Things to do in Rabat
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Rabat
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Best weather, everything open, gardens at their best.
Mild for Morocco but peak domestic holiday crowds at beaches.
Mild, green and quiet, with rain spells and the best surf consistency.
What's on
- Mawazine Festival Usually late June
Huge multi stage world music festival across Rabat and Sale, many stages free.
- Hassan II Trophy and Lalla Meryem Cup February
Two professional golf tours in one week at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam.
- Jazz au Chellah autumn, usually September
Jazz concerts in the floodlit Chellah ruins, dates move by year.
- Visa For Music November
Africa and Middle East music showcase in small Ville Nouvelle venues.
Best things to do in Rabat
Kasbah of the Udayas
Blue and white lanes, Andalusian Gardens and the best river and ocean view in Rabat in one small fortress.
Hassan Tower
Unfinished 12th century minaret over a vast columned esplanade, the defining symbol of the capital.
Mausoleum of Mohammed V
Superb marble and tile craftsmanship around royal tombs, seen from a gallery above the chamber.
Chellah
Roman ruins and a Merinid necropolis in lush gardens, with storks nesting on the old minaret.
Medina of Rabat
Morocco's gentlest medina, with Rue des Consuls, local souks and low hassle for a first souk visit.
Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art
The best survey of a century of Moroccan art, in a calm flagship museum by Rabat Ville station.
Villa des Arts
Rotating contemporary shows in a 1929 Art Deco villa with gardens, usually free or nearly so.
Jardin Zoologique de Rabat
National zoo organised by ecosystem, strong on Atlas lions and Moroccan fauna, great for families.
Where to stay in Rabat
Hassan / Ville Nouvelle
first trip, all-round base
Flat, lit and walkable, with stations, tram, museums and the best hotel spread, medina 15 minutes away.
Medina / Kasbah edge
character, romantic weekends
Riad terraces by the kasbah and souks, with uneven lanes and a walk with bags from the nearest gate.
Agdal
food-first and longer stays, train users
Densest restaurant scene and Agdal station, residential at night, sights a short tram ride away.
Souissi
resort-style luxury
Villa quarter with the big garden hotels and golf, nothing to walk to at night and a car for sights.
Think twice about
- Yacoub El Mansour and far fringes
Not a safety warning. Far from every sight, thin on hotels and dining, so you pay in taxis daily.
- Deep Sale medina as a sleeping base
Rewarding by day, but conservative, poorly lit and disorienting at night, with thin hotel choice.
Best restaurants in Rabat
Dar Naji
Packed local favourite for tagines, couscous and pastilla, the best value Moroccan dinner.
Zayyane
Traditional Moroccan house in Hay Riad known for regional tagines and little dishes, loved by locals.
Restaurant Dar Zaki
Small homey medina restaurant for well seasoned tagines, couscous and pastilla at medina prices.
Café des Oudayas
Mint tea and pastries on the kasbah terrace over the river, a ritual stop judged as a cafe, not dinner.
Yamal Acham
Long established Syrian and Levantine cooking in Agdal, the locals' change of pace from tagines.
Restaurant Cosmopolitan
Classic French dining in a restored Art Deco villa by Bab Rouah, Rabat's anniversary dinner address.
Le Dhow
Restaurant and lounge on a moored dhow below the kasbah, come for the river setting and live music.
Dinarjat
Palatial medina dining room with live Andalusian music, a special night splurge to book with open eyes.
Outdoor things to do in Rabat
Royal Golf Dar Es Salam
Morocco's most prestigious golf, 45 holes in cork oak forest and host to two professional tours.
Plage des Oudaias
Forgiving town beach surf below the kasbah walls, ideal for first lessons with gear rented locally.
Les Jardins Exotiques de Bouknadel
World themed exotic gardens with rope bridges and ponds, a lush half day escape north of the city.
Marina Bouregreg
Rowing ferries, boat rides and river trips past the kasbah and theatre, best at sunset for a few dirhams.
Forêt de la Maâmora
Vast cork oak forest for walking, cycling, riding and picnics, quietest on weekday mornings.
Plage des Nations
Bigger Atlantic beach and surf scene north of Rabat, a step up from the town beach at Oudaias.
Salé Medina
Older, quieter medina across the river, with a fine madrasa, sea gate and pottery at Oulja.
Hassan II Mosque
Ocean side giant mosque open to non Muslims on guided tours, an easy one hour train day trip.
Best hotels in Rabat
Four Seasons Hotel Rabat at Kasr Al Bahr
Palace hotel opened in 2024 with gardens, two pools and a spa, now the luxury benchmark in Rabat.
Sofitel Rabat Jardin des Roses
Grand garden resort with pools and spa in Souissi, the deepest review base of any Rabat hotel.
STORY Rabat Hotel & Spa
Small design led five star in Souissi, quieter and more boutique than the big garden resorts.
Hotel La Tour Hassan Palace
Grand historic palace hotel in Hassan, walkable to the tower, museums and medina from the door.
Le Diwan Rabat - MGallery
Boutique MGallery in the best central location, with spa and hammam and four star polish.
Euphoriad
Former pacha residence turned riad hotel at the medina edge, with rooftop pool and hammam.
Riad Zyo
Contemporary riad in the medina with plunge pool and roof terrace, well placed for the kasbah.
Dar Shâan
Stylish medina riad mixing art and vintage finds, with a sunny roof terrace, pool and hammam.
Is Rabat expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | MAD 400 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | MAD 950 a person |
| Splurge | MAD 2,400 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Royal Golf Dar Es Salam: weeks ahead
- Four Seasons Hotel Rabat at Kasr Al Bahr: weeks ahead
- Sofitel Rabat Jardin des Roses: a few days ahead
- STORY Rabat Hotel & Spa: weeks ahead
- Hotel La Tour Hassan Palace: a few days ahead
- Le Diwan Rabat - MGallery: a few days ahead
- Euphoriad: a few days ahead
- Riad Zyo: a few days ahead
- Dar Es Salam tee times weeks ahead in season. Mawazine tickets and top hotels go early for festival week.
Is Rabat safe?
- One of Morocco's safest big cities. Watch bags in Souika crowds, use lit avenues at night, emergency 19.
Rabat travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Unofficial guides at the kasbah gate. Airport taxis without an agreed fare. Royal Palace is outside only.
Getting around Rabat: public transport and more
- Tramway links medina, Ville Nouvelle, Agdal and Sale for about 6 MAD. Blue petit taxis are metered, insist on the meter.
Who Rabat suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | Not ideal |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | Not ideal |
Make Rabat your trip
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