Casablanca, Morocco Travel facts

Welcome to Casablanca, Morocco!

An Old Friend 

History - Morocco has a unique place in early American history. In 1777, it was the first foreign country to recognize the United States. The Moroccan-American Treaty of Friendship of 1786 remains our oldest unbroken alliance treaty. 

Casablanca, Morocco’s largest city, also has a special place in American culture. The 1942 movie by that name, starring Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart, won the Academy Award for Best Picture. It is widely regarded as an American classic.  

Tourism - Morocco’s economy is stable, and tourism is an important industry, just behind agriculture. Each year the country welcomes millions of visitors. Many flock to the urban cafés, where they can sip mint tea and enjoy the spectacle.

Morocco is culturally diverse, and several languages are commonly spoken here, including Arabic, Berber, French and Spanish. It’s not unusual for Moroccan speakers to move from one language to another in mid-sentence. 

Food - By now you must be hungry. Dining in Casablanca is bound to be a memorable experience. Moroccan cuisine combines Berber, Portuguese, Spanish, Middle Eastern and African influences. Chicken is the preferred meat, along with beef and lamb, and cumin is the most widely used spice. (They use it on everything.) Even the couscous — the real stuff, not the boxed kind — can be a real treat for the unsuspecting palette.   

Trains

are a popular way to travel in Morocco. They are relatively inexpensive and tend to run on time. You can take the Marrakesh Express, or head out to Fes, a popular spot for shoppers, food lovers and music fans. You might need to take a camel to the sand dunes of Erg Chebbi, or to visit Berber villages in the Atlas Mountains. For a quiet place where you can reflect on your African adventures before returning home, check out Moulay Idriss, Morocco’s holiest city. 

Fun Fact: At the Strait of Gibraltar,

Morocco is less than 14.4 km (9 miles) from Spain. It takes about 4-5 hours for strong swimmers to make the crossing, and each year dozens of swimmers give it a try. 

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