Editor’s note: I just booked my own Morocco trip for 2025, but sadly it doesn’t include Rabat. So I’m going to have to see this awesome city through Sam’s visit. For more of Sam Spector’s travels and writing, click here to visit his index page.

In Africa, the three most visited countries from those outside the continent are all in Northern Africa: Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia. It makes sense; not only do these places have phenomenal culture, history, and affordability, but they are also highly accessible from Europe. With Morocco, there are many places that are hot tourist destinations such as the souk-wonderland towns of Marrakesh and Fes, the coastal peaceful town of Essaouira, the Instagrammable blue village of Chefchaouen, or the town a simple ferry away from Spain and Gibraltar for day travelers, Tangier. However, a place that is often overlooked by tourists (as evidenced by the lack of hostels compared to the other cities I mentioned) is the modern capital of Morocco, Rabat, which you should not skip!

Located an hour north of Casablanca, 2.5 hours away from Tangier and Fes, and 4 hours from Marrakesh all by train, Rabat is a fairly accessible city located on the Atlantic Ocean. Upon arrival, you will see why Rabat literally means “Walled City” as the old walls around Rabat stretch throughout neighborhoods, leading to picturesque kasbahs and old medinas with winding streets. In the evening, outside of the walls are vendors and people riding around with light-up carts and a festive atmosphere. The grand mosque of the city looks similar to, but certainly less impressive than, its Casablanca counterpart. While Casablanca is the largest city in Morocco, Rabat – combined with its adjoining cities of Sale and Kenitra – makes up a population of over 1.2 million people.

Despite being the current of the four imperial capitals of Morocco (the other three being Marrakesh, Fes, and Meknes), Rabat combines the ancient with the modern. Morocco is a monarchy where the king is highly revered and does still wield power. The present-day royal palace is in Rabat, where the current king, Mohammed VI lives and was married, and where his father, King Hassan II was born. The palace was built in 1864 by King Mohammed IV and combines French landscaping with Arabic architecture. Throughout Rabat, there are numerous stores that sell nothing but portraits of the current king, which you will see in nearly every home and business.

Perhaps the most important regal attraction in Rabat is the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and the adjoining Hassan Tower. The 12th century was when Rabat really rose to prominence as a major city of the Almohad Empire. The Almohads were an extremist Islamist empire that were Berbers from the Atlas Mountains who in a short period of time conquered Morocco and Spain, yet had only a peak of about 30 years before they were repelled by those who rejected their extremism. Some scholars say they were the most extreme Islamist government until the rise of the Taliban 800 years later in Afghanistan. The Almohads built the Hassan Tower in Rabat to be a minaret to a mosque. The tower was supposed to be the tallest minaret in the world at 260 feet, but the project was stopped short – due to the sultan’s death – at 144 feet. The mosque next to it was also going to be the largest mosque west of Mecca. Today, the minaret still stands and there are rows of columns that once created the foundation of what was going to be the grand mosque that was never built, as well as a large retaining wall.

The Mohammed V Mausoleum is directly across from the tower and is a white marble structure with Moorish arches and a portico on a raised platform where you can take in marvelous views of the Hassan Tower. Inside, there is colored glass, mahogany wood, and beautiful tiling. In the balcony area, you can look down and see in the center of the floor in carved white stone the tomb of King Mohammed V (who ruled from 1927 until 1961). In the corners are the tombs of Mohammed V’s two sons: King Hassan II (ruled from 1961 to 1999) and Prince Moulay Abdallah. As a tribute to the late royalty, at all times there is a man sitting among the tombs and chanting the Quran.

Rabat’s most prominent sight is the ruin complex of the Chellah. In the 3rd century BCE, the Phoenicians established a portside town called Sala. A few hundred years later, Sala became a Roman town, as it would be for about 400 years. In touring the complex, you will see Roman ruins, a forum, funeral steles, and also mosaics. Following the Romans, early Muslims lived in Sala, and in the 13th century it became a prominent place for the Marinid Dynasty, who changed the name to Chellah. At the Chellah, many of the Marinid sultans were buried and had lavish mausoleums built for themselves, as well as religious buildings. While most of these are in ruins today, there is still a tall minaret, the remains of a necropolis and burial site for Moroccan “saints” (a title given to prominent religious leaders in Moroccan culture, not necessarily Christians), and an impressive gate that dates back to 1339. Make sure to go through the ruins of what was clearly once an impressive 13th century mosque and also see the decorated walls that once housed the Sultan Abu al-Hasan Mausoleum. Walking through the Chellah is a walk through 2000 years of Rabat history layered on top of each other.

While Fes and Marrakesh need several days each to explore, you can hit all the highlights of Rabat in a day or day and a half. At the end of your intense day of historical touring Morocco’s capital exploring the history from 2300 years ago to this past century, enjoy a stroll on the pedestrian section of the thoroughfare of Avenue Mohammed V and head to the Kasbah of the Udayas, a well-preserved 12th century citadel built by the Almohads. Grab a Moroccan whiskey (what locals call mint tea) at a café with a great view of the River Bou Regreg flowing into the Atlantic Ocean and watch a spectacular sunset in one of the best imperial cities in the world.

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