Casablanca Travel Tips

Banks: 08:15 to 11:30 and 14:15 to 16:30, Monday to Thursday. Friday closing: 16:45 in winter; 14:15 in summer.
Post Offices: 08:30 to 12:00 and 14:30 to 18:30, Monday to Friday. 08:30 to 14:00, Saturday.
Department Stores and Shops: 08:30 to 12:00 and 14:30 to 18:30, Monday to Thursday; 08:30 to 11:00 and 15:00 to 18:30.
Museums: times vary according to individual locations.
Business Offices: 08:30 to 12.30 and 14:30 to 18:30, Monday to Friday.

Morocco carries something of a reputation for relatively high levels of street crime, so it’s wise for those who are visiting Casablanca, to take extra care when out and about sightseeing during the day or socialising of an evening. Wearing expensive jewellery in public and flaunting valuable personal items is likely to attract the attention of miscreants and is best avoided. Keep cash in hard to reach places to thwart the efforts of pickpockets and carry bags in a fashion so as to make yourself a difficult target for bag snatchers. All visitors, but women in particular, should be wary of walking alone at night. The city’s main police station is situated on Boulevard Brahim Roudani in case you have need of assistance or cause to report a crime against yourself or companion.

Electricity: 220 V 50HZ

All visitors to Casablanca are advised to be immunised against polio and typhoid prior to their trip and to consider also having a rabies immunisation if close contact with animals is likely. STDs are as prevalent in Morocco as any country and hence it’s wise to be as conscientious with regards to the safety of your sexual practices as you would back in your own country.

Avoid drinking water from taps or accepting ice in drinks that may have been made from unpurified water. Bottled water is readily available, cheap and a much safer bet for drinking and any other internal purposes. Be wary of meat and dairy products from cheap and seemingly unregulated sources, as both have the capacity to cause food poisoning. Visitors who are unfortunate enough to be taken sick while staying in Casablanca should be wary of the hospital they choose to go to for treatment, as many offer standards below those considered the norm for the UK, US and other developed nations. All visitors are advised to take out travel insurance with adequate provision for medical care prior to their trip.

Clinique Agdal (Rabat) Hospital: Tel: +212 37 777777

The official language of Morocco is Classical Arabic, but many residents of Casablanca speak a regional variation of this so practicing with a phrasebook before you arrive may only go so far to helping you converse with the locals. Additionally, French is commonly spoken while English-speaking remains a skill largely associated with the educated or those working in popular tourist areas.

The official currency in Casablanca is the Moroccan Dirham. One Dirham is made up of 100 centimes. Notes are issued in denominations of DH 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 while coins are available in DH 1, 5 & 10/5, 10, 20 & 50 centimes.

Bureau de change booth/counters can be found in various locations in the city but it’s wise to check both their exchange rate before considering any transactions. Additionally, almost all banks will change money and invariably at better rates. Some hotels may also exchange money but the rates offered are among the worst available. ATMs will accept most foreign cards (AMEX, Diner’s Club, Visa etc. are best).

The import and export of local currency is prohibited, foreign currencies can be imported or exported without limit however amounts over DH15,000 must be declared. Visitors are permitted to import up to 200 Cigarettes or 50 Cigars or 250g of Tobacco and a single bottle (75cl) of spirits.

As Islam is the official religion of Morocco, it governs both law and local culture so visitors need to be mindful of Islamic beliefs and traditions while holidaying in Casablanca. Modest clothing is appropriate at all times and even more so when visiting holy sites; women in particular are obliged to cover arms and legs before entering mosques and other religious buildings. The people of Casablanca are friendly but reserved in some respects so greetings are generally limited to handshakes and public displays of affection are frowned upon. Similar to the East-Asian concept of ‘face’, Moroccans believe strongly in what is referred to as Hshuma which translates loosely as ‘shame’. It’s imperative to avoid bringing Hshuma upon yourself and upon others and certain outward displays of behaviour might be employed to make sure this doesn’t happen. Visitors should be aware of the concept of Hshuma and avoid openly criticising locals while staying in Casablanca.

Dining Etiquette
If you are fortunate enough to be invited to the home of a local in Casablanca, there’s quite an extensive list of do’s and don’ts that need to be followed if you are to avoid upsetting or insulting your host and fellow guests. If you follow the basics however, you can be fairly sure that minor faux pas will be overlooked by most dinner guests and will be allowed to pass without comment. Always wash your hands before eating via the basin provided; your host or another guest will pour water over your hands for you; await the blessing of the food before beginning to eat; eat and drink only with the right hand; food is presented in a large bowl from which everyone eats. It’s polite to eat from the area of the bowl immediately in front of you; wash your hands again at the end of the meal.

Visitors from the EU, US, Canada, Australia and Japan may enter the country without a visa provided their passport is valid for at least six month from the date of entry.

Casablanca’s tourist office can be found at 95, boulevard Mohamed V; and can be contacted by calling: +212 22 15 24