ATM Tour – Casablanca – Day 2 – 12 January 2026

Slept peacefully and got up early, as usual, to complete the blog and Facebook post. Breakfast at Ryad 91 was part of the tariff, which was served on the rooftop terrace. When I went to the rooftop at a quarter to 8 it was still dark and extremely cold. I got back to the warm confines of the hotel room. When I saw some daylight at a quarter past the hour I went back to the terrace and was greeted by the person in charge of the restaurant. I was asked to take a seat of my choice. I chose to sit under an awning made of hemp, instead of the open air, due to the cold.

I asked for a cup of coffee with milk and sugar. Superb Moroccan coffee warmed the insides a bit. Then came three types of Moroccan bread - Msemmen, Batbout and Harsha - with white butter and strawberry jam. Msemmen is like the Kerala Parotta, but square in shape. The traditional flatbread, native to the Maghreb region, is folded into square pancakes with multiple internal layers and cooked on a griddle.

Batbout is like a version of pitta bread; it’s fluffier and richer but it is also very airy and tasty. Harsha is a pan or griddle cooked semolina flatbread. Bread is a staple in the Moroccan diet. It is said that breads are so integral to the Moroccan way of life that it is never dumped in the garbage. The leftover bread is separated and fed to pets. The wholesome breakfast ended with a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.

It was still quite cold and a bit windy, chilling the bones, when I started the day's itinerary. Literally a stone's throw away from the Medina entrance is the Coupole Zavacco. Located in the heart of the United Nations Square, the Zevaco Dome, was erected in 1975. It is an architectural gem that blends Western and Moorish influences, in its distinctive design, characterized by an elliptical dome. It was rehabilitated and reopened to the public in 2021. The dome's role extends beyond its function as a building; it also hosts art exhibitions and cultural events, making it a hub for innovation and reflection. A true symbol of modernity and creativity, the Zevaco Dome enriches Casablanca's urban landscape and remains an essential heritage treasure.

The United Nations Square, a public square in the central part of Casablanca, has been central to the history of the city. The area outside the walls of the old medina that is now United Nations Square, used to be the location of the Grand Souk before the French colonization in 1908. Over time the square evolved from a marketplace to a contact point between the European city and the Casablanca medina. By 2012 the Casablanca Tramway transformed the square. Thus, the United Nations Square is the transformative centre between the old and the modern, so to say.

I walked to the Casablanca Cathedral or the Sacred Heart Church, which was constructed in 1930. Religious activities ceased here in 1956 when the country got independence from the French. It is commonly referred to as a cathedral, although it has never technically been one as it was never the seat of a bishop. Since 1956 the 'cathedral' has been a cultural centre open to visitors. Numerous art exhibitions and music nights have been organised here. At the time of my visit, I was flummoxed, as were a couple of other tourists too, when told that the church is closed and that we should go to the Notre Dame church for worship.

Very next to the Sacred Heart Church is the Arab league park, a green oasis in the centre of the city, spread over 30 Ha. It has been a symbol of Casablanca for over a century. Painstaking rehabilitation of a park gone into disrepair is going on, in line with the fundamentals of landscaping from the beginning of the previous century, as well as the contemporary standards of the environment and equipment.

A short brisk walk away is the Mohammed V Square, named after the former king of Morocco. It was established in 1916 at the beginning of the French protectorate in Morocco and symbolises the expanding Europeanisation of the expanding city. The square is popularly also known as Pigeons Square, due to the presence of a large number of these birds in the square. Many important buildings and offices are placed around the square such as the Court house, the Military HQ, Town Hall, Bank of al-Magjreb and the Central Post office.

From the Mohammed V Square, I walked to the Notre Dame of Lourdes cathedral; a Roman Catholic church in modernist style built in 1954. The main attraction of Notre-Dame of Lourdes church is the stained glasswork of world-famous artist Gabriel Loire. The church's long concrete entrance is noteworthy as also the interplay of light with the stained glass on the vaulted concrete ceiling. I spent some moments in quiet reflection before trying in vain to meet the priest in the presbytery. I noticed that the premises were not quite well kept.

The Central market of Casablanca is a municipal market built between 1917 and 1920. Several important buildings near the 'Central Marche' are under renovation and hence, walking to the building meant many detours from the route dictated by Google Maps.

As I entered the wet market area, I was assailed by smells of fresh and iced sea fish. Besides, many vendors thrust menus under my nose to choose something from their stall for an on-the-spot cooking and eating experience. The variety of fish on display was awesome. The size of crabs and squids was enormous. I walked to the fruits stalls and bought some strawberries and figs to take for the road trip starting from the next day.

While the sightseeing part of the day was over, I still had to go to the office of AirCars, the vendor from who I had opted to rent the car from. It was Discover Cars that had got me the offer from AirCars. It took me some time to find the office of the car rental company.

Once there, I had a cordial chat with the company officials and confirmed the deposit and the process of paperwork. I also arranged with them to take the car the next day morning so that I don't pay parking fee for the overnight stay near the hotel. I went back later in the evening and completed the paperwork, inspection and handover formalities of the MG3 automatic that had already been on the road for about 33,000 km.

I had dinner in the Ryad 91 restaurant. Looking to have something traditional, I ordered a plate of couscous and a drink of ginger and lemon. Couscous is a traditional North African dish of small, steamed granules of rolled semolina that is often served with a stew spooned on top. Boiled cucumber and carrot and sauteed onions formed the topping of the couscous plate served to me in a clay dish. Cooking such traditional fare in earthenware imparts a different and distinct flavour to the item.

With this, the first part of the Moroccan visit has concluded. It was time to take to the road to visit some of the historic cities of the country such as Marrakech, Rabat, Tangier, Fes and Meknes.