Take a stroll through the old Medina in Casablanca

Nobody knows exactly when the medina came into being: traces can be found in ancient texts mentioning Anfa (the former name of Casablanca) between 900 and 1500, so it's safe to assume that the city's first foundations go back a long way. In November 1755, its destiny was turned upside down: Lisbon was hit by a terrible earthquake that destroyed almost the entire city (remember: Rousseau wrote about it in "Candide"!). North Africa was not spared, given its geographical proximity. Half of Anfa was destroyed, which is why the Sultan of Morocco, Mohammed Ben Abdallah, undertook major works in the 18th century and decided to rename the city Dar El Beïda, which translates as "the White House".

The ruler decided to reinforce the city's protection with ramparts 6 to 8 metres high, over a length of around 4 kilometres. These included gates leading to strategic locations on the outside: Bab el-Kebir and Bab el-Marsa, Bab Marrakech. Once the foundations of the city had been rebuilt, people from Essaouira, Agadir and Meknes moved in. No less than a century later, the population grew from 1,000 to more than 20,000, with the arrival of Europeans and Jews who believed in the city's economic potential.

We advise you to visit the medina during the day, as it is not reputed to be very safe after dark. You can start your walk at the Bab Marrakech gate. Here you will find a lively market where you can bargain for clothes and various leather accessories (belts, bags, shoes, etc.).

A second African market is also worth a visit: dubbed "Little Dakar", it offers consumer products from sub-Saharan countries. When it comes to shopping, there are plenty of stalls selling handicrafts and souvenirs to take away along the ramparts in the alleyway leading to Casa-Port railway station.

After walking along the Place des Nations Unies, you will see the great Hassan II mosque, then the Kouba Sidi Smara. This is a small green-roofed house containing the tomb of Sidi Bousmara, a 10th-century holy man.