The Capital of Morocco, Rabat, which lies on the Atlantic coast, blends all the best varieties of the famous cities of Morocco into one, capturing the true essence of the country in one location.
A quiet, self-contained town, Rabat, which, unsurprisingly, means “a retreat” in Arabic, still manages to contain a jostling Old Town, with crowded bazaars selling handicrafts as well as oil-drenched olives and sticky local sweets, a bustling fish markets that were once famously a pirates’ den, and a cliff-top castle, as well as other historical monuments.
The beauty of Rabat is in its relative obscurity, which lends it a true sense of authenticity. Here, instead of finding the usual flock of tourists and tour guides, visitors will rub shoulders with locals and bureaucrats; dine with the city’s veterans and experience Morocco the way it was meant to be experienced.