Casablanca

Casablanca pulses with a vibrant, modern energy distinct from Morocco's imperial cities. Checking into the Four Seasons Hotel Casablanca ($550/night) in the upscale Anfa neighborhood, my private terrace offered sweeping views of the crashing Atlantic Ocean surf and palm-lined Corniche below.

My morning was dedicated to the awe-inspiring Hassan II Mosque, one of the few active mosques in Morocco open to non-Muslims on guided tours (130 MAD / $13). Perched dramatically on a rocky promontory over the churning Atlantic, its 210-meter minaret—the second tallest in the world—shoots a laser beam toward Mecca every evening. Stepping into the cavernous prayer hall that accommodates 25,000 worshippers, I was spellbound by the retractable titanium roof, heated marble floors, and hand-carved cedar ceilings crafted by 10,000 master artisans.

In the afternoon, I strolled through the Habous Quarter (Nouvelle Medina), built by French architects in the 1920s to marry traditional Moorish arches with Haussmannian boulevards. I stopped at the legendary Pâtisserie Bennis Habous, an institution since 1930, purchasing a box of delicate almond-stuffed cornes de gazelle and orange-blossom pastries (90 MAD).

For an evocative touch of Hollywood nostalgia, I reserved a table for dinner at Rick's Café, lovingly created by a former American diplomat inside a grand 1930s riad. With a pianist playing 'As Time Goes By' beneath curved archways, brass chandeliers, and potted palms, I sipped a signature 'Normandy 44' champagne cocktail followed by grilled sea bass with saffron butter sauce (450 MAD).

Before departing, I walked along the newly revitalized beachfront promenade of La Corniche, watching local surfers catch Atlantic rollers under the golden afternoon sun. Casablanca is a sophisticated, forward-looking gateway that grounds Morocco in the modern world.