Two tram lines link Rabat and Salé across the river. Blue petit taxis are cheap and plentiful; the centre is walkable.
Rabat
The calm capital by the river
Morocco's capital is green, clean and calm, and on the UNESCO list as a modern capital and historic city. Few visitors stay, which is the reason to: the kasbah by the sea, Roman and Merinid ruins, and good museums, with no one trying to sell you anything.
Getting there
Plane
Rabat-Salé airport is a short drive from the centre.
Train
Rabat Ville and Rabat Agdal stations, on Al Boraq from Tangier and on the lines to Casablanca, Fes and Marrakech.
Bus
CTM coaches from most cities.
Getting around
Where to stay
Medina
A few riads in the small, easy medina.
Hassan and the centre
Hotels near Rabat Ville station and Avenue Mohammed V.
Agdal
A modern district with cafés and the other station.
What to do
- Kasbah of the UdayasBlue and white lanes, the Andalusian garden and a view over the river mouth.
- Hassan Tower and the Mohammed V MausoleumAn unfinished 12th-century minaret and the royal tomb beside it.
- ChellahRoman and Merinid ruins in a garden, with storks on the minaret.
- Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary ArtMoroccan art of the last century.
- The medina and the Rue des ConsulsCarpets and crafts at fixed, calm prices.
- The corniche and the beachSurf lessons and a sunset walk.
- Salé across the riverAn old medina and the Grand Mosque, by tram or rowboat.
Day trips
Casablanca
About an hour by train.
Meknes and Volubilis
A long day by train and taxi.
Kenitra and the Sidi Boughaba lake
Birdwatching north of the city.
When to go
All year; the ocean keeps it mild. Spring and autumn are best; winter is rainy.
Quick answers
A break from Marrakech or Fes? Rabat is the calmest big city in Morocco: almost no hustle in the medina, fixed-price shops and a seafront. Two nights here reset a busy trip.
Is Rabat worth a stop? Yes, a night or two between Tangier, Fes and Casablanca. It's the calmest city to start a trip in.
How do I get from Rabat to Fes? By direct ONCF train; check the day's timetable on oncf.ma.
Travel times are rounded; check the day's timetable with the operator before you go. Last reviewed 2026-11-14.
Sources
- UNESCO: Rabat · whc.unesco.org
- ONCF / Al Boraq · oncf.ma
- ONDA airports · onda.ma
- CTM · ctm.ma
- Tramway Rabat-Salé · tram-way.ma
- Wikivoyage: Rabat · en.wikivoyage.org
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