Thanks to Humphrey Bogart, the name Casablanca is rooted in the popular imagination as a heady, exotic, romantic place. Travelers are often disappointed that the reality of the locale is jarringly different.
What awaits you in this port city? A less-than-picturesque shipyard, poverty, and buildings that are graying with age and soot.
So why go? Jutting out into the water, the extraordinary Hassan II mosque is so spectacular it is reason enough to add Casablanca to your tourism itinerary.
Casablanca itself also offers a look at a side of modern Morocco tourists rarely see. And the city, which includes some lip-smacking seafood restaurants, is a fascinating jumble of European, North African, and Arab influences
We wouldn't make more than a day or two of it, but Casablanca vacations are worth a bit of your time in Morocco.