Rabat/Salé City Primer
Overview
The sister cities of Rabat and Salé sit along the Atlantic coast, separated from each other by the Bou Regreg River. Straight across the Atlantic Ocean is Wilmington, North Carolina. Rabat is the political capital of Morocco and is home to many embassies and consulates. The populations of Rabat and Salé are approximately 580,000 and 890,000, respectively. Rabat is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and visitors will notice its well-maintained parks and roads.
Get There
Rabat and Salé are easily accessed by vehicle on National routes A1 and A5. By air, the Rabat/Salé airport (airport code RBA) is located outside Salé, and has flights to Europe and the Middle East. By train, the fast train stops at Rabat Agdal station; the normal train stops at Rabat Agdal, Rabat Ville, Salé, and Salé Tabriquet.
Get Around
Within the metro area, a tramway with two lines provides accessibility to both cities. Small taxis circulate within each city, but are unable to cross the river into the other (to cross the city limits you must use a large taxi). On a recent visit, we were told that a commuter boat crosses the river between the two cities, but we did not have the time to experience this.
Get Lunch
The Yamal Acham Syrian Restaurant provides great food at a great value, and operates multiple locations throughout the area.
Get Touristy
The Kasbah of the Udayas in Rabat overlooks the river and the sea; the steps outside the Kasbah have been shown in Hollywood films, and the inside of the Kasbah showcases blue-and-white painted buildings. The Hassan II Tower and Mohammed V Mausoleum (currently closed), is the burial site of the former king of Morocco. In Salé, we visited the former pirate prison (currently only accessible by negotiating with the doorkeeper), and saw the outside of the Medersa. Both Rabat and Salé have traditional medinas.
Get Shopping
The Oulja Craft Complex in Salé is a great place to find pottery. If you enter the Arribat Center in Rabat, you may forget that you are in Morocco; a Dunkin’ was recently opened near the food court.
Get Dinner
Dar Naji offers easy traditional Moroccan foods for a good value. There are two locations—one in Agdal, and a much busier one directly on the coast.
Get Tea
Cafe Maure is a very simple cafe with a great location overlooking the ocean from the Kasbah. Stop in for a traditional mint tea, but be aware that at sunset, it will be very crowded.
Get Some Sleep
The Repose in Sale is a riad that boasts themed rooms. Located in the Sale Medina, this riad provides a great breakfast, the opportunities for massages, and great ambiance. We recently celebrated an anniversary here, and really enjoyed our time.
Get Inspired
Street Art and Murals are an impressive feature around Rabat. Every year, they host an arts festival that leads to amazing new street art around town. See this link for a map of where to find the art from the previous festival.
Thanks to Courtney at All The Best Days for the idea of how to set up these city primers.
Are you visiting Morocco soon? Start your travels with us to learn some Moroccan Arabic phrases and cultural dos and don’t and to have the best trip available to you.
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