Last updated:
Rabat suits a trip built around the kasbah, historic monuments and the river. Rabat has been the seat of government since 1912 and the capital of independent Morocco since 1956, and it stands where the Bou Regreg flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The medina is part of Rabat's UNESCO World Heritage listing, so it belongs alongside the individual monuments in your sightseeing plans.
Two days is a practical plan for Rabat's historic sights and museums. For day one, pair the Kasbah of the Udayas and the medina with Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V. The mausoleum faces the tower, making these monuments a natural pair. Day two can centre on Chellah, followed by either archaeology or modern art.
The Kasbah of the Udayas is a place to focus on Rabat's river setting and Almohad history. Built during the 12th century, it occupies a hill above the river mouth, looking towards Salé. For a change from monuments, the Andalusian Garden offers a formal layout drawing on the Moorish gardens of al-Andalus. Its landscaping belongs to the 20th century, rather than the kasbah's medieval period.
Hassan Tower and the mausoleum let you compare medieval building ambitions with a royal burial monument. Ya'qub al-Mansur's late 12th-century minaret was never finished. Across from it, the Mausoleum of Mohammed V was finished in 1971 and contains the king's tomb alongside those of his two sons.
Chellah suits an interest in successive settlements, while the museums let you focus on objects or art. South of the Bou Regreg estuary, Chellah's walls enclose a Marinid burial and religious complex from the 13th and 14th centuries. The site had earlier housed the Roman town of Sala and now also hosts a large stork colony.
For archaeology, the Rabat archaeological museum displays finds from Moroccan sites, including bronzes from Volubilis in an oval gallery. For modern art, the Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art opened in 2014.
Summer suits a preference for dry weather; winter suits a preference for mild conditions if you accept damp weather. Rabat's Mediterranean climate brings warm, dry summers tempered by the Atlantic and mild, wet winters. For walking plans, that means weighing summer warmth against winter rain.
The tramway is an option for an outing across the river to Salé. Salé faces Rabat from the Bou Regreg's right bank, and the tram connects the cities across the water. For rail travel, Rabat/Agdal is on Al Boraq, the high-speed service between Tangier and Casablanca.
Nine or twelve days are options for a wider Morocco itinerary with guided city visits and desert activities. A nine-day Morocco tour covering the Sahara Desert, Fez and Marrakech includes an English-speaking driver, an air-conditioned vehicle, daily breakfast, camel trekking in the Merzouga Sahara Desert, guided visits in Fez and Marrakech, and a visit to Ait Ben Hadou.
A twelve-day Morocco tour covering the Sahara, Fes, Marrakech and Chefchaouen includes a licensed professional guide, overland transport, camel trekking at Erg Chebbi, an overnight desert camp at Merzouga and guided city tours in all destinations.
Rabat-Salé Airport lies roughly 8 km to the east-northeast of Rabat.
Yes. The Phoenicians set up a trading post there during the first millennium BC.
The Dar al-Makhzen royal palace is in the southwestern part of the area enclosed by the Almohad walls.
