to the crumbling, sun-warmed stones of the ancient Chellah necropolis.

A knowledgeable guide threads the narrative between the unfinished red stone of the Hassan Tower, the precise French colonial grid of the Ville Nouvelle, and the lively, cluttered alleyways of the medina. You'll touch the cool, zellij tilework in the Andalusian Gardens and hear stories of sultans and pirates that give context to the city's layered landscape.

This tour links Rabat's essential sites in one breezy, continuous journey, the tuk-tuk easily navigating from the monumental plaza of the Hassan Tower to the secluded, flower-filled paths of the Kasbah of the Oudaias. You'll feel the temperature drop within the ancient, stork-filled ruins of the Chellah and smell the salt air from the kasbah's cliffside overlook, all without the fatigue of walking long distances.

Walk across intricate, sun-bleached Roman mosaics in the open-air ruins of Volubilis, with the calls of sheepherders floating from the surrounding hills. Then, ascend into the holy town of Moulay Idriss, its white houses tumbling down the slopes, before exploring the monumental gates and vast granaries of the imperial city of Meknes.