You might think that Casablanca is a mythical place that exists in a dream inspired by the 1942 film starring Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart. The reality is that the movie Casablanca was actually filmed in Hollywood and the real Casablanca is often overlooked by tourists who gravitate to the souks of Marrakech and Fez or the exotic beaches of Essaouira and Tangier. Casablanca is a city for travelers who like to feel like a local, rather than a tourist, and who want to experience the present as well as learn about the past.
To truly understand the stories behind the city’s great buildings, join an architectural tour with Casamémoire, a nonprofit preservation organization working to have parts of the city designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Hassan II Mosque
The largest mosque in Morocco, is a testament to incredible craftsmanship. It took more than seven years and as many as 10,000 artisans to complete the intricate masterpiece. The palm-lined Boulevard Mohammed V, in the heart of old Casablanca, is a reminder of the French influence on the city. One of the finest examples of Art Deco design, Cinéma Rialto, lies just off the main drag.
Mahkama du Pacha
Located in the Habous neighborhood and built in the early 1950s, is a Moroccan architecture and craftsmanship gem. Église du Sacré-Couer, a desacralized cathedral built in the ’30s, now hosts concerts and art exhibitions and is a striking mix of Gothic and Art Deco style, while Église Notre Dame de Lourdes, built in the ’50s, is a beautiful example of Brutalist architecture with stunning stained glass panels inside.
Casablanca is a great restaurant city. Unlike Marrakech, to locals and visitors. La Corniche, the city’s waterfront boulevard, lined with umbrella-shaded beach cafés, chic lounges, and ocean-view restaurants, wouldn’t seem out of place on the French Riviera. Unparalleled Atlantic views and a stylish crowd have made Le Cabestan thereservation to score on La Corniche, dating back to 1927, when the chic French restaurant first opened its doors.
After working at legendary Parisian restaurant Le Fouquet’s, Taki Kabbaj moved to Casablanca and bought Le Rouget de L’Isle. His menus of French classics pair perfectly with the restaurant’s romantic setting in an art-filled ’30s villa and its garden. La Sqala Café Maure is another of the city’s prettiest garden settings.
Hidden behind the ocher walls and Majorelle blue doors of an 18th-century fortress at the edge of the old medina, Café Maure’s tranquil setting and menu of traditional Moroccan tagines and fresh juices make it a popular brunch spot. If you’re looking to splurge on a romantic meal, book a table at F.Kabbaj, a French restaurant in the Racine area specializing in locally farm-raised foie gras.
You can practice at Morocco’s only Bikram Studio.
Tucked away in a residential section of Casablanca’s Anfa neighborhood, Om Yoga is the first and only yoga studio in Morocco to offer Bikram classes.
Owner Nabil Scally opened the stylish, palm-shaded space in 2013 and has expanded its offerings to include power, aerial, yin, vinyasa, and hatha yoga as well as TRX classes.
His daughter, Camila Harris, is one of his top teachers and she effortlessly flows between French and English instruction. In addition to daily classes, Om offers week long retreats.
Sources www.vogue.com
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