Casablanca cruises, Morocco

Your tale begins with a panoramic drive along the Corniche Boulevard of Casablanca and its wonderful hotels and luxury restaurants for a photo stop at the Hassan II Mosque, an awe-inspiring modern marvel decorated by artisans over the centuries.

Continue through the boulevard d’Anfa and the residential district of Anfa. Crossing the Arab League and Place des Nations, visit the famous Cathedral Notre Dame de Casablanca.

Sit back and relax for the drive to Rabat, some 60 miles north of Casablanca. Upon arrival, you’ll see the 18th century Medina of Rabat, with its narrow streets.

Lunch will be served in a typical Moroccan restaurant within the Medina. After lunch, you will visit the Andalusian Gardens of the Kasbah of Oudayas, dating back to the 17th century, the prestigious Mohamed V Mausoleum (considered as the 8th wonder of the world), and the Royal Palace Esplanade to admire the majestic palace, built in the second half of the 18th century by the Sultan Mohamed Ben Abdullah. As you journey back to Casablanca, you will have time to reflect on your Moroccan experience.

Essential information

This excursion will operate by coach and on foot. To derive full enjoyment from this excursion a total of 2 hours of walking is necessary. Steps must be negotiated at the Kasbah of Oudayas and Mausoleum. The order of the visits may vary.

Casablanca, founded in 1515 by the Portuguese, is now an expanding dynamic metropolis, with wide avenues lined by modern buildings of European style.

Your tour will begin with an enjoyable drive along the coastal road known as the Corniche, bordered by an uninterrupted sweep of beaches and a tourist area hidden among the rocks. Spend approximately an hour at the imposing Hassan II Mosque, a masterpiece of Moroccan architecture and the third largest mosque in the Islamic world. This magnificent building has a 689-foot-high minaret and a capacity for 25,000 worshippers.

Afterwards, you'll take a panoramic drive through the residential quarter of Anfa with its mansion houses, crossing of the Boulevard Zerktouni and the beautiful Arab league and Nations Square. Stop for a picture of the Palace of Justice, then visit the Church of Notre Dame de Lourdes and discover the Royal Palace Esplanade and the typical Moorish-style buildings of the Habous Quarter. Before returning to the ship you’ll make a brief stop, for the opportunity to purchase spices, leather goods and souvenirs at the United Nations Square.

Essential information

This excursion will operate by coach and on foot. Shoes must be removed in the Mosque and shoulders and knees should be covered. To derive full enjoyment from this excursion a total of 2 hours of walking is necessary. Steps must be negotiated at the Mosque, church and Habous quarter. Only an exterior visit will be made to the Notre Dame Church on a Sunday.The order of sights may vary.

Once known as Mazagan, the fortified city of El Jadida was built on the shores of the Atlantic and founded in 1513 by the Portuguese. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is a small, delightful coastal town with several 12 feet-thick bastions – L’Ange, Saint Sebastian, Saint Antoine and Saint Esprit.

Within its city walls are the former Portuguese residences, with pilasters and wrought iron balconies, and the minaret and mosque standing next to the deconsecrated Church of Our Lady of Assumption, built in the pentagonal watchtower.

During a stroll around the ramparts and from each of the 5 bastions, you’ll have magnificent views across the town and sea gate, the moat and the clustered houses.

You will be amazed by an interior visit of the cistern, an underground reservoir. This immense square hall is supported by 25 columns and lit only by a circular opening in the roof.

Built originally as an arsenal, in the 16th century the Portuguese transformed it into a cistern. There is a mark on the wall that records the water level at that time; a setting often used by film-makers, in particular Orson Wells for his ‘Othello’.

You’ll make a short visit of the Medina on foot and stop for a refreshment before returning to Casablanca.

Essential information

This excursion will operate by coach and on foot. There is approximately 45 minutes of total walking included on this tour with steps and uneven ground to negotiate at the cistern and the ramparts. The order of the sights may vary.