| | Overview (Source: Frommers) |
91km (57 miles) S of Rabat; 238km (148 miles) SW of Marrakech; 289km (180 miles) W of Fes Modern-day Casablanca is Morocco's capital in all ways except ceremonial. The teeming city is the country's largest, with a population going on four million, the majority of whom are only first- or second-generation inhabitants. Casa, as the city is popularly called, is a new city, having grown from a small village of less than a few thousand only 150 years ago. The settlers are coming even today, drawn by the mostly false hope of finding a job, housing, and a better life than what rural Morocco can offer. Some do make their fortune here, and the display of wealth on Casa's streets and in its trendy bars and restaurants gives the impression of a city in southern Europe. For travelers, modern and cosmopolitan Casa never fails to surprise. The veil is rarely seen here, and the mixing of men and women is the most open of anywhere in Morocco. With its small medina lacking any of the exotic atmosphere of the country's better-known ancient cities and a dearth of sights bar the grand Hassan II Mosque, many travelers pass through Casa with only a fleeting glimpse -- or bypass the city altogether. Those who stay, however, find the city grows on them, offering a good choice of fine restaurants, a few places to let the hair down and enjoy a drink, and a buzz of a city striding forward. The city's origins trace back to the medieval town of Anfa. Set on a plateau overlooking the coastl
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