Rabat the Capital of
Morocco is a destination which shows the visitor a little bit of everything with
a sort of
secret charm,an
Imperial city,with several attractions,
less shining of
Marrakech or Fez but it also has a long and important history,it has not
the glamour of
Tangier,but it is today a modern city offering many venues,a lively nightlife and luxury Hotels,it is not
a huge metropolis as Casablanca but it has the aspect of a very busy and big centre with its stylish boulevards and modern districts.
Founded in thee year
1150 by the important
Almohad Dynasty,Rabat is wrapped by an ancient history and it is also a relevant centre of Berber and Arab culture.It is a traditional city which offers an important historic past,rich in art,culture,beautiful coastal landscapes,elegant squares with lush vegetation and harmonious gardens.
The modern avenues packed of several shops,impressive Moorish monuments and a charming Medina with its traditional and colourful Kasbah and the presence small souks all together complete the image of that Maghreb centre.
Surrounded by hills and mountains,Rabat it is embraced by
the Atlantic Ocean and the
Bou Regreg river which divides the city from the ancient town of
Salé which faces the local harbour.The historic importance
of the port of Salé and its long history for some centuries has a little bit
overshadowed the name of Rabat when the city was nicknamed or known as New Salé.
Capital of the Kingdom of Morocco since the year 1912,after its foundation in the
mid 12th century, the Almohads who were also called
Al-Muwahhidun or
Berber Unitarians,a population affirming the oneness of God,that important local civilisation emerged with a strong influence as a result of a movement of Religious reforms and
who ruled the Maghreb and Muslim Spain in particular
Andalusia where they settled leaving important marks in several important cities such as
Cordoba,Granada and Seville particular from
1147 to 1269.
That Dynasty was always against another one the
Almoravids who also ruled in Spain,Morocco and Marrakech.The Almohads started to built in the area of the current city a
Mosque,some houses and a former
Kasbah the current
Oudayas Kasbah and in particular a
Ribat in Arabian language
means fortress and from that word came the current name
Rabat.
Founded by the
Sultan Abd Al-Mumin and baptised
Ribat Al Fath meaning
fort of the victory to commemorate the Almohads victories in memory of Al Mahdi Muhammad Ibn Tumart, founder of the Almohad movement and
dynasty.The citadel was a strong fortified building which was in that period one of the most impenetrable and well organised in all the Maghreb and soon started to be so famous all around the entire Northern Africa.The grandson of
Abd Al Mumin Yaqub Al-Mansurbegan decided to develop
a city next to the citadel,establishing a wide agglomeration developed along a vast area of
over 400 hectares with gates and impressive walls.
The powerful Almohad Dynasty created around Rabat for a period a sort of big Empire including all the territory of Morocco,major part of Algeria,Tunisia,a big part of Spain with Andalusia, Extremadura, Comunidad de Murcia,Comunidad Valenciana,Mallorca and Balearic Islands,part of the current Castilla,many territories in Portugal and coming until Lybia.
That great Realm needed majestic monuments to celebrate its prestige,every conquest,generally in that times the splendour of a city with such domains was honoured with the construction of monumental buildings and then were built a majestic Mosque with the famous
Tour de Hassan (Hassan tower) emblematic symbol of the city,the iconic image reflecting power and wealthy but due to a earthquake it was not totally finished according to the original project.That captivating history is of course one great incentive generating a desire to discover those magnificent and numerous charming secrets that city has.
In the 13th century the
King Alfonso of Spain attacked and conquered Rabat.It was the historic period of the new
Dinasty Merinids with the decision to move the capital to another place and they choose the city of
Fez,for its historical past and importance as centre but also because
Fez
was less vulnerable in terms of geographical position,located in the interior of Morocco and it could not be attacked so easy by sea as in the case of Rabat.
Due that the city suffered a sad decline,
sparsely populated and with a low value at the level of state regulations and political order.The fate of the current capital changed in the early 17th century,exactly in the year 1609 during the decree and laws by King Felipe III of Spain,
when the Spanish Monarch expelled from Iberian Peninsula over 17,000 Moorish.
That people leaving Spain found residence in the current Rabat and in the nearest Salé For several decades
they
formed
a Bipolar Republic with political and trade services in common and they were like two cities in one.After a period of relative peace and development,the new influential
Dynasty Alawites took possession of the territory and from there restarted the renaissance of the city.
In 1912, under the French protectorate,the
General Lyautey decided to move the capital from Fez to Rabat because of the strong Berber unrest who reigned there
and the
Sultan Moulay Youssef moved there a few months later.In the year
1913,the French officer commissioned to
Henri Prost to organise and draw a big part of the city with the project and creation of a
Nouvelle Ville de Rabat,the new city of Rabat.In the year
1956, the independence of Morocco from France proclaimed Rabat with the title of official Capital of the Kingdom.
Rabat is today a modern,dynamic and traditional centre with a mixture of old and new.The colourful surrounding hillsides and mountains as part of its frame,an elegant city with its reminiscent French avenues and boulevards with many important buildings and its old centre is surrounded by ramparts and with a presence of several souks in which you will find a big variety of products.Outside the city walls,there is
Chella which was an ancient
Roman settlement,transformed in
a cemetery in the 14th century.
One of its most emblematic monuments is undoubtedly the huge
Esplanade Yacoub al-Mansour where are situated the
Mohamed V Mosque.The
Sultan Al Mansour decided to enlarge that building to transform it in the largest Mosque in the Western World but his death left it unfinished.
North to that Muslim temple you can admire an impressive high minaret,the famous
Tour Hassan (Hassan Tower), also unfinished,it is the greatest monument of that Maghreb metropolis,
40 m high poly-lobed arches decorated with large tiles,with different faces and crowned with a tracery of arches.
The founder of that construction was
Yaqub Al-Mansur who was a descendant of the Almohad Dynasty. The tower, according to the tradition,was designed by an architect named
Al Jabir who used a similar design plan for Hassan's sister tower,the famous
Giralda of Seville in Spain. Both the towers were modelled following the minaret of another one of Jabir's designs,the
Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakech.
The history of that building is pretty curious.The tower was in reality going to be
a Mosque.Its construction began in the year
1195 but the
Sultan Yacoub al-Mansour died in the year 1199 and due that event the works were interrupted. That construction was developed until
a height of 44 metres,more than half of what was initially expected ;
86 metres.Also the rest of the project remained incomplete with only the beginning of walls and 200 columns in construction.Very atypical is the access to the tower,instead of stairs,the tower provides ramps.The minaret's ramps would have allowed the Muezzin riding a horse to the top of that imposing building to issue the call to prayer.Made by red sand along with the remains of the Mosque and the modern Mausoleum of Mohammed V, form the historical and tourist complex in Rabat really very important and a mandatory visit when you are visiting that city.
The Mausoleum of Mohammed V is the place where is situated the tomb of
the grandfather and the father of the current King Hassan,
Hassan II and the Prince Abdallah who
are buried in that great monument.
Located on opposite side of the Tour Hassan on the esplanade of Yacoub al-Mansour,that building is considered
a masterpiece of modern architecture Alaoutie Dynasty and it was completed in the year
1971.In
1999, the
King Hassan II was buried in that place and
it is one of the few religious buildings to visit in Morocco by non-Muslims.
The majestic construction shows a magnificent white silhouette topped by green tiles and embellished by typical kufi decorations.The interior is a large burial chamber decorated with marble walls and with a gallery at the top.Built with the finest materials by the best craftsmen of its time,the dome room is made by a sumptuous mahogany and cedar covered in gold leaf
and curiosity it was designed by a Vietnamese architect.
From the Mausoleum crossing
Bab Al Mellah an ancient city gate starts the
Rabat Medina the old city and core of the Rabat which was developed in the
17th century to accommodate the Moorish refugees from Spain and it is also known today for its
Mellah, the Jewish district and there do not miss to visit in the street
Al Souika the covered
Souk.
That site is a very colourful place with many small shops,where merchandise is piled to the ceiling and the souk began to be covered to protect the shops from the sun of very hot summers.There are a few streets and in general they are organised by speciality shops,such as slippers,clothing, tailors,spices and food and it is a place where you can use the classical bargain,but remember always with the maximum respect.
In general, if the vendor announce a price of 120 dirham for an article you can bargain the price which can reach (depending of the style how you develop the conversation) 70 or 60 dirham,never saying at the beginning numbers as 30,40 it is very offencive and it is the end before to start..Or never saying I saw the same article and cheaper in Tangier or Fez that is another mistake.
The vendor wants to do business with you, with its goods,no comparison with other souks,in business there is a sort of code and furthermore be always kind.That souk is also a place of social life and it is very interesting to discover Moroccan lifestyle in its total essence.The urban aspect and atmosphere is completely different than the Monumental complex visited before.
Around the
Oukassa which is is a typical street in the Medina with shops dedicated to sell everyday traditional products,on the right of the street you can come in in the
old Mellah,the ancient Jewish District,
abandoned by the Jews during the famous exodus to Israel and after that event it started to be populated by very humble people.
At a cross you can take the street
Rue de Consuls that name is because along that street were mainly concentrated the
European consulates
and residences bourgeois which occupied that stretch formed by antique
shops traders selling carpets and spices interesting auction prices to
find something of interesting, a place ideal to enjoy shopping with good
products for all tastes.
Next to Rue des Consuls is situated the
Ensemble Artisanal, or handmade set is in front of the entrance to the Fortress of Oudayas
.That
place is undoubtedly a must and worth a visit,there is a varied
assortment,the handicrafts come from every corner of the country,not
just from the Sahara and the interior areas,there are objects from the
coast,and a great selection of carpets and textile objects coming from
the Northern Morocco.
You can admire there objects made by wood, silver, gold, tables,chairs,
jewelry and wide variety of accessories and it is interesting, because
there is no bargain and you can directly purchase excellent products
with a very good price.
From Rue des Consuls turning on the left in
Souk es-Sebas,that is also another great point to cross the entire Medina reaching the
Andalusian Wall.
That wall is in memory of those Moorish Andalusian who repopulated Rabat,today those descendants have surnames who remember the Spanish surnames of their ancenstral born in the Iberian Peninsula such as
Karrakchou (Carrasco),Mouline (Molina), Bargach (Vargas), Balafrej (Palafres), Tamourroi (Chamorro), and that people is still considered Rabatis built that wall and the neighbourhood.
That area is packed by many narrow streets,alleys with white houses,stalls,cafes and street artisans.From that place you can have access to the
Grand Souk the Central Market,which is located in a wide square where it is possible to find several products such as fresh food,fruit and vegetables.
On the right side you can come in in another corner of the Medina,a peaceful area with several buildings decorated with splendid portals and attractive architectonic details.Many of them were converted in
Riad those typical and charming guest houses to spend a very comfortable stay in Morocco in a traditional place.(I wrote a post about them in thee case you are interested).
Sidi Fatah is another highlight of the Medina,it is a street named in honour of a holy man coming
from Andalusia,leaving the central market to get the
Alou Boulevard not far the cemetery of Oudayas.It is a place which has many jewelry stores and gift shops and where wealthy local families had their residences.
There you can see there an arch and the
Mosque Al Moulay Mekki which has a magnificent doorway and a painted wooden ceiling.It is one of the most beautiful Mosques in the country with its octagonal minaret, the only one in Morocco,furthermore it is also a
Marabout, which is like a shrine dedicated to a sort of Saint in that case to the Holy Man ,
Sidi Mohamed Ben.In addition the area it is also famous for its artisans who are great artists making authentic wooden masterpieces
Leaving the Medina you can enter in the
Kasbah of Oudaias crossing
Bab Oudayas the main Kasbah gate,a masterpiece carved in red stone,consisting in a kind of small fortress comprising three rooms housing temporary exhibitions.
That gate was more than just a huge door,it also has served in the function of official building and it has been both a courthouse and staterooms.The entrance with a large pointed horseshoe arch, surrounded by an arch decorated with festoons and tracery,the rest of the surface is decorated with a frieze of palmettes and other details.
The Kasbah was developed during the reign of the Almohads and practically abandoned.With the the arrival of the
new Andalusian Moorish from Al-Andalus,that place had a a new artistic and social revival and it is part of the secret charm of that imperial city,all the Kasbah was restored and strengthened and the Alawite dynasty began in turn work for the site between
1757 and
1789 and much more between
1790 and
1792.
Its style is of great simplicity and effective contrasts,the gate expands through three levels,before the circular shape is broken and the squareness of the gate takes control.The site is visible through the monuments which make up the Kasbah Oudayas and its famous monumental gate
Bab Al Kebir, a symbol of the Almohad architecture,the
Mosque Jamaa Al Atiq,the royal house erected on the western side and the military building the Fort
Borj Sqala.
The Fort of the Oudayas is one of the most beautiful constructions of Rabat.Pretty renovated in its exterior,it is a small fortified complex built by the Almoravids and it was a sheltered place where also many people prayed.Abandoned with the arrival of the Moorish Andalusian,in the 18th century it was restored,redeveloped and arranged as inhabited centre where many people started to live there.From there you can reach the
Sqala port and beach.
The Sqala of Rabat,is very similar to the platforms view you can see in Tangier and Casablanca too.It was a construction overlooking the sea and to defend the old city,a sort of prolongation of the fort of the Oudayas.Sqala named
ladder or "step",where the boats stop on their way before to restart their trips.It was originally a fortified stronghold which had a artillery battery and guns and below you can see the beach of Rabat,where you can enjoy several cafes and bars.
The cemetery of the Oudayas is practically between the fortress and the beach,not far from the estuary of the river Bou Reggreg.Most of the tombs in that place are painted in blue,yellow,green and white,there is a large concentration of them and it looks like a garden with several ordinary tombs and mausoleums surrounded by a splendid vegetation.In that area a palace and a Mosque were added later and named
Al Mahdiyya,in Honor of the prominent ancestor
Al Mahdi Ibn Tumart.
After the death of Yaqub al-Mansur in the year 1199
,that Kasbah was practically depopulated and desolated.It is anyway an intriguing place,isolated from the rest of the city walls,very charming with its whitewashed houses,ancient cobbled streets and the blue frame of the doors of the houses with painted windows.Oudayas Kasbah has a special charm,which never lost its old captivating and picturesque charm despite currently it is is mainly a residential area and place of administrative offices and embassies.
Next to the Kasbah of Oudaias is situated the
Al Alou neighbourhood.That
district is organised around the boulevard of the same name and
surrounding the cemetery of the Oudayas.Historically it is very famous
because it is the place where the French installed at the beginning of
the protectorate in the year 1912 with their headquarters and currently along that
important avenue there are many hotels,concert halls,a big post office,
and administration offices.
In the period under French rule the avenue and the district
were often used for military parades and sporting events in
the city and also in that place was opened the first
Hotel of Rabat opened by
the French,the Hotel Maroc.Today it is considered the new modern
city centre with new buildings and an important residential area.
Not far you you can see is the oldest source of the city called
Saquia Mejlija and dated 19th century. Bab Alou
is one of the four monumental gates of the old Almohads walls erected
in the
12th century currently it is not well preserved and decorated as
other Babs of the city but it is always an important access to the
Medina.
The
Mosque Moulay Slimane is a little bit outside of the historic Medina walls.Recently restored and renovated,it is dated the year
1822 and built for desire of the
Sultan Moulay Slimane Alaouite, shortly before his death.Moroccan Mosques are
generally closed to non-Muslims,is not like Turkey in many cases you can enter in the sacred precinct.Thanks to some renovations,you can see a bit more the structure of the Mosque which is organised with an outdoor patio,which is the place where people washes themselves before to come in the sacred space to pray and from there there are two entrances one for men and another for women.
Next to the Mosque you can see
Nouzhat Hassan which
is the largest and oldest park of Rabat.That huge green area is dated the period of the French Protectorate,wanted by French General Lyautey,mentioned before who was the coordinator in charge of the French Divisions in Morocco and he decided to develop that splendid over 4 hectares park with old trees to give the city a big lung,to enjoy fresh and pleasant walks.
Crossing that green space,walking on a pedestrian promenade you can reach another park called
Kahira which
is situated on a street with the same name at the corner of the famous and busy
Avenue Mohamed V.It consists in a big square,an open place,with a couple of cafes and two nearest Hotels,one of them is the famous
Hotel Balima Central.
Very close there is another Mosque called
Al Jamaa which is
the oldest Mosque erected in Rabat.Around that Religious construction there are several streets with many shops,cafes and some art galleries and in its proximity there is also a splendid view point from which you can enjoy a beautiful panoramic overlooking the Bou Regreb estuary river,the city of Salé and the Muslim cemetery.
From the street
Oulad Mataa Bazzo,a very stylish and captivating artery with white houses charming balconies and beautiful wooden doors you can see the famous and emblematic
Cafe Maure and the beautiful
Jardines de Oudayas.
Those gardens were designed by the French during the colonial era,in typical Andalusian-Moorish style and they are also called for that
Jardines Andalous (Andalusian Gardens).They contains several species of plants and at the top of the garden at the foot of a tower rises an ancient palace belonging to
Mulai Ismail, transformed in a
Medersa a Muslim School,later changed in a exhibition.Today it hosts a museum of jewelry,furthermore that complex contains another attraction,the
Museum of Moroccan Arts in the case you are interested yo know more about local culture.
Boulevard Hassan II is undoubtedly the most modern and important avenue of the Moroccan Capital with strong French influence,it is situated parallel to the walls of the Medina.Crossing
Bab Al Had you are on the outskirts of the old Almohads stood weekly market the
Souk El-Had,moreover,between the enclosure and the
Alawite wall located in the south in the area of
Agdal, linked to the
Palais Royal and at north of the orange gardens.
The area close to the
Boulevard the Fountains Publiques is very common as in the other poorest neighbourhoods of the Moroccan cities as Casablanca,Marrakech seeing people going to get water to public sources and you see that also there in Rabat.
In
Avenue An Nasr you can admire the wonderful and splendid
Bab Er Rouah the Gate of the Wind which is of course one of the most important of all the Almohads fortified gates of the city.It is an authentic masterpiece,a stoned monumental construction which deploys as the gates of the Kasbah a decorative tracery around the opening in the arch inscribed in a rectangular frame.
As in the famous Bab Agnou in Marrakech, large arches resume,by expanding the movement of the arch of the door, surrounding the winding with sharp points,topped by a wide frieze with Kufic inscription and flanked by two bastions.
Across the door reaching
Avenue Moulay Hassan about 500 metres away there is a small street named
Al Brihili, where you can visit the famous
Rabat Archaeological Museum.That exhibition was opened around the year 1920.It is a place in which the visitor can admire different archaeological items through the traces the great history of Morocco,starting from prehistoric times and ending in the Islamic period.
Of relevant note is the room containing bronze statuettes and
Roman objects of Volubilis, Lixus and Chella,
the head of Juba II and
the bust of Cato the Younger,both from Volubilis furthermore prehistoric tools with authentic pieces of flint carved by Neanderthals and a wide variety of Neolithic items.
Dar Ar Makhzen is a beautiful complex of buildings among which are the
Royal Palace erected in
Art Nouveau style, a Mosque and government buildings.The lavish and impressive Royal Palace,
Dar Al Mahkzen Palais
is the royal palace and seat of government,a recent
building erected in the year
1864 on the ruins of an old palace.
It has its entrance through the splendid gardens of
Mechouar carefully cared between large avenues where you can admire the military buildings of the city.Unfortunately the palace can not be visited, but is allowed to approach to the entrance and taking pictures.At the door of the palace extends
Place Méchouar, a square in which the main festivals are celebrated in honour of the Monarch.
Walking along
Avenue Yacoub Al Mansour after leaving the city walls it is a must to visit
the area of Chellah.The
Necróplis of Chellah is so famous because the Sultans decided to build it at the top of the former Roman site surrounded by towers and walls.Chellah is an ancient complex medieval ruins extending outside of Rabat and it is the oldest human settlement exists at the mouth of the Bou Regreg river.
That important historic site contains ruins of a Roman city known as
Sala Colonia,it was abandoned in the
year
1154 to concentrate all the most important activities in Salé.Subsequently,the Almohad dynasty used that place as a cemetery in the
14th century and the Sultan Abu Hasan I built several monuments and a gate in the year
1339.
The late additions included a Mosque,a
Zaouia,royal tombs, including that of Abu Hasan I.Many of the structures in Chellah were damaged by an earthquake in the
18th century, so that place has been converted into a garden and used as tourist destination.
The monuments complex is composed by two Mosques,a Medersa,a library and funeral chapels,all them surrounded by a wall,it has a beautiful gateway,a trail, fig and orange trees,olive groves and a lookout platform.
A path through the ruins of the triumphal arch entrance leads to where originally there was once the
Temple of Jupiter close to Roman Forum.The visitor can enjoy the remains of the Islamic complex with its minaret, near the tomb of Abu Al Hassan, near the small Medersa.
After leaving the Mosque,the road passes through the graves to the right and left into the pool of eels,Roman baths subsequently used for ablutions.Worth also a visit the beautiful Jardin de Chella a garden where there are a lot of migratory birds,including storks,which are on their way to Senegal,Mauritania and other coasts of West Africa.
La Nouvelle Ville,the new city of Rabat is the urban work during the French occupation when the General Lyautey covering his duties of Governor in the French Morocco came just about in time to stop the ongoing demolition of the Medina.Instead he ordered the construction of new quarters in the south area because the north was already taken by the Oued Bou Regreg river.
The result of the new Rabat was of course highly successful and those old French quarters were and are still beautiful and lively with well cared gardens,cosy cafes and restaurants,through the new quarters runs
Avenue Mohamed V another important artery of the Moroccan Capital almost parallel to the Almohad wall.
Avenue Mohamed V as many important avenues in Morocco bears the
name of a King of the country. country.The avenue is not far from the
Central Railway Station,it has a pleasant and lovely central pedestrian promenade and at the end of the avenue is situated the
Mosque Jamaa Al Ace Sounna
and on the other side the Medina.
In that majestic
boulevard there is also the
Moroccan Parliament, a modern red-white building
with an exterior garden.It is the House of Representatives,the
Chambre des Représentants,place of Morocco's first constitution which was signed in the year
1962,only a few years after the independence from France and when King Mohammed V wanted to modernise the kingdom's political life.
St. Peter's Cathedral is one of the few
Catholic places of worship in Morocco and it is situated next to the headquarters of the Moroccan police.The Cathedral is still operating and there is a mass every Sunday.
It is a great architectonic work developed using white stone with two towers added in 1930.It was begun in
1919 and opened two years later in
1921 in presence of the General Lyautey who was also the person who developed the city of Casablanca to become the country's economic capital.(I wrote a post about that splendid city too)
Rabat Post Office is a beautiful tall white building with a huge clock on its facade and several arches in the upper and inferiors sections of its walls.Inside you can visit the interesting
Museum dedicated to post and telecommunications.Opened in the year
1970,it displays a great collections of stamps,envelopes, telephones and telegraph machines.A curiosity displayed there is an instrument serving long-distance photos just like the ancestor of the fax and the visitor can also see there
the first stamp of Morocco representing the
Mosque Jamaa Aisaoua of Tangier.
At the outskirts of the city there are beautiful beaches such as
Sables d'Or, Temara,
Skhirat and
Plage des Nations once in the glamorous period under French rule,they were a destination of the Jet Set and aristocracy,today they are still very popular and loved by surfers and also highlighted by the presence of several cafes and bars in their vicinity.Those sandy lines are very suggestive in particular at sunset is Skhirat a very wide sandy beach all to enjoy.
Another attraction for tourists who visit the Moroccan capital is the
Rabat Zoo,which occupies an area of 50 hectares and it is located approximately
6,0 kilometres from the city centre.The zoo hosts different kind of animals and it is a good place to escape from the city doing something different and alternative.
The Moroccan capital hosts annually several events,
Théatre Mohammed V is a place for Opera shows every month.
Jazz au Chellah is a festival organised each year in
June by the Ministry of Culture,the city and the European delegation and
Mawazine is
a festival of world music which takes place annually and famed artists
such as as Stevie Wonder,Carlos Santana, Elton John or B.B. King have
performed there.
If you love to play golf,The
Golf Dar Es Salam Club,a place internationally known and popular spread over 440
hectares of trees and often hosting international competitions.
The city offers the visitor opportunities to spend an excellent nightlife.
Le Bistrot Pietri in
Place Pietri is a chic restaurant and bar,there are live jazz and rock
performances,Upstairs in 8 Avenue Michlifen is a typical Irish
-English theme pub in Agdal with good music and a wide range of ale and
stout beers.Amnesia in Rue Monastir,18 is a trendy club to enjoy a night
with good music and cocktails.
Moroccan cuisine is very tastefully offering a wide variety of typical plates.The famous
Couscous in Rabat is a semolina cream coloured steamed over an aromatic broth made of meat and vegetables and served with a sauce created from the same broth.
Olives preserved in lemon juice and salt is an essential ingredient in many Moroccan plates.
All types of olives are used for different recipes,they are of different sizes,colours and are used on different occasions.The
lamb is cooked on hot coals, known as
Mechoui is traditionally served during the
Aid al Kebir festival which takes place at the end of Ramadan while the
Tajines are slow-cooked stews braised at low temperatures,resulting in tender meat with aromatic vegetables and sauce.Typical in Rabat as in all Morocco is drinking the traditional
Atay the Mint Tea.
Rabat International Airport is located in the nearby area of Salé. The city has limited international traffic and with most flights with arrivals to the nearby Casablanca and then continuing to Rabat by train or coach or renting a car. There are anyway flights every day between Rabat and Paris.
If you are planning a trip to Morocco,Rabat is a must,the Moroccan Capital offers you a wide range of things to do,cultural visits,wide sunny beaches and the opportunity to discover that part of the world called Maghreb with its magnificent historical patrimony.
Rabat is a great destination,with all its secret charm of outstanding imperial city all to discover and it will be something very exciting and absolutely great to know something which will
surprise you.
Francesco Mari
uk.linkedin.com/in/francescomaritravel/
Recommended Accommodations in Rabat
Hotel Sofitel Jardin Des Roses
Hotel Villa Mandarine
Le Pietri Urban Hotel
Le Diwan Rabat Hotel
Hotel La Tour Hassan
Riad Kalaa
rabat-tourisme.org
www.sofitel.com/.../hotel-6813-sofitel-rabat-jardin
www.villamandarine.com
www.lepietri.com
www.mgallery.com/...le-diwan-rabat
www.latourhassan.com
www.riadkalaa.com
www.youtube.com
t a pizza at Ciro a Santa Brigida.
