Hello. We were in Morocco last summer for 3 weeks. I got out my lonely planet Morocco book, regarding Casablanca. We only stayed in Casablanca for our first night, and left the next am. We didn't see any sightseeing in that city, just walked around a few blocks. So, I can only suggest what the book suggest. I assume you are only there for 1 day, while in port??? Anyways, for history/architecture I would suggest the Hassan II Mosque. It is one of the few mosque open to non-muslins, everyday BUT friday. The book says you have to take a guided tour to get in. Per the book the tour is 1 hour long, and under $20 for adult. We did not go in this, but if it is like some of the other religious places we saw, it will be absolutely beautiful. Or, you can go to the medina, which is the oldest (several hundreds years old) part of Casablanca. A medina is basically an area of alleyways, with shopkeepers selling their wares, shoes, clothes, rugs, etc... Medinas are VERY easy to get lost in, we were once lost for several hours, but didn't care, we were not pressed for time. You basically wander around forever, trying to find the way out, or where you are going. So, if you can't afford to waste several hours getting lost in the mazes of alleyways, you should be able to hire a guide at the entrance. Another area of shopping the book talks about is the "Quartier Habous/Nouvelle Medina". They refer to this area as "morocco lite", built in the 1930s by the French when they occupied the country. The book says this area has "neat little rows of streets and shop stalls". It says this area combines traditional moroccan architecture with modern facilities and french ideals. Then there is the "entertainment hub" of casablanca, the Boulevard de la Corniche. This street is lined with bars, cafes, and restaurants. Anyways, hopefully this will help, and perhaps can use google to expand/look at pictures of the places I listed. If you want more tour info on the mosque, let me know. Good luck. Lil' Lori
Thank you so much for all the info. It is very helpful. We are only there one day. We are taking a transatlantic from Genoa to Ft. Lauderdale. I had trid google and couldn't really find much of interest to this is great. Have a wonderful day.
Hi. So, I was looking at the NCL excursions. Are you talking about the Casablanca-Marrakech-Agadir trip. Where you overnight in Marra, then catch the ship in Agadir? Lil' Lori
Yes, Lil' Lori, that's the overnight one. When I posted I hadn't registered on line and so didn't realize the tour was even more expensive because of the hotel costs.
Since posting we've pretty well eliminated this option because of the cost -- one quarter of our window steerage passage.
The cruise is just part of an extended stay in Spain this winter, so we must pick and choose tours carefully.
When stopped in Casablanca on a cruise a couple of years ago. The port was actually several miles from the city and the ship was charging $35.00 for the bus ride into the city. But at the port there was a lineup of cabs to hire for a ride into town or for a tour. We hired a cab with another couple and went for a tour.
Lil' Lori
