Capital · Atlantic coast
Morocco's refined capital — Hassan Tower, the Udayas kasbah, Chellah and an unhurried medina on the Bouregreg.
Best time
April–June and September–October
Recommended
1 day
Airport
Rabat-Salé (RBA) or Casablanca (CMN) + 1h train
Region
Capital · Atlantic coast
Why Rabat
Rabat is the calm, green heart of Morocco — the political capital and, for our money, the most civilised place in the country to base a trip. Here the layers of Moroccan history sit within an easy day's walk of one another: the 12th-century Almohad kasbah of the Udayas in blue and white above the Bouregreg river mouth; the unfinished Hassan Tower, twin of Marrakech's Koutoubia and Seville's Giralda, beside the marble Mausoleum of Mohammed V with its mounted royal guard; the Roman and Merinid necropolis of Chellah, reclaimed by storks and gardens; the gates of the Royal Palace; and a medina that is gentle, walkable and refreshingly free of hustle. Wrapped in French-era avenues and washed in Atlantic light, the capital makes a serene home from which Casablanca lies about an hour away and Fes and Meknes are an easy train ride — the still centre of an Atlantic-capital corridor.
What to see
A 12th-century Almohad fortress of blue-washed lanes above the Bouregreg, entered through the monumental Bab Oudaia gate, with an Andalusian garden, the Café Maure and a terrace looking across the river to Salé and out to the Atlantic.
The 44m minaret of a vast Almohad mosque abandoned in 1199 — a sibling of Marrakech's Koutoubia — facing the exquisitely decorated marble mausoleum of the late king, watched over by mounted royal sentries.
The walled Roman town of Sala Colonia overlaid with a 14th-century Merinid necropolis and minaret, now reclaimed by storks, fig trees and gardens — one of the most atmospheric sites in the country.
A low-key medina for carpets and crafts, the ceremonial Mechouar gates of the Royal Palace, and the art-deco and modernist avenues laid out by the French protectorate around the cathedral and the parliament.
Itineraries
Every itinerary below is privately operated, fully customisable, and includes a deep stop in Rabat. Click any tour for the day-by-day plan, the map, dates and pricing.
12hBestsellerRabat
A half-day on the Yacoub al-Mansour esplanade: the 12th-century Hassan Tower — the minaret of a mosque that was never finished — and the white-marble Mausoleum of Mohammed V opposite, with its royal guard and zellige interior.
12hSmall groupRabat
The 12th-century Kasbah of the Udayas above the river mouth: the monumental Almohad gate, the blue-and-white painted lanes, the Andalusian Gardens and the café terrace looking out to the Atlantic and across to Salé.
12hTop ratedRabat
The walled site of Chellah on the edge of Rabat: the excavated Roman town of Sala Colonia, the 14th-century Merinid necropolis with its leaning minaret, an old saint's pool and gardens loud with nesting storks.
1 daysSignatureRabat
A full private day across the capital: the Hassan Tower and Mausoleum of Mohammed V, the Kasbah of the Udayas and its gardens, the medina and Rue des Consuls, Chellah, and — on request — the Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art.
12hRabat
A walking half-day through Rabat's calm, walkable medina: the main souika market street, the carpet and craft showrooms of the Rue des Consuls, the Andalusian wall and the gates, with honest tips on prices and bargaining.
1 daysRareRabat
A full day along the Bouregreg: the exterior of the Royal Palace (Dar al-Makhzen) and its mechouar, the marina and river valley, then across the water to Salé — its Great Mosque, the Abu al-Hasan medersa and the old corsair port.
12hRabat
A half-day across the Bouregreg into Salé: the monumental sea-gate Bab Mrisa, the Great Mosque, the carved 14th-century Abu al-Hasan medersa, and the medina of the old Salé corsairs — well off the tourist trail.
1 daysMost booked day tripDay trips
A full private day east of Rabat to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the imperial city of Meknes — Bab Mansour, the granaries and stables of Moulay Ismail — and Volubilis, the best-preserved Roman site in Morocco, with its mosaics and triumphal arch.
1 daysDay trips
A full day to the whitewashed hill-town of Moulay Idriss Zerhoun — one of the holiest places in Morocco, burial place of the founder of the first Moroccan dynasty — paired with the Roman ruins of Volubilis just below.
1 daysDay trips
A full day to Casablanca, an hour south of Rabat: the colossal Hassan II Mosque on the Atlantic (one of the largest in the world, and open to visitors on a guided ticket), the Corniche, the old medina and the Art Deco city centre.
1 daysCoast
An easy day along the Atlantic shore around the capital: the beaches and little harbour of Temara, the Rose-Marie and Skhirat coves to the south, the cliff at Contrebandiers, and the dunes of Plage des Nations to the north — with a fresh-fish lunch by the sea.
1 daysCoast
A quiet day north of the capital: the hilltop Kasbah of Mehdia above the mouth of the Sebou river, the port city of Kenitra, and the protected freshwater lagoon of Sidi Boughaba — one of Morocco's best birdwatching reserves.
Before you go
Concierge
Tell us your dates, group size and pace. We'll send back a written proposal within 24 hours — private guides, transfers, riads, the lot.
Request a proposalFAQ
Because it is the calmest and most refined of the imperial cities, and exceptionally well connected. From the capital you can reach Casablanca in about an hour, Tangier and Fes by train, and the whole Atlantic coast by road — all while sleeping somewhere green, hassle-free and washed in ocean light. Its UNESCO monuments, the kasbah of the Udayas and the Chellah ruins also make a deeply rewarding stay in their own right.
A full day covers the kasbah of the Udayas, the Hassan Tower and mausoleum, the Chellah and a wander through the medina. An overnight lets you cross the Bouregreg to the potters of Salé, enjoy a Café Maure morning and watch the sun set from the Atlantic beach — and it is the ideal place to begin or end a wider Morocco loop.
The Hassan Tower is the 44-metre minaret of an enormous Almohad mosque begun in 1195 under Sultan Yacoub al-Mansour and abandoned at his death in 1199. Had it been completed it would have been one of the largest mosques in the world; the forest of broken columns and the unfinished tower remain, facing the marble Mausoleum of Mohammed V across the esplanade. It is the defining image of the capital.
Closest destinations
These destinations are closest to Rabat — easily combined on a private itinerary.
85 kmMorocco's economic capital — art deco, the Hassan II Mosque, and Rabat's big-city neighbour an hour down the line.
Explore108 kmMoulay Bousselham is the capital's nearest great birdwatching lagoon — the Merja Zerga wetland draws tens of thousands of wintering waterbirds to a sleepy fishing village just up the coast from Rabat.
Explore119 kmWithin day-trip reach of the capital, Volubilis and Moulay Idriss form Morocco's most layered day — Roman mosaics whose olive port became Rabat itself.
ExploreRead more
Travel notes and practical guides to plan your time around Rabat.