Casablanca, Morocco

Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region and Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is the cosmopolitan, industrial and economic heart of Morocco.

Among the most visible aspects of Casablanca are the wide boulevards flanked by white, tall buildings. The streets fan out from the Place de Nations Unies. This place is the focal point of downtown Casablanca, and also the point where the modern town meets the medina. The old city of Casablanca is conveniently located, just off the main town square from where all avenues radiate, and near the sea.

Casablanca is home to the Hassan II Mosque, designed by the French architect Michel Pinseau. It is situated on a promontory on the Atlantic. The mosque has room for 25,000 worshippers inside, and a further 80,000 can be accommodated in the mosque's courtyard. Its minaret is the world's tallest at 210 metres. The mosque is also the largest in North Africa, and the third largest in the world.

Things to See & Do

* Octagon Square
* The Shrine of Sidi Abderrahman
* Mosque Hassan ll
* The Corniche
* The Medina - historic district

Cruise Season - Oct - May
Currency - Moroccan dirham (MAD)
Language - Arabic
Population - 3,000,000 approx
Land Area - 324 km²
Electricity - 2 round pins European style
Time - GMT plus zero hours
International Country Telephone Code - + 212

Port Location - The port of Casablanca is located approximately 2.5km from the city centre, next to the Medina.

Transport Links - Mohammed V Int'l Airport is the busiest gateway to the country and is well-connected to Europe. Royal Air Maroc flies to New York JFK,Canada, many cities in Europe, and has connecting flights to African countries such as Nigeria, Central African Republic, Senegal, and others.

The most convenient way to reach major Moroccan cities is by train. The downtown station Casa Port only has a couple of trains, while all others pass throughCasa Voyageurs station, which serves trains to Meknes/Fes/Oujda, Marrakech or Tangier with stops in between.

CTM coaches (intercity buses) and various private lines run services to most notable Moroccan towns as well as a number of European cities. These run from the Gare Routicre on Rue Leon l'Africain in downtown Casablanca.