Lacking somewhat in activities aimed at children, much of the entertainment is centred on beaches and hotel’s clubs. There is an amusement park nearby which is bound to keep the little ones entertained for a day or two.

Beaches
Head for the beaches at Ain Diab, Bouznika or Agadir for golden white sands and warm sea waters that between them offer hours of fun for the kids and hours of relaxation for parents. The sea is calm enough for little ones to enjoy a paddle and for older children to enjoy swimming or snorkelling or lounging about on an airbed. Back on the sand, the kids can enjoy building sandcastles or trying to dig their way to Australia.

Hotel Kids’ Clubs
If you are holidaying in Casablanca with children then it might be wise to stay at one of the city’s well known hotel chain establishments such as the Sheraton Casablanca Hotel and Towers, Hyatt Regency Casablanca or Best Western Hotel Toubkal where it may be possible to leave the little ones at kid’s clubs while you do a little relaxing by the pool. Hotels that run kids’ clubs invariably employ qualified, English-speaking staff who engage the children in a variety of fun activities for the morning or afternoon periods.

Parc Sindibad
Morocco’s only amusement park is the Parc Sindibad at Casablanca, a popular visitor destination where kids and adults alike can enjoy a variety of traditional rides and activities. The park has only been open since 2006 so maintains a modern appearance and ambience.

Casablanca boasts a number of cultural attractions which cover religion, history and heritage. Visit the old quarter for a glimpse into Casablanca of days gone by or enjoy a guided tour around the country’s largest mosque. There are royal palaces to explore, museums to enjoy and historic areas.

Ancienne Medina
The Ancienne Medina is the name given to the old quarter of the town and is located just off the main town square. Here, visitors will find no end of historic buildings to marvel at as well as a busy market area where local food delicacies can be sampled and souvenirs can be bought to take home to family and friends. If it’s the Casablanca of the old Humphrey Bogart movie that you are looking for then this is the place to find it.

Hassan II Mosque
As the city’s most important religious building, a visit to the Hassan II Mosque, is a must for all those holidaying in Casablanca. With the entire site covering a 22.24 acre surface area, it is easily the largest place of worship in the city as well as being the most grand and lavish religious facility in the country. The mosque, which is named after the king who is responsible for building it, is open to Muslim visitors only for general access however non-Muslims may take the guided tour which is given at a fixed time every day.

Museum of Moroccan Judaism
At the Museum of Moroccan Judaism, visitors are given an insight into life for Moroccan Jews through a variety of related artefacts including ethnographic, artistic and religious objects from a variety of historical periods. Guided tours of the museum are available in Arabic, French, English or Spanish.

Palais Royal Casablanca
The king of Morocco has palaces in every city in the country and the Palais Royal Casablanca is his place of residence when staying in the city Casablanca. It’s a fairly modest building by royal standards and is not open for interior inspection however it provides some pretty good photo opportunities for those wanting snaps of the city’s main landmarks and monuments.

Quartiers des Habous
This is the city’s new Medina and the place where visitors will find the modern face of life in Casablanca. Compare and contrast the ambience and the constructions of this quarter against those found in the old quarter and you get a feeling for how the city has developed over the years and yet still retained a deep connection with its roots and heritage.

Eating out in Casablanca is indisputably one of the best things you can do to get a true sense of the diversity of culture in the country. The local and national cuisines are subject to such a variety of influences that they really stand alone in terms of their blend of ingredients and the uniqueness that each dish possesses. Moroccan cuisine as a whole relies heavily on prime ingredients such as couscous, bread, buttermilk, olives, lamb, fish and poultry and herbs and spices such as cinnamon, ginger, cumin, turmeric, paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper and coriander.

Among the popular dishes on offer, Bisteeya is especially notable and comprises a triple layered savoury pastry with chicken, eggs, almonds, filo pastry and almonds with a lemon and onion sauce. The roasted lamb dish known as Mechoui is equally popular and sees tender meat cooked for a long period with a cumin and paprika glaze. Sweet dishes use a lot of honey and almonds with popular creations including kaab el ghzal, comprising of a pastry filled with a soft marzipan (almond paste) and topped with sugar. Honey cakes, which are a kind of honey and sesame coated doughnut, are also popular.

Casablanca has an abundance of restaurants and its possible to eat for as cheaply as only a few US$ if you are happy to frequent the eateries where the locals tend to hang out. Alternatively, you can make a serious dent in your holiday budget if you so desire with a trip to one of the city’s up-market establishments but you won’t necessarily get better tasting or more authentic food here but rather nicer presentation and much better service. For somewhere mid-priced offering a good standard of cuisine and customer treatment, try the restaurants at any of the city’s reputable hotels.

For shopping, the Old Medina is a good place to start if you are looking to follow the typical tourist trail. Here you’ll find all manner of locally made goods including clothing and textile products, jewellery, ceramics and handmade carvings and other artistic items. Cross to the New Medina and you’ll find a less tourist-oriented area but still a good selection of shopping outlets and market stalls. One thing to bear in mind when shopping in Casablanca is that you should always play the bargaining game; vendors will invariably give you a very high price to start with, after which you can offer half then you can agree to settle somewhere in between. It’s a cultural idiosyncrasy and one that can be fun if you are happy to play along with it.

Due to Casablanca’s temperate climate, there are a number of outdoor activities which can be enjoyed at any time of the year. Golf is popular with both visitors and locals, while rock climbing enthusiasts will find a range of climbs available for all levels. Other popular activities include horse riding and walking.

Golf
Golf is available at the Anfa Royal Golf Club located close to the city. This nine-hole course is a par 35 and is set amid some wonderful natural scenery. You can even see the Hassan II mosque in the distance.

Horse riding
Sharing the land with the golfers of the Anfa Royal Golf Club, horse riders have access to a specially designated track which takes them through some lush greenery and over a mildly undulating terrain. This is not really the place for novices to try out but rather for those already with some skills in the saddle.

Rock Climbing
Accomplished climbers can head out of the city to the Todra Gorge where opportunities for rock climbing are plentiful provided you have your own equipment and the relevant know-how. Red limestone rock faces of varying difficulty offer prime climbing conditions and as this area increases in popularity, it’s becoming possible to find a few pre-bolted routes.

Walking/hiking
Organised trips are hard to come across however, those with rental vehicles can head out into the countryside unaided with a sturdy pair of boots and a compass and set about taking on some of the Moroccan terrain for either just pleasant walking sessions or full days of intense hiking. Bear in mind that the heat of the main summer months probably precludes the possibility of hiking at this time and cooler periods are definitely worth waiting for.