EZTrip.com International Destination Guide and Hotel Listings

Casa is a large city by any standards and it can be a bewildering place in which to arrive, especially if you come in on one of the trains that terminate at the main Gare des Voyageurs rather than continuing on to the better-situated Gare du Port .

Once you're in the city centre, however, orientation is relatively straightforward. It's focused on a large public square, Place Mohammed V , and most of the places to stay, eat, or (in a rather limited way) see, are located in and around the avenues that radiate from it. A few blocks to the north, still partially walled, is the Old Medina , which was all there was of Casablanca until around 1907. Much further out to the south is the Habous quarter - the New Medina , created by the French, while to the west, along the corniche past the Mosquée Hassan II, lies the beach suburb of Aïn Diab .

Take a look at the map in the Casablanca tourist office pamphlet. Along with other information, this is available at the city's Délégation du Tourisme (formerly ONMT) office at 55 Rue Omar Slaoui (tel 02/227 1177; Mon-Fri 8.30am-noon & 2.30-6.30pm), or the Syndicat d'Initiative at 98 Boulevard Mohammed V (tel 02/222 1524; Mon-Fri 8.30am-noon & 3-6.30pm: Sat 8.30am-noon), which is more helpful and has regular exhibitions of local artists' work.