10 Best Things to Do in Rabat (2026 Travel Guide)

The best things to do in Rabat start with three landmarks of Morocco's capital: the blue-and-white Kasbah of the Udayas, the 12th-century Hassan Tower with the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, and the stork-crowned ruins of Chellah. Rabat's historic core has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2012, yet the city stays calmer and far less touristy than Marrakech or Fez.

This guide is for travellers spending one to three days in Rabat — whether as a stop on the Casablanca–Tangier rail line or as a destination in its own right. 2026 is a good year for it: Rabat is UNESCO World Book Capital 2026, and Morocco's tallest building opened an observation deck in April 2026. Every fact below was verified against official sites and current listings in June 2026; prices marked "about" can change, so reconfirm on site.

Key takeaways

• Two of the best sights are free: the Kasbah of the Udayas (with its Andalusian Gardens) and the Hassan Tower esplanade, including the Mausoleum of Mohammed V.
• Chellah reopened in May 2024 after a three-year restoration, with a new visitor circuit and audio guides — tickets are about 70 MAD.
• New for 2026: the 250-metre Mohammed VI Tower opened in April 2026 with an observation deck at the top, and Rabat holds the UNESCO World Book Capital title.
• Getting there is easy: trains from Casablanca take about an hour and run roughly hourly.

Rabat's top sights at a glance

1. Get lost in the Kasbah of the Udayas

The Kasbah of the Udayas is Rabat's oldest corner: a fortified citadel built around 1150 by the Almohad caliph Abd al-Mu'min, entered through the monumental carved Bab Oudaia gate (1195–1199). Inside, it is still a lived-in neighbourhood of blue-and-white lanes that end at a platform over the Atlantic and the Bouregreg river mouth — and walking it is completely free.

Save time for the Andalusian Gardens — created 1915–1918 during the French Protectorate, despite the name — and a mint tea at the Café Maure terrace looking across the river to Salé. The small palace pavilion inside houses a jewellery museum with separate admission.

2. Stand before the Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V

The Hassan Tower is the 44-metre minaret of a mosque that was meant to be among the world's largest: Almohad caliph Yaqub al-Mansur began it in the 1190s, and work stopped at his death in 1199, leaving the tower short of its planned 60-plus metres and a forest of 348 columns where the prayer hall would have stood. The tower is climbed by internal ramps — wide enough, famously, for a horse.

Across the esplanade is the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, built 1961–1971 in white marble with a green pyramidal roof, where Mohammed V rests alongside King Hassan II. It is open to non-Muslim visitors, entry is free, and the royal guards in ceremonial dress at the gates are a photograph in themselves. Dress modestly — shoulders and knees covered.

3. Walk the ruins of Chellah

Chellah is two sites in one: the Roman town of Sala Colonia and the walled royal necropolis the Marinid sultans built over it in the 13th–14th centuries. After a three-year restoration it reopened in May 2024 with a new visitor circuit and audio guides in English, French, Arabic and Spanish.

Tickets are about 70 MAD (about 120 MAD with audio guide), bookable at chellah.site; hours are 9:00–18:00 in winter and 9:00–20:00 in summer. The resident colony of white storks — around 75 nests on the minaret and walls — is at its liveliest from March to June.

4. Browse the Medina and Rue des Consuls

Rabat's medina was laid out in the 17th century by Andalusian refugees expelled from Spain, which is why its streets feel unusually orderly and calm compared with Fez or Marrakech — you can actually browse without a guide. Its signature street is the Rue des Consuls, where foreign diplomats were required to live until 1912; today it is a partly arcaded, pedestrian artery of craft shops.

This is the place for handwoven Rbati carpets — the capital's distinctive style — plus silver jewellery, leather babouches and pottery. Mornings are quiet; bargaining is expected, but gentler than in the big tourist medinas.

5. Cross the Bouregreg to Salé by blue rowboat

Below the Kasbah, traditional blue wooden rowboats have ferried passengers across the Bouregreg river for generations — the crossing costs a few dirhams and runs from morning until late. It lands you in Salé, Rabat's quieter twin city, whose medina sees a fraction of the visitors.

Salé's gem is the Madrasa of Abu al-Hasan (built 1332–1341), a Marinid religious college with a zellij-and-cedar courtyard and rooftop views back across the river. Start or end the loop at the Bouregreg Marina on the Salé bank, where the riverfront cafés face Rabat's skyline.

6. See Moroccan modern art at the MMVI

The Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, opened in 2014, was the first large-scale museum Morocco built since independence — a white, arcaded building five minutes from Rabat Ville station. Its collection covers some 200 Moroccan artists, and it regularly hosts big international temporary exhibitions.

It opens 10:00–18:00 and closes on Tuesdays. Tickets have been reported between 40 and 60 MAD recently — check at the door.

7. Walk the Ville Nouvelle and the Royal Palace gates

Rabat's UNESCO listing covers not just the old monuments but the protectorate-era new town — one of the 20th century's most coherent planned capitals, laid out from 1915 under planner Henri Prost. Stroll Avenue Mohammed V past the 1923 Rabat Ville station, the Parliament, the Art Deco main post office and the twin-towered St. Peter's Cathedral (1921).

Nearby, the Royal Palace and its mechouar (ceremonial grounds) can be admired from the outside gates — a reminder that Rabat is a working royal capital, not a museum city.

8. Surf at Rabat Beach below the Kasbah

Rabat has a genuine surf culture: the Oudayas Surf Club, founded in 1998 at the foot of the Kasbah, is one of Morocco's oldest surf clubs and teaches with certified instructors, boards and wetsuits included, from age six. The beach sits at the river mouth, sheltered by jetties — a forgiving beach break that is ideal for first-timers.

Summer brings small, mellow waves and water up to about 25°C; winter swells are stronger and suit improvers. Even if you don't paddle out, watching the line-up from the Kasbah walls at sunset is one of Rabat's best free shows.

9. Go up the Mohammed VI Tower — new for 2026

The 250-metre, 55-floor Mohammed VI Tower on the Rabat–Salé riverfront is Morocco's tallest building, inaugurated in April 2026 with an observation deck at the top and a Waldorf Astoria hotel inside. Its rocket-like silhouette is visible from up to 50 km away — and from the top, the whole UNESCO-listed estuary landscape unrolls beneath you.

Observation-deck visits use timed tickets sold through the tower's official ticketing site. Pair it with the Zaha Hadid–designed Grand Theatre on the riverbank below — inaugurated in 2024 and an architectural landmark worth seeing even from outside, with public programming only beginning in 2026.

10. Meet the Atlas lions at Rabat Zoo

The National Zoo of Rabat, opened in 1973, holds the world's most important group of Atlas (Barbary) lions — descendants of the royal palace lions — and runs an active breeding programme that celebrated the birth of a male cub, Azaghar, in July 2024. Around 2,000 animals live across a 50-hectare park south of the centre.

It is the city's best family half-day; plan three to four hours. Buy tickets at the gate or via the official site, rabatzoo.ma.

Where to eat in Rabat

Rabat's dining scene punches above its size. Two favourites we cover in depth: Story Rabat for contemporary dining, and Villa Mandarine for a garden-villa setting. For the full list, see our guide to the top 20 restaurants in Rabat.

Practical tips for visiting Rabat

• Best time to visit: March–May and September–November. Rabat's Atlantic-side climate is mild year-round — January averages about 12°C, August about 23°C.
• Getting there: ONCF trains from Casablanca take about an hour and run roughly hourly; the Al Boraq high-speed service stops at Rabat Agdal. Book at oncf.ma.
• Getting around: the centre is walkable; a modern tramway links Rabat and Salé, and the blue rowboats cross the river all day.
• Dress modestly at the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and around religious sites — shoulders and knees covered.
• 2026 bonus: Rabat is UNESCO World Book Capital 2026, with a year of literary events including the SIEL international book fair (April 30–May 10, 2026).

Frequently asked questions

Is Rabat worth visiting?

Yes. Rabat is Morocco's capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site (listed 2012), with major monuments — the Kasbah of the Udayas, Hassan Tower, Chellah — and far smaller crowds than Marrakech or Fez. National Geographic placed it among its top destinations for 2026, and it holds the UNESCO World Book Capital title this year.

How many days do you need in Rabat?

One full day covers the big three (Kasbah, Hassan Tower and Mausoleum, Chellah). Two days adds the medina, the MMVI museum and the rowboat crossing to Salé. A third day fits the zoo, surfing, or a one-hour train hop to Casablanca.

Is the Hassan Tower free to visit?

Yes. The Hassan Tower esplanade and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V are free and open daily, including to non-Muslim visitors. The tower itself is viewed from outside; dress modestly for the mausoleum.

How much does Chellah cost?

Since reopening in May 2024, standard tickets are about 70 MAD, or about 120 MAD with an audio guide, booked on site or at chellah.site. Hours are 9:00–18:00 in winter and 9:00–20:00 in summer.

How do I get from Casablanca to Rabat?

By train: ONCF services take about an hour between Casa Voyageurs and Rabat, with roughly hourly departures through the day. The Al Boraq high-speed train serves Rabat Agdal station; classic trains also stop at the central Rabat Ville station.

When is the best time to visit Rabat?

Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) bring the most comfortable temperatures. Thanks to the Atlantic, Rabat stays mild even in summer — noticeably cooler than inland Marrakech or Fez.

Plan your Rabat trip

Browse everything to do in Rabat, pair the capital with our Casablanca guide an hour down the line, and message our team if you want help planning the route. You reserve online and pay on arrival.