The Bouregreg waterfront with the Kasbah des Oudayas in Rabat Photo: Pline, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- From Marrakech
- 286 kmas the crow flies
- How long
- 1 day
- Nearest airport
- RBARabat-Salé (RBA) or Casablanca (CMN) + 1h train
- Best time
- April–June and September–October
Morocco's calm, green capital — Almohad ramparts, royal monuments and an easygoing medina that feels like a deep breath after Marrakech.
Rabat is the seat of government and one of the most laid-back cities in the country — a UNESCO-listed weave of Almohad walls, French-era boulevards and bright Atlantic light. The blue-and-white kasbah of the Udayas surveys the mouth of the Bou Regreg; the unfinished Hassan Tower and the marble Mausoleum of Mohammed V hold down the skyline; and the medina is compact, walkable and refreshingly free of pressure. Travellers based in Marrakech often fold Rabat into a northern route as the serene counterpoint to the red city's intensity, hopping over on the high-speed train.
Where it sits
Rabat on the map.
Rabat is about 286 km north of Marrakech in a straight line; the road is longer. The line on the map is that straight line, not the route your driver takes.
Map: Marrakech to Rabat
- MarrakechView on OpenStreetMap
- RabatView on OpenStreetMap
- CasablancaView on OpenStreetMap
- Moulay BousselhamView on OpenStreetMap
- Volubilis & Moulay IdrissView on OpenStreetMap
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
What to see in Rabat.
Bab Oudaia, the carved gate of the Kasbah of the Udayas, Rabat Photo: Robert Prazeres, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Kasbah of the Udayas
A 12th-century fortified quarter of blue-and-white lanes above the river, hiding an Andalusian garden and a café terrace that looks out over the Atlantic.
The Hassan Tower and its column field, Rabat Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Hassan Tower & Mausoleum of Mohammed V
The marooned minaret of a mosque that was never finished, squared off against the lavishly decorated royal mausoleum and its mounted guards.
Chellah necropolis
Roman and Merinid ruins taken over by nesting storks and tangled gardens — one of the most atmospheric spots in the whole country.
Medina & ville nouvelle
A relaxed medina for carpets and crafts, set beside the art-deco and modernist avenues laid down under the French protectorate.
Trips
Rabat, the way we would plan it.
Every itinerary is private and built around your dates, with a proper stop in Rabat. Each one is priced in a written quote within 24 hours.
Marrakech to Fes, the imperial route
8 days
Rabat takes its place on the royal route alongside Marrakech, Meknes, Volubilis and Fes.
Casablanca & Rabat day
1 day
The Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca first, then the Udayas kasbah and Rabat's royal monuments, all with a private guide.
Plan your Rabat days
- Private your group in its own car
- 24 h a written quote
- Free nothing to pay to ask
Rabat, answered.
Is Rabat worth visiting?
How long do you need in Rabat?
Before you go.
- Getting there
- 1h by train from Casablanca, or 2h30 from Tangier on the Al Boraq high-speed line
- Best for
- A calm capital stop, the monuments, an easy first or final day
Pair Rabat with.
From the journal.
Have your Rabat days planned by a local.
Tell us your dates, group size and pace. We send a written proposal within 24 hours: private guides, transfers, riads, the lot.