ATM Tour – Marrakech to Rabat – Day 4 – 14 January 2026

It was wet; it rained the entire night. The Riad Maison Aicha is in a very good location, located as it is almost at the mouth of the Souq, as it were. The problem is the access to the accommodation. While the small size of the room was manageable, the size of the bathroom was indeed a matter of discomfort. I had a hot shower before packing up the bag. I was ready for breakfast, as committed with Said, at 7.30 am. The breakfast menu everywhere in Morocco is the same, it seemed. Said gave me a glass of orange juice, freshly squeezed, a couple of Msemmen, an omelette and coffee. That filed me up enough.

It was dark at 7.45 am, when I left for the parking lot. The pavement and the roads were wet with puddles of water everywhere. I managed to get to my car without the shoes getting wet and the baggage getting dirty. When I left the city, the traffic was sparse. In less than 30 minutes I hit the motorway to Casablanca. The next 220 km was almost on auto drive. It rained intermittently and I expected the worst for the day. From the motorway to Casablanca, I took the highway to Rabat. The roads in Morocco, at least the tolled motorways and highways are exceptional. In a bit over 4 hours I was in the capital city of Rabat, a distance of 320 km from Marrakech.

The city was completely different from both Casablanca and Marrakech, clean and organised. Indeed, worthy of being a capital. Neatly whitewashed the entire city is in unwavering white decor. The doors, windows and grills are of different colours. Instead of driving to the accommodation, as I normally do, I decided to explore some of the city sights, since some of the attractions were quite far from it. One of the major problems I thought I would encounter in the city is parking. Therefore, I decided to go to the St Peter's Cathedral first, where I expected to park without any problem. In the orderly traffic I didn't have a problem getting to it.

There was ample parking in front of the twin spired church. But I found that only police cars were parked there. None of the police vehicles was manned. I parked there, nevertheless, and asked a passerby if I could use the parking slot. He seemed alarmed. He said, "No, No, Police". I could vaguely catch something about parking where there are blue lines. As I was about to take my car out from where I had parked a police car happened by driven by a young policeman. I asked him for parking directions. In decent English, he told me I could park anywhere I found cars parked and, in a slot, in between. I drove out of the Cathedral premises and soon found a parking slot. I also checked with a passerby and he told me that it's fine to park there. And, I was surprised that there was no parking fee. That done, I walked the short distance to the church.

The St. Peters Cathedral, built between 1919 and 1930, is an art deco Roman Catholic church and is the seat of the Archdiocese of Rabat. The church was open for worship, but was empty. At the entrance, from a chamber, I was greeted by a priest. After knowing from where I was from, he showed me candles and donation envelopes. I told him that I would take the candles later. I took a seat in the first pew and spent many moments in solitude and prayer. Later I bought a candle, lit it at a minor altar and left the church.

From the church, leaving the car where it was parked, I took the long walk to the Bab Rouah Gate. I soon came to the Moulay Hassan Square, formerly known as Pietri Square. Located near the CDG headquarters, Rabat Cathedral, and the central police station, Pietri Square was once home to Rabat's permanent flower market, where people purchased magnificent flower baskets.

The florists were moved to make way for terraces of cafes and other restaurants that have become popular with the people of Rabat. The square now has a braided steel canopy that stands out dressed in yellow. Striking is the mural titled Najma, a project for the Museum Mohamed VI of Modern and Contemporary Art, which opened in 2014. It is an African Modern Art museum. The pieces of art displayed in the premises of the museum are themselves so unique that I spend some time admiring those before walking to the Bab Rouah Gate.

The gate and its adjoining ramparts were finished by 1197. The Arabic name Bab ar-Ruwah, meaning "Gate of the Winds", was possibly a reference to the strong Atlantic winds which batter the city. The entrance archway of the gate today is smaller than it was originally was. From the archway I walked along the rampart wall and came to the Royal Palace of Rabat, the primary and official residence of the King of Morocco.

At the main gate, I was told by the security personnel that I could visit the palace only with an official tour guide. The booking has to be made prior, and that spiked my chances of gaining entry to the palace that day. However, the security guard permitted me a peek into the Palace premises from the massive palace gate and take a few photos. With massive walls encasing the Palace grounds I could not capture anything of significance.

I walked back to where I had parked the car and drove to the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, with the intention of rounding off the city visit with the Hassan Tower. I was guided into a parking slot by a parking lot attendant. As I went through the first gate of the complex, I realised that both the mausoleum and the tower were in the same premises. The Hassan Tower is an incomplete minaret of an incomplete mosque. Commissioned by one of the Caliphs of the 12th century, its building ceased with his death in 1199. The tower was intended to be the largest minaret in the world of the largest mosque of the Muslim world. Instead, the minaret was left standing at a height of 44 meters with 348 unfinished columns of the mosque.

Located across the Hassan Tower is the mausoleum of Mohammed V, which contains the tombs of King Mohammed V and his two sons, late King Hassan II and Prince Abdallah. The mausoleum stands on an elevated platform and is an exceptional example of Moorish architecture and elements.

The dome of the mausoleum chamber is made of mahogany wood with coloured glass. The cenotaph of Mohammed V is carved in white onyx, where his remains were transferred in 1971, with the completion of the mausoleum. Guards in impressive uniforms and spears stand to attention at the four entrances of the mausoleum and another four at the corners inside.

The views of the city of Rabat from the high reaches of the mausoleum complex are awesome. The six laned roads, the twin track modern tramway, the Grand Theatre of Rabat and the iconic 250-meter Mohammed VI Tower with abundant greenery, glorious views of the Bouregreg river and the bridges spanning them can be enjoyed along the walkway abutting manicured and landscaped lawns.

From the mausoleum complex I drove to the accommodation, which is inside the medina. I had very clear instructions from the accommodation that I should not drive into the medina. I found an underground parking complex from where it was a short walk through the modern medina to the Dar Yanis hotel. The medina gate is called the Bab El Had. It is today much more than a mere vestige of the past Sunday market; it is now a dynamic urban crossroad and a popular meeting place, symbolizing the harmonious transition between the modernity of the new city and the authentic effervescence of the traditional Medina.

I was warmly welcomed at Dar Yanis, a superb old building converted into a hotel. The staff took a lot of pains to make me welcome and familiarised me with all the facilities there and the room. The guy in charge told me that I could park more cheaply at a facility close to the hotel and he gave me directions to it. After freshening up, I moved the car from the underground parking to the overcrowded parking lot meant for longer term parking. I was expertly guided into an empty slot and I paid the 30 MAD for the overnight parking and left by foot for the rest of the sightseeing.

The Corniche Bouregreg was under a km from the car park. It is the most well-known promenade in Rabat, and for good reason. It stretches along the Bouregreg River and connects the cities of Rabat and Salé. One can hire small boats for the crossing. This is a place where visitors come for impressive walking paths, a calming atmosphere, and spectacular views of some of the capital’s most iconic landmarks.

The promenade was filled with both locals and tourists. They combine the relaxing walk with views of landmarks such as the Kasbah of the Udaias, Hassan Tower, and the Rabat Medina. After spending quite some time in the Corniche and savouring an ear of boiled corn with a lavish sprinkling of salt and masala I walked to the Kasbah des Udaias.

The Kasbah of the Udaias, dating back to the 12th century, forms an integral part of Rabat’s history. This fortified citadel overlooks the Bouregreg river and the Atlantic Ocean. The Kasbah showcases stunning examples of Almohad art and architecture of the 12th century and its strategic location made it a crucial defensive structure for centuries. The Kasbah houses the Andalusian Gardens within its walls, creating a unique blend of military architecture and serene greenery.

I stayed at one of the Ocean viewpoints for over an hour, enjoying the sunset over the Atlantic. The many breakwaters, built to protect the shore from the battering of the Ocean, got busier by the hour. It became over cooler closer to sunset and I put on my Katmandu jacket. The sunset views were astounding. The lighthouse of Rabat emerged from the surrounding mist of the Ocean and became more focused.

On the way back to the hotel I walked through the old city market that was shutting shop and picked up a crispy chicken sandwich for dinner. Back in the accommodation I feasted on the sandwich and got into the comfortable bed for a well-earned rest.