Things to do · Rabat
Morocco's calm, green capital sits on the Atlantic where the Bou Regreg river meets the sea, with the Al Boraq high-speed line and the regular rail network putting much of the country's northwest within easy reach. Casablanca is barely an hour south by fast train, the imperial city of Meknes and the Roman ruins of Volubilis make a rewarding full day inland, and the river, the coast and a famous lagoon all lie close at hand. Here are nine excursions you can do and return from in a single day, with honest travel times and clear notes on which suit a half-day and which need an early start.
9 experiences
Rabat's twin city sits just across the Bou Regreg, reached in minutes by tram or a short boat across the river. Its walled medina is quieter and more workaday than the capital's, centred on the 14th-century Grande Mosquée and the beautiful Medersa of Abou al-Hassan next door. An easy half-day that feels a world away yet barely leaves the city.
Around an hour south on the easy Al Boraq high-speed train, Casablanca is the simplest full day trip of all. The colossal Hassan II Mosque rises over the Atlantic on its sea wall, the Corniche offers a breezy promenade and seafood lunch, and the Art Deco centre and old medina fill the rest of the day before a quick ride home.
Inland to the east, around two to two and a half hours away, lies one of Morocco's great combinations: the imperial city of Meknes with its monumental Bab Mansour gate and vast granaries, the UNESCO-listed Roman ruins of Volubilis with their standing arches and mosaics, and the holy hilltop town of Moulay Idriss. This is a full day best done early, ideally with a car or organised tour to link the three.
About 40 minutes to an hour north by train or road, the port city of Kenitra pairs with the long sandy beach and old kasbah of nearby Mehdia, set where the Sebou river meets the Atlantic. A relaxed half-day or full day of seaside air, a lagoon backed by birdlife and an easy escape from the capital.
Stretching inland between Rabat and Kenitra, the Maâmora is one of the world's largest cork-oak forests, dotted with pear-shaped harvesting scars and quiet picnic clearings. Less than an hour out, it makes a gentle nature half-day, often combined with Kenitra or a drive toward Meknes.
Further north along the coast, roughly an hour and a half to two hours away, this low-key fishing village fronts the Merja Zerga lagoon, a wetland reserve famed for flamingos and migratory birds. Boatmen run birdwatching trips across the still water. A long day out, so set off early and treat the drive as part of the experience.
On a longer day, around two and a half hours north toward Tangier, the whitewashed art town of Asilah rewards the drive. Portuguese-era ramparts wrap a medina of blue-and-white lanes painted with murals, and small Atlantic beaches sit just outside the walls. Doable as a full day with an early start, but its relaxed pace also tempts an overnight.
Just 20 to 30 minutes up the coast, Plage des Nations is a wide Atlantic beach popular with surfers, paired nearby with the lush Jardins Exotiques de Bouknadel, a restored 1950s botanical garden of bamboo, ponds and tropical planting. An easy half-day mixing sand and shade close to the city.
Linked directly by the Al Boraq high-speed line, Tangier is a feasible if long day trip thanks to the fast train up the coast. The kasbah, the medina and sweeping views over the Strait of Gibraltar reward those happy to spend a chunk of the day on the rails, though an overnight suits the distance better.
Salé, Rabat's twin city, is the simplest of all, reached in minutes by tram or a short river boat across the Bou Regreg. Its quiet walled medina, Grande Mosquée and historic medersa make an easy half-day. For a full day, Casablanca is barely an hour south on the Al Boraq high-speed train.
Yes, but treat it as a full day. Meknes is around two to two and a half hours inland, and the Roman ruins of Volubilis and the holy town of Moulay Idriss lie just beyond it. An early start, ideally with a car or organised tour, lets you link all three comfortably and be back by evening.
Yes. The Al Boraq high-speed line runs through Rabat, putting Casablanca within about an hour to the south and Tangier within easy reach to the north. It makes Casablanca a very simple car-free day trip, while the regular rail network also serves Kenitra and Meknes.
Moulay Bousselham, around an hour and a half to two hours north along the coast, fronts the Merja Zerga lagoon, a protected wetland known for flamingos and migratory birds. Local boatmen run birdwatching trips across the lagoon. It is a long day out, so set off early to make the most of it.
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