Should I visit Rabat?

Rabat is Morocco's political capital and one of its most relaxed cities — leafy, orderly and noticeably easy-going compared with Marrakech or Fes. It is also genuinely underrated. The whole city is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and its sights are real: the unfinished 12th-century Hassan Tower and the adjacent Mausoleum of Mohammed V, the picturesque blue-and-white Kasbah of the Udayas overlooking the river mouth, the atmospheric Roman-and-medieval Chellah necropolis, and a calm, low-hassle medina.

What you get in Rabat is a more refined, less frenetic taste of Morocco. The selling is gentle, the streets feel safe and walkable, and the Atlantic setting is lovely. For travellers who find the bigger medinas exhausting, Rabat can be a welcome change of gear — and culture lovers appreciate institutions like the Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art.

The reason it is often skipped is simply prioritisation. On a classic first-timer week built around Marrakech, the desert and Fes, Rabat does not naturally fit, and its sights — while pleasant — are less iconic than the headline experiences elsewhere. It rewards visitors who have more time, not those squeezing a tight itinerary.

Where Rabat makes most sense is on the route. It sits on the fast train line between Casablanca, Fes, Tangier and Marrakech, so an easy way to include it is a half-day or overnight stop while travelling between cities. Do that, and you will see a graceful, characterful capital most tourists miss — without sacrificing the highlights.