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A carved stone and zellige-tiled fountain on a square in the Habous quarter of Casablanca

Neighbourhood

Quartier Habous

The Quartier Habous, or “new medina”, was built from the 1920s by French planners to look like a traditional Moroccan town, with modern streets, arcades and small squares. It is the most pleasant place in Casablanca to wander and shop, with craft stalls, an olive market and some of the city’s best pastries.

Why visit

The Habous is a fascinating mix of old and new. Its architects borrowed the arches, tiled fountains and white walls of Moroccan towns, but laid out wider, cleaner streets to house a fast-growing city. The result is calm, compact and easy to explore, with hardly any of the hustle you find in older medinas.

What to see and do

  • The souks: arcades of leather goods, brass lamps, carpets, slippers and pottery.
  • The olive market: stalls piled with olives, preserved lemons and spices.
  • The pastry shops: try gazelle horns and other almond sweets at the famous Pâtisserie Bennis.
  • The Mahkama du Pacha: a grand 1940s courthouse with carved plaster and cedar. It is still in official use, so access is limited.
  • The bookshops: small bookshops line the streets close to the main mosque.

Tips

  • Prices are usually more relaxed than in Marrakech, but polite bargaining is still expected.
  • Some shops close around Friday midday prayers.
  • The Royal Palace next door is not open to visitors.
  • Read about what to eat in Casablanca.

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