Sightseeing in Rabat - what to see. Complete travel guide

The capital of Morocco, in the past Rabat has been an important strategic point, and today it’s a popular beach resort. Visitors are traditionally amazed by rich greenery and numerous flower beds in the streets of Rabat. There are so many parks and gardens here that Rabat looks more like a huge nature reserve than a town. One can walk all day long on shady avenues and spacious parks, and look at amazing plants and beauty of flowers. The city has managed to keep several attractions that will help visitors to learn about the history of Rabat and find out many interesting details.

The ancient settlement Schella is a true sight of antiquity. The buildings here were built back in the 2nd century. Nowadays only a fragment of the District Wall, Abu Hassan Tomb, the mausoleum, Sala Ruins and the minaret remained from the village. All these constructions are considered real treasures of architecture. Hassan Mosque built in the 12th century is known as the main religious attraction. This is a massive and beautiful construction, which project has never been completed. The largest park of the city is called the Andalusian gardens. The park was opened in 1915. Today you can see beautiful orange groves, cypresses and plane trees, as well as many exotic flowers and trees in this park. The terraces of the garden are decorated with fountains and statues. Walk to the remote part of the garden and you will reach Museum of Moroccan Arts.

Speaking of entertainments of Rabat, we simply cannot fail to mention the city's main markets and shopping squares. This is a real paradise for shoppers as you will never find such wide choice of handicrafts, souvenirs, carpets, jewelry and dishes in any other city of Morocco. Female travellers will fall in love with cosmetics and perfumes, which are produced from natural essential oils. Tea lovers will also find much interesting here as tea is considered the national drink of Morocco. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

A visit to the Archaeological Museum should be included in an excursion program. Nowadays, it contains unique exhibits found in the most diverse archaeological areas of Morocco. This museum was formed in the 30s of the last century. Its collection has increased hundreds of times since its establishment. The collection of antiquities, whose age is more than 8000 years, is of particular value. Antique bronze sculptures are museum's special pride.

St. Peter's Cathedral is the special attraction of Rabat. It was built in 1921 and is located in the very heart of the city. The Orthodox church was created as the residence of the archbishop. It represents a vivid example of the Art Deco style. The snow-white walls of the temple and its tall carved pinnacles surrounded by traditional Moroccan buildings look very unusual.

In the magnificent ancient palace, built in the 17th century, is located Udai Museum. Once this majestic palace belonged to the Sultans of the Alauit dynasty. Now, it houses a collection of unique historical exhibits. The main value of the museum is the collection of Koran publications, including very old ones. The palace is decorated with exquisite handmade carpets. In some rooms it was possible to completely recreate the traditional Moroccan interior, typical for the 17th century. After exploring the palace, visitors are welcomed to take a stroll around the picturesque garden with an incredible design.

Fort Rottenburg is a great historical monument, as well. It was built in 1860 to protect the port area. The defensive structure was based on the draft of the famous engineer Rottenburg from Germany, whose name the fort has been carrying since its foundation. At the time of completion, the fort had the first-class equipment. Nevertheless, during the years of its existence, it never participated in any battle. Despite the fact, that the fort has long lost its original significance, its building wasn't destroyed. Nowadays, its whole territory is open for excursions.

There's another significant landmark on the coast - an old lighthouse, built in 1920. It is still used for its intended purpose. The height of the lighthouse is 24 meters. The maximum visibility of its signals is 16 nautical miles.