Experience · Casablanca, Casablanca & Rabat
Habous Quarter
A graceful 'new medina' where French planning meets Moroccan craft, scented with cedar, olives, and fresh pastry.
A little history
The Habous Quarter, or Quartier des Habous, was built by the French in the 1910s-1930s as a planned medina, blending traditional Moroccan urban forms with the order of colonial design. It quickly became a centre of artisan trade and Andalusian-style architecture.
Why it matters
Habous remains a living marketplace beloved for its bookshops, traditional sweets, brassware, and olives. It reflects a distinctly Moroccan idea of the souk reimagined with arcades and calm courtyards.
What makes it special
Arched arcades sheltering artisan workshops
Famous shops for Moroccan pastries and olives
Booksellers, brass, and traditional crafts
The nearby Mahkama du Pacha and royal-style architecture
Our tip
Wander slowly beneath the arches and let your senses lead — the warm smell of pastry, the gleam of lanterns, the patience of craftsmen. This is shopping as a gentle, civilised pleasure.
More about Casablanca & Rabat: where to stay, when to go →
When to go
- JanGood
- FebGood
- MarGood
- AprBest
- MayBest
- JunBest
- JulBest
- AugBest
- SepBest
- OctBest
- NovWetter
- DecGood
