Boasting world-renowned mosques decked with colorful, elaborate mosaics; beautiful riads (traditional Moroccan houses) turned hotels or BnB; and rich cultures blending Berber, Arab, African, Mediterranean, and Jewish influences, Morocco is listed as one of the most popular destinations in recent years. Stunning photos of Marrakesh and Chefchaouen have spread across social media and they’ve aroused my desire to discover the true colors of this African city behind filters.

Visiting four cities in ten days is a bit greedy but we’d like to see Morocco as much as we could after flying over 7,000 miles from Hong Kong. Making a circular route, our packed itinerary started in Casablanca, the largest city of Morocco. We then headed south to Marrakesh, where our pre-booked private tour took us on a three-day trip to the Sahara desert and dropped us off in Fes, a medieval city home to the world’s oldest university. We last stopped in Chefchaouen – the famous blue city – before flying home via Casablanca.

Many Moroccan and international corporations have been putting down roots in Casablanca, making it the economic and financial hub of the country.  Lacking touristy attractions comparing to its neighboring cities, Casablanca is easily dismissed by holidaymakers. After landing in CMN airport, many travelers would choose to head straight to Marrakesh on a 3.5-hour train journey operated by ONCF. However, considering our physical and mental conditions after being stuck in an aircraft for 15 hours, we decided to take a break in Casablanca and visit the largest mosque in Northern Africa, Hassan II Mosque.

A 10-min drive from Casa Port, the main train station, Hassan II Mosque is situated on a promontory by the Atlantic Ocean. The easiest way to get there is to take a red taxi. You may have found a lot of advice online telling you to insist on the driver turning on the meter,  but according to our experience, it’s an impossible mission. They’d just go away and find other customers. What we could do was to bargain a price that’s a bit more reasonable.

Designed by French architect Michel Pinseau, Hassan II Mosque features the world’s tallest minaret at 210 meters and a enchanting mix of Islamic architecture and urban design. Pleasing to the eyes, the exterior of the building is ornamented with pale blue marble and Zellige mosaic tilework. For those who want to go inside the mosque, a few guided tours are arranged in different languages every day. Schedule and tickets could be found in the office located five minutes away from the building.

Staying at the back of a group of over 40 people, we could barely hear or see the tour guide. After standing on our toes trying our best to peck through the crowd, we decided to sneak away and explore around by ourselves. Meticulously crafted by over 6000 artisans, the prayer hall is a spectacular piece of art, with amazing zellije artwork, intricate woodcarvings made from cedar from middle Atlas mountains, and exquisite locally-sourced marble and pink granite. Going down to the basement, you’ll see dozens of ablution fountains shaped like huge lotus flowers. Combining the hall and the courtyard area, the mosque can accommodate a total of 105,000 worshippers.

About 20-minute walk from Hassan II Mosque is the Old Medina. Meaning city or town in Arabic, the medina is a typical walled area with narrow, maze-like streets that are found in many North African cities. Comparing to the one in Marrakesh or Fes, the Old Medina in Casablanca is less touristy and more authentic. Instead of souvenirs shops, the streets are mainly lined with grocery stores, pharmacies, stalls selling fruits and vegetables, barbershops, and homes of the local people. Every turn and twist could be a surprise as the color and design of the streets vary in different areas.

For dinner, we went to L’Etoile Centrale, a traditional Moroccan restaurant. With a cozy setting of plush sofas, beautiful tiles, and Moorish design, the restaurant is a gem in the city center. Recommended by the staff, the Tagine Kabab, cooked with lamb, eggs, cheese and tomato sauce, is tangy and delicious. Tagine is a Maghrebi dish cooked in a cone-shaped earthenware pot, and you can enjoy it with complimentary Moroccan bread named khobz, which is served in almost every meal. When it comes to beverages, you cannot miss Moroccan mint tea. Mixed with sugar, this signature drink can be excessively sweet. If you don’t have a sweet tooth, kindly let the waiters know in advance.

If you’re still thinking about whether you should visit Casablanca, I’d recommend you to spend a day there or at least a few hours only for Hassan II Mosque. Mighty and magnificent, this sacred religious structure definitely worths your time.