Rabat

Visit Rabat for its UNESCO-listed medina, the Kasbah of the Udayas, Hassan Tower and the Roman and Marinid remains at Chellah.

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Rabat is Morocco’s capital, on the Atlantic coast at the mouth of the Bou Regreg River, across from Salé. Its medina is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the city is one of Morocco’s four imperial cities. The Kasbah of the Udayas, built by the Almohads in the 12th century, is the oldest part of the present city. Hassan Tower is an unfinished minaret from a planned mosque, and Chellah holds ruins of the Roman town Sala Colonia and a Marinid necropolis.

Rabat’s sights include the Museum of History and Civilizations, the Bank al-Maghrib Museum and the Mohammed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. Check the Oudayas Museum’s current status before visiting; it was under renovation as of 2019. The tram crosses the river between Rabat and Salé. Trains from Rabat-Ville and Rabat-Agdal take about an hour to Casablanca and about four hours to Marrakesh, with services also to Tangier, Fez and Meknes. Summers are warm and dry, with cooler nights; winters are mild and damp.

Rabat in five

Plan around Tuesday museum closuresThe national museums foundation lists Rabat's Mohammed VI museum, the Oudayas jewelry museum, the photography museum and the history museum as open 10:00 to 18:00 and closed on Tuesdays. Use Tuesday for Chellah and the Kasbah lanes.Rabat in one day
Check Chellah's seasonal hours before you goChellah is open 9:00 to 20:00 from 1 April to 30 September and 9:00 to 18:00 from 1 October to 31 March, with shorter hours in Ramadan. Tickets are sold online and at the gate.
Pick a base by how you moveAgdal and the Ville Nouvelle suit train and tram users, while the medina suits anyone happy to walk the last lanes with a bag. The comparison covers four bases.Where to stay in Rabat
Take the high-speed train, not a taxi, up the coastThe tourist board says the high-speed line serves Tangier, Kenitra, Rabat and Casablanca, with Rabat to Tangier in about 1 hour 20 minutes. Check the ONCF timetable for your day.Trains in Morocco
Hail a blue petit taxi and agree the fareThe tourist board names blue as Rabat's taxi color. The UK government advises using the meter or agreeing the fare first, and warns that ride-hailing cars may be unlicensed.

Things to do in Rabat

See all attractions in Rabat

Sight · RabatRabat Medina

Museum · RabatMohammed VI Museum of Modern & Contemporary Art

Landmark · RabatRoyal Palace

Free trip plannerPlan a trip to RabatPut the places you like in Rabat on a map, give them days, and let one button order each day. Free, with no account.Plan a trip

Need to know

Airport: Rabat-Salé (RBA), small; Casablanca (CMN) is the big gateway
Getting there: High-speed train from Tangier about 1 hr 20 min; Casablanca about 87 km by road
Getting around: Tram (Rabat and Salé), blue petit taxis and walking in the center
Best base: Agdal or the Ville Nouvelle; the medina for riads
Time needed: 1 day for the highlights; 2 with Salé and a beach or garden stop

Weather by month

Rainy days
Festival

Best
Good
Mixed

JanuaryClear6 rainy daysHigh18°Low10°Cool, damp
FebruaryClear7 rainy daysHigh19°Low11°Cool
MarchPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh19°Low11°Mild
AprilClear7 rainy daysHigh21°Low14°Mild, easy
MayClear4 rainy daysHigh24°Low16°Warm, easy
JuneClear2 rainy daysHigh26°Low18°Warm
JulyClear0 rainy daysHigh28°Low20°Beach season
AugustClear0 rainy daysHigh29°Low21°Beach season
SeptemberClear2 rainy daysHigh27°Low20°Warm, easy
OctoberClear5 rainy daysHigh26°Low18°Mild, easy
NovemberClear7 rainy daysHigh22°Low14°Cool
DecemberClear8 rainy daysHigh19°Low11°Cool, damp

Average daily high and low in Rabat, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Festivals: Jun Mawazine

Right now in Rabat

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Feels like: 21°
Humidity: 62%
Wind: 13 km/h
Chance of rain: 0%

Rabat

08:05 PM

Monday, November 2

GMT+0

Today24°14°0%Monday: Fog. High 24°, Low 14°. Chance of rain 0%.
Tue25°18°15%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 25°, Low 18°. Chance of rain 15%.
Wed21°18°58%Wednesday: Rain. High 21°, Low 18°. Chance of rain 58%.
Thu23°18°20%Thursday: Cloudy. High 23°, Low 18°. Chance of rain 20%.
Fri26°15°3%Friday: Fog. High 26°, Low 15°. Chance of rain 3%.
Sat24°16°4%Saturday: Fog. High 24°, Low 16°. Chance of rain 4%.
Sun28°20°37%Sunday: Rain. High 28°, Low 20°. Chance of rain 37%.

Updated 04:08 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 USD = 9.842 MAD

Amount

Converted to

MAD · Moroccan Dirham

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

What's on in Rabat

Concerts, festivals and big events in and around the city

Events calendar

Every year

JunMawazineRabat
SepBoulevard des Jeunes MusiciensCasablanca, a day trip

Day trips by train

Casablancaabout 1 hour by roadThe Hassan II Mosque and an Art Deco center, about 87 km down the coast by the tourist board's figures.Read the guide
Mekneson the Rabat to Fes rail lineAn imperial city with a walled medina and royal stables, best as a long day or a night.Read the guide
Exotic Garden of Bouknadela few km north of the cityA botanical garden the tourist board lists among Rabat's essentials.

Before you go to Rabat

Stays in Rabat by areaMedina riads, Agdal or the centerCheck availability

Guided tours in RabatA licensed guide for medina and ChellahCompare tours

eSIM for RabatTram, train and map apps from arrivalRead the guide

Insurance for RabatCover for train delays and bag theftRead the guide

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Rules for Rabat, checked

Chellah: 9:00 to 20:00 from 1 Apr to 30 Sep, 9:00 to 18:00 from 1 Oct to 31 Mar. Adult self-entry 70 MAD, ages 15 to 25 50 MAD, under 7 free.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source
Mohammed VI museum: 10:00 to 18:00, closed Tuesday; foreign visitors 60 DH. Oudayas jewelry museum: same hours; foreign visitors 60 DH.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source
Photography museum (Fort Rottembourg) and history museum: 10:00 to 18:00, closed Tuesday; adults 20 DH at each.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source

All Rabat guides

a large building with a clock on the side of it

Where to stayWhere to stay in Rabat: medina, Ville Nouvelle, Agdal or HassanChecked Oct 2, 2026

ItineraryRabat in one day: Kasbah, Hassan Tower, Chellah and a museumChecked Oct 2, 2026

Head to headRabat or Casablanca: which city fits your Morocco trip?Checked Oct 2, 2026

Plan around Rabat

All of Morocco

Cities, desert, coast and entry basics

Read the guide Meknes travel guide

An imperial city further along the Fes rail line

Read the guide Northern Atlantic Coast

Larache, Lixus and the road to Tangier

Read the guide Trains in Morocco

High-speed and classic rail options

Read the guide Casablanca

The Hassan II Mosque and the main airport, down the coast

Read the guide

Rabat FAQ

Is Rabat worth visiting?

Yes for one or two calm days. UNESCO lists Rabat's Protectorate-era city together with the Kasbah and the Almohad Hassan Mosque site, and it is less hectic than Marrakech or Fes. Skip it if you want a maze-like medina or desert scenery.

How many days do you need in Rabat?

One full day covers the Kasbah, Hassan Tower, Chellah and one museum. Add a second day for more museums, Salé across the river or the garden stop, or if you are using Rabat as a base for the coast.

What is closed on Tuesday in Rabat?

The foundation's four Rabat museums list Tuesday as a closing day: the Mohammed VI museum, the Oudayas jewelry museum, the photography museum at Fort Rottembourg and the history museum. Chellah and the Kasbah lanes are not museums, so use Tuesday for them.

How much is Chellah?

The official site lists adult self-entry at 70 MAD for visitors over 25 and 50 MAD for ages 15 to 25, with children under 7 free. Tickets are sold online and at the gate, and online tickets cannot be changed or refunded.

How far is Rabat from Casablanca?

The tourist board gives about 87 km and roughly an hour by road. The high-speed line also serves both cities, so a day trip either way works; check ONCF for the schedule that suits you.