Rabat
~A Note on trains~
We traveled by train directly from Casablanca to Rabat, which was an experience in itself.
Coming from Atlanta with its infamous MARTA (think Gotham-style graffitied subways, muggy underground stations, and a near-guarantee of another passenger having some sort of psychotic episode on the trip), I've come to pay attention to the state of public transportation in the cities I visit, and I was impressed by the inter-city trains in Morocco.
Indulge me for a second -- double-decker seating, spacious seats and luggage storage, impeccably clean cars and stations, and friendly and professional staff -- what more could you want from a train?
Things get sticky, though, in ensuring you're boarding the right one.
Not that we should have expected it, but we didn't anticipate that virtually none of the staff nor passengers would speak English, and our tickets were written in Arabic. Take it from me, and plan to arrive at the station early (we purchased tickets at the station rather than online and never had any issues; to the contrary, we ran into some credit card restrictions trying to purchase online), keep Google Translate at the ready, and pay close attention to a map and to the names of passing stations on the way so you can be sure to get off at the right one.
We fortunately did not have any mishaps (in Morocco at least...), but we came close to missing our train or bus a number of times. Pay attention and, despite the language barrier, don't be afraid to ask for help. Translation apps and creative hand-waving go a long way.
~Should You Visit Rabat?~
The second destination on our itinerary, Rabat is only about an hour's train ride from Casablanca. Despite only being the seventh most populous city in Morocco (Casablanca is the largest by far), Rabat is the seat of the country's government and hosts the primary residence of the king, currently Mohammed VI.
As we learned through our encounters with locals in Fes, Chefchaouen, and other cities, government jobs in Morocco tend to be some of the highest paying, and this was certainly on display in Rabat. The quality of the infrastructure and the size of the homes were well beyond those of any other city, and people — most noticeably women — tended to dress more professionally. Of all the cities we visited in Morocco, Rabat most reminded me of home back in the U.S.
Which is part of the reason why I don't necessarily suggest making Rabat a high priority. While I certainly enjoyed my time there and felt it gave me a deeper understanding of the country, I also recognize that many trips will be more limited by time, and there are a number of "must-do's" in Morocco that take precedence — like Chefchaouen and the Sahara Desert, for instance — especially if you're looking to explore somewhere more different than familiar.
If you have extra time in your itinerary, Rabat is a good place to learn about Moroccan history — visiting monuments like the Mausoleum of Mohammed V (former ruler and Mohammed VI's grandfather) and the Hassan tower — and to check out a real life royal palace (but keep in mind, you'll need your passport as all visitors must check in). The whitewashed medina is a lovely place to walk, as is the Kasbah (12th century fort), which overlooks the ocean.
Far less crowded than Casablanca, Rabat offered relief from the hustle and bustle of the markets, which I appreciated. Besides visiting the sites above, though, each of which takes no more than maybe 30 minutes, we didn't do much else in Rabat other than walk about more or less aimlessly. But sometimes that's all you want.
~Accommodation~
Depending on your budget, you may prefer to stick to hostels rather than airbnbs, but we ended up going the airbnb route purely for the value we were able to find, even if was a bit more than a hostel.
Airbnbs across Morocco are relatively affordable, especially if you're splitting the expense with others as we did. At $102/night ($51 per person), Marwan's apartment in Rabat was one of the more expensive airbnbs we chose on our trip, but it came at excellent value, with two ocean-view balconies, two bedrooms and bathrooms, and a Netflix-equipped TV.
One of two balconies in Marwan's apartment
As we found to be a trend throughout our entire time in the country, Moroccan hospitality is unmatched. Marwan, the host, who also lived in the building, spoke to our taxi driver by phone after we arrived to the Rabat train station, and helped us find a taxi when it was time to leave.
~Food~
After arriving, the first thing we did in Rabat was eat at Dar Naji and it didn't disappoint, offering three courses along with all the mint tea you can drink. I had Moroccan salad, meatball skewers with rice and veggies, and Moroccan cookies on the outdoor covered patio, which was covered in cushions and pillows.
So much mint tea...
Lunch at Dar Naji