Choose section
- Introduction
- House location
- Changing money
- Food & Groceries
- WiFi
- Hot water
- Washing machine
- Trash
- Getting around
- Things to see/do in Salé
- Things to see/do in Rabat
- Day trips
- Getting to other places in the country
Introduction
Rabat, full name Rabat-Salé, is split into two parts separated by the river Bouregreg: Rabat and Salé. Rabat is where the colonial houses and government institutions are, whilst Salé is the home of artisans and was once a haven for pirates who roamed the seas for centuries seizing European ships. Both Rabat and Salé have an inner historical old town called "Medina". With the two Medinas to explore, you can expect narrow streets full of small shops, artisans, street food, crafts etc all very traditional.. at negotiable prices (haggling is expected). And unlike Marrakesh or Fes, nobody hassles you to buy stuff you dont want.
In terms of safety, Rabat is quite safe, so long as you exercise caution and common sense (same as in any other city of the world). If you are coming by airplane, you will need to fill in a landing card where you will need to write the apartment's address.
House location
The apartment is on the 3rd floor in a very authentic area of Salé. Please see map below. The street name is "Rue Imam Malik, Salé" - you can only find it on GoogleMaps. If you don't have internet/4G, you can use Google maps offline by pre-downloading the map over wifi. Another option is the app "Maps.me" with the Morocco map (also free), so you can bookmark the location once there and to help you navigate the city without an internet connection. If you ever get lost, ask people for "Mkinssia" or "Rue Imam Malik".
Nearest tram station is Diar, and nearest train station is Gare de Salé (both are about 10 minutes walk).
Salé city center can be reached in 10 mins walk, Rabat city center can be reached with a 12 minutes tram ride.
Changing money
You can change money at the airport, or from either the Bank or the Exchange office, the nearest ones signposted below.
Food & Groceries
Within a minute's walk, there's many corner shops selling most essentials ie bread, water, toiletries, fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as a butcher. The nearest supermarket (BIM) is 5 minutes walk away, and nearby is a couple of nice restaurants just by the arches on the road (see map below).
Moroccan dishes to try are the tagines (come in varieties), couscous and bistilla. Pastries to try include harcha, msemmen, chebakia and baghrir.
Wi-Fi
The WiFi username and password are right next to the TV.
Hot water
Hot water is heated by gas. There is a large gas canister, which we always check prior to every stay. For those who stay extended periods, please call us when the gas runs out (ie the water does not heat anymore), and we will come to replace the canister.
Washing machine
The washing machine is on the 4th floor, next to the entrance to the rooftop. There are clothes line on the 3rd floor balcony area and rooftop. you can use the rooftop lines to hang your clothes if they are not already taken.
Trash / rubbish
For the trash, there are big garbage bins on the adjourning streets because the streets are too narrow for the garbage trucks. I have marked with an “X” on the map, the nearest ones to the house. From the front door, take a right all the way to the end, then right and then left to the end.
Getting around
- Tram is the easiest way to get around. There are 3 stations within 10 minutes walk: Diar, Mohamed V Opera and La Poste. I would recommend Diar when coming back at night. There are two lines between Rabat and Salé (L1 & L2).
It costs 6 MAD for one use and it works from 6am to 10.45PM from Monday to Sunday. There is a tram every 10 minutes during the week and every 20 minutes during Sunday. Maps are available in every station, as well as online here: www.tram-way.ma - Petit Taxis (ie "Small Taxi"): In Salé they are of yellow color, in Rabat they are blue. It's mostly Fiat UNO and Renault DACIAS. Fares usually won't exceed 25/30 MAD, but the minimum is 5/6 MAD. You should always set a price beforehand or ask them to use the meter. Don't be surprised if the taxi stops to pick someone else up.
- Grand Taxis (ie "Big Taxi"): Salé yellow taxis are not allowed into Rabat, and Rabat blue taxis are not allowed into Salé. That's where the Grand Taxis come in, they take passengers between the two. It's mostly white Mercedes. The fare is usually 6MAD for a shared Grand Taxi. It gets packed as it's 2 people on the front passenger seat, 4 at the back. Getting a Grand Taxi on your own is also possible but be sure to negotiate the price first.
- Buses: bus stops have signs showing at least the bus lines that stop there. Costing only 4-6 MAD, the buses can be of very variable quality, but it could be worth taking the chance given the cost-saving and experience of many locals. Buses can get very crowded to bursting point where doors are not even closed anymore.
- Walking: If you aren't in a hurry, walking around the area of the Salé Medina, Rabat Medina, the Corniche and Marina is easy and pleasant.
Things to see/do in Salé
- Medersa Abu al-Hassan. The Medersa was constructed 700 years ago for religious education. It's a fascinating medersa, amazing history. Great example of the architecture of the time. Gorgeous carvings.
- Mosque Azam, one of the oldest and biggest mosque of Sale. Nice to see around with interesting houses and colorful streets.
- Medina is the old fortified Old Town. It has many entrances (named "Bab" in arabic), the nearest one being Bab Sebta which is a 10 mins walk. It's full of colorful narrow streets, artisan shops, souks, and all kinds of traditional things.
- Salé beach, the best viewpoint of the Rabat kasbah.
- Marina Bouregreg, newly developed promenade along the river, with cafes and nice views of Rabat.
- Newly built mosque near Salé beach.
Things to see/do in Rabat
- Kasbah of the Oudaias. The Kasbah is the oldest part of Rabat. It has narrow streets with cute white and blue houses, the Andalucian Gardens, and the Oudaias Museum housed in a 17th century palace. As well as great views of the Atlantic Ocean.
- Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed 5. The most iconic sights, they are right next to each other.
- Old Medina, for traditional shops and the souks (markets).
- Chellah until 5:30PM. Old Roman city and later passed under Arab rule. Taxi or you can walk there from city center, but it is a very long walk. 10 MAD entrance fee.
- Mosque Lalla Soukaina. Far from city centre, needs a taxi.
- Gallerie Bab Rouah, art gallery.
- Museum Mohamed 6 of Modern and Contemporary Art.
- Royal Palace It is huge, you cannot really visit it (but it is a nice walk), the armed guards might allow you walk from one entrance to another especially if you look like a tourist.
- National Archaeological Museum.
- The Currency Museum of the Bank Al-Maghrib, at the junction between Avenue Allal Ben Abdellah et Rue Al-Qahira.
- Rabat Beach
Day trips
From Rabat, you can visit Casablanca, Kenitra, or Meknes as day trips. By either train, bus or private taxi.
- Casablanca, the main attraction is the Hassan II mosque, the biggest in the country, and one of the few that is open to non-muslims.
- The ancient imperial city of Meknes, you can see historical attractions like the impressive ramparts, monumental gates and the mausoleum of Moulay Ismail. At its height of glory, Meknes was not less than 50 palaces, 20 gates and a city wall that measured 45km long.
- Volubilis are impressive and well preserved Roman ruins with spectacular mosaics. Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Travel through the holy city of Moulay Idriss, perched dramatically against the slope of Mount Zerhon.
Getting to other places in the country
Train: The train station "Gare de Sale" has many connections to the rest of the country. It's just 3 minutes away by car or 12 minutes by walk. You can see the schedules & fares at www.oncf.ma.
Bus: the CTM bus company operates comfortable buses to most parts of the country, please refer to their website for times & fares: www.ctm.ma. The bus station, "Kamra", is about 25 minutes by car, depending on traffic.