Inside the holiday hotspot with sandy beaches, €1 snacks and cheap flights that’s three hours from UK
I’M standing on a rooftop watching the sun as it melts across the sky above Rabat’s ancient fortified citadel.
And to tell the truth, I’m also feeling a little embarrassed I had never heard of Morocco’s incredible capital city before this trip.
An army of waves from the Atlantic Ocean batter the wall of the old military fortress in the distance, while the gnarly mouth of the River Bou Regreg shimmers in the sunshine.
The best spot to view it is atop the new 5H Fairmont Hotel in the nearby commuter city of Sale, while sipping on a glass of crisp wine from its own vineyard.
As well as Instagram-glam rooms in Moorish style, the Fairmont has an infinity pool, spa and two restaurants, one of which hosted the Crown Prince of Morocco, Moulay Hassan bin Mohammed, just before my visit.
Moulay’s dad is the billionaire King Mohammed VI who has sprinkled his wealth across the city, from the Mohammed VI Tower — the tallest building in Africa — to the restaurants along Sale’s gleaming new promenade, many of which are prefaced with the name “Royal”.
Hitching a ride on a taxi boat from the promenade, called La Marina, is a fun way to get downtown to the old fortified citadel, called the kasbah.
Also an option is the tram, which costs less than a pound per journey, or a short car drive, which passes some stunning city views, such as the sweeping Grand Theatre of Rabat, which is shaped like a falling wave.
The geometric auditorium will feature a 7,000-seat amphitheatre, green spaces, a restaurant and shops when it opens to the public this year.
Compared to Morocco’s two better known cities — Casablanca, with its faded post-war grandeur, and the tourist mecca of Marrakech — this all feels a bit like stepping into the future.
“We’ve worked on our identity,” explains our local guide Rime.
“We can expect that Rabat will be as attractive as Marrakech. The kasbah is a Unesco world heritage site. There are sandy beaches so you can swim here.
“It’s the cleanest city of the kingdom, the greenest city of Africa, and it’s both modern and traditional.
“Also, we are open to all cultures, we have a huge Jewish community, and hospitality is in our DNA. Being tolerant and open-minded is part of us.”
Also satisfying is how good this city is if you are on a budget.
They have scrapped entrance fees for museums on Fridays, and a visit to see the vibrant collection of north African art at the city’s beautiful Modern and Contemporary Art museum costs just a couple of pounds on other days.
Moroccans are so passionate about art that although advertising is banned from Rabat’s streets, huge abstract murals on the sides of buildings and public buses are common sights.
Walking through the monumental kasbah gate, called Bab Oudaia, is like stepping back in time.
Rather than maze-like alleyways, there is a tranquil labyrinth of wide lanes, with white houses and blue, grated windows that are lit up by pretty vines of purple and pink flowers.
There appears to be more stray cats than tourists, and we spot one woman offering scraps to a smug blue-eyed feline.
She’s standing in a queue for bakery Halawiat Sbai, which has been trading in the citadel since 1928.
As we browse the market souks, we feel our way through teapots and cushion covers and rugs.
But my favourite items are the portraits of Berber women dressed in their gold and silk finery.
Dine like kings
I could buy a decent one for under £9 but alas, it wouldn’t survive the flight home in my Ryanair hand luggage.
Fragrant cinnamon coming from street vendors makes our tummies rumble, and we spot a stall selling Maakouda — a delicious fried mash potato patty seasoned with cumin, lemon juice, paprika, chilli, salt and pepper and egg.
It’s comforting, wholesome and filling and a steal for less than a pound per piece.
For a real feast we follow Rime up to a huge oak door that marks the entrance to Riad Kalaa, a building where Spanish invaders lived two centuries ago.
The current owners turned it into a plush hotel and restaurant, and its brightly-lit courtyard with mosaic tiles, huge brass lanterns and tall greenery makes us feel like we’re in a Moroccan wonderland.
The chef and her daughter cradle bubbling hot tagines of vegetables and charmoula (Moroccan marinade) shrimps with tomato sauce, chicken with caramelised oranges, and beef fillet in a ragout of onions and Moroccan spices.
And we dine like kings and queens for £39 for all the dishes on the tasting menu.
A strong black coffee — Turkish style, I’m told — and an almond pastry at the cooling Udayas botanical gardens afterwards is the perfect fuel before a venture into the National Finery Museum.
Extravagant bejewelled crowns, breast chains, rings and belts once worn by young women, perhaps on their wedding day, sit on faceless models.
Our guide Rime tells us they are handed down through generations from mother to daughter.
Back at the Fairmont, Rime treats us to a belly dancing class in the gym that overlooks Rabat’s old town.
I may never have heard of this city before, but I know I’ll never forget it.
GO: Morocco
GETTING THERE: Ryanair flies from Stansted to Rabat with fares from £42 return. See ryanair.com
STAYING THERE: Rooms at the 5H Fairmont Rabat start from £259 per night. See fairmont.com/rabat.
OUT & ABOUT: Entry to museums from £1.58.