Things to do · Rabat
Beyond its historic monuments, Rabat has quietly become one of Morocco's most notable street-art cities — largely thanks to Jidar – Toiles de Rue, an urban-art festival that has invited Moroccan and international muralists to paint large-scale works across the capital's walls and buildings. The result is a free, walkable open-air gallery of contemporary murals scattered through the Ville Nouvelle, Agdal and the Hassan district, where bold modern colour plays against the old capital. Murals are added, weathered and sometimes painted over from year to year, and the festival's timing and exact locations vary, so treat the details below as a guide and confirm the current programme and map before you set out. Here is how to find the murals and weave them into a day in Rabat.
10 experiences
Jidar (the Arabic word for 'wall') – Toiles de Rue is the urban-art festival behind much of Rabat's mural scene. Each edition has invited Moroccan and international artists to paint large-scale works around the city. It is usually staged around spring, but the dates change every year and festivals like this do not always run every year, so check the current programme before planning around it.
The murals are out in public on the city's walls and building facades, so seeing them costs nothing and needs no ticket. Many are concentrated in the central Ville Nouvelle, with others in Agdal and around the Hassan district — close enough together that a relaxed self-guided wander can string several together on foot.
Successive festival editions have brought together Moroccan muralists and visiting international street artists, so the styles range widely — from bold graphic colour to portraiture and abstract work. Which pieces survive and which are new changes over time, so expect the line-up of murals on the walls to differ from any older guide or photo you may have seen.
Although the festival itself runs at a set time, the murals it leaves behind stay on the walls long afterwards, gradually building a lasting trail across the city. That means you can enjoy Rabat's street art at any time of year, even outside the festival — though individual works do weather, fade or get painted over as the years pass.
Because the murals are spread out rather than clustered in one square, a little planning helps. Look for a current festival or city map, or simply wander the central streets with a map app open and your eyes up. Locations vary and are not fixed, so cross-check anything you read against an up-to-date source before walking a long way to a specific wall.
Part of the appeal is the contrast: bold contemporary murals set against a city better known for the Hassan Tower, the Kasbah des Oudayas and Chellah. Rabat carries a reputation as a city of culture, and the street art adds a fresh, present-day layer to that story rather than replacing the historic one.
The murals sit naturally alongside the Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMVI) on Avenue Mohammed V, the anchor of Rabat's art scene. Seeing the street art and the museum in the same day gives you both the outdoor and the indoor sides of the capital's contemporary art in a compact, central area.
A mural walk slots easily into a wider day in central Rabat — the Ville Nouvelle's avenues, the cafes around Avenue Mohammed V and the medina are all within reach. You can drift from old city to modern boulevards and let the murals you pass connect the two, without needing a separate dedicated trip.
The big, colourful walls are rewarding to photograph, especially in softer morning or late-afternoon light when the colours read well and harsh midday shadows are gone. Frame the murals against the surrounding streetscape to capture the contrast of modern art and everyday Rabat, and be patient if a wall faces into the sun.
These murals live in real, lived-in neighbourhoods, so enjoy them with the usual courtesy — be mindful of residents and traffic when you stop to look or photograph, and ask before including people in close-up shots. Treating the streets and their communities with respect keeps the open-air gallery welcoming for everyone.
Jidar – Toiles de Rue is an urban-art festival that has invited Moroccan and international muralists to paint large-scale works across Rabat, building up the city's street-art scene. It is usually held around spring, but the dates change every year and the festival does not always run every year, so confirm the current programme before planning around it.
Rabat's murals are spread across the city rather than in one spot, with many in the central Ville Nouvelle and others around Agdal and the Hassan district. Locations vary and change over time as works are added or repainted, so use a current festival or city map, or wander the central streets with a map app, to find the ones standing now.
No. The murals are painted on public walls and building facades, so seeing them is free and needs no ticket. Many sit close enough together in central Rabat that you can string several along a relaxed self-guided walk on foot.
Yes. While the Jidar festival runs at a set time, the murals it leaves behind stay on the walls afterwards, so you can enjoy Rabat's street art year-round. Bear in mind that individual works weather, fade or get painted over as time passes, so the exact pieces on display change from year to year.
See it with a local
We'll build a private, guided plan around the experiences you care about — with a driver, hand-picked riads and a written quote in 24 hours.
Contact us for pricingMore cities