2019-10-01 Wanderlust

In the corner of Morocco'scapitalRabat,thisancientcitadelstillstandsstrong.It'san

unsung icon, but thesecret'sout:it'stimetoplanyourcentury-hoppingcitybreak

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wanderlust.co.uk October 2019 177

Get orientated
With its dazzling blue houses,
honey-hued ramparts and
mighty red-ochre city gate,
Oudaïa Kasbah is the jewel
of Rabat’s architectural riches

• but the crowds seem yet to
  catch on to it.
  Built largely in the 12th century
  by the Almohad caliphate,
  a powerful Berber-Muslim
  empire, this coastal citadel has
  withstood invasions,
  modernisation, and even the
  best e orts of the Atlantic
  Ocean to break down its walls.
  Its warren of narrow streets
  make getting lost a joy, though
  the kasbah’s so tiny (just a few
  hundred square metres) you’ll
  retrace your steps in no time –
  discovering sleepy tea houses,

a 869-year-oldmosqueand

tranquilgardensalongtheway.

Thisistheseasontoexplore:

in autumn,theclimatehovers

around19°C,whilethewatersof

RabatBeacharestillwarm

enoughforadip.Baseyourself

in oneofOudaïaKasbah’s

family-runriads(suchasDar

Mayssane;rabat-riad.com)and

you’llhaveotherhistoric

treasures–includingthe

12th-centuryHassanTowerand

Chellah’sRomanruins–within

easyreachtoo.

Gettingthere

& around

Ryanair†liesdirectlyfrom

LondonStanstedtoRabat–Salé

Airport(3hours 10 minutes;

from£34return).Toreachthe

citycentre,taketheStareobus:

40 minutes,fromMAD20

(£1.70)one-way.Alternatively,

Casablanca’sMohammedV

InternationalAirport–a1.5hour

drivefromRabat–isservedby

otherairlinessuchasRoyalAir

Maroc(fromManchester).

Rabatiseasytowalkaround,

althoughbluepetittaxisare

inexpensive:hailonthestreet,

andalwayscheckthemeter.

Thevisit

Thekasbahisfreetoenter,and

nevercloses.Slipintoitthrough

theBabOudaïagateway–an

ornately-carvedarchdating

backto 1195 – andyou’llcome

face-to-facewithEl-Atika

Mosque,Rabat'soldest

building.This12th-century

Pocket

Your cut-out and keep travel companion

Jewel of Rabat

A view of the

Oudaïa Kasbah

from the coast

house of worship is the heart of

the kasbah, and a useful

landmark when †inding your

way. It is open only to Muslims.

Delve into the jumble of

streets, where cats snooze in

shady corners, and the roiling

Atlantic peeks between

blue-painted houses. Sooner

or later, you’ll stumble upon

the Andalusian Gardens (free)

• a tranquil nook †illed with
  †lowers and fruit trees – and
  the intricate facade of the
  kasbah’s small 17th century
  palace. The latter may be
  closed to visitors, but the
  garden can still be enjoyed.
  Finally, seek out Café Maure in
  the southern corner of the
  kasbah, overlooking the coast,
  for a mint-infused cuppa.

TRAVEL ICON

THE OUDA A KASBAH,

RABAT, MOROCCO

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