Rabat

Rabat, Morocco's capital, rests along the shores of the Bouregreg River and the Atlantic Ocean. It's known for landmarks that speak to its Islamic and French-colonial heritage, including the Kasbah of the Udayas. This Berber-era royal fort is surrounded by formal French-designed gardens and overlooks the ocean. The city's iconic Hassan Tower, a 12th-century minaret, soars above the ruins of a mosque. 

 

Neighboring the Hassan Tower is the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, named for the 20th-century Moroccan sultan and king interred within its ornate mosaic-covered walls. Lining Rabat's walled medina, a mazelike quarter, are market stalls selling traditional handicrafts, carpets and spices. In the city's modern quarter (Ville Nouvelle), the Archaeological Museum displays a vast collection of ancient statues and other artifacts from throughout Morocco. Among them are finds from Chellah, an Islamic burial ground built atop ancient Roman ruins, which lies just outside modern-day Rabat.