36 hours in Casablanca

Marrakesh and Fez bewitch travelers with their ancient customs, and Tangier and Essaouira with their counterculture exotica, but Casablanca, Morocco's largest city, is a cosmopolitan Atlantic port, an alluring blend of tradition and progressiveness. With Roman roots, French city planning and a Portuguese name (later changed to Spanish) that dates to the 16th century, the city retains a mid century elegance with modern touches, including a sleek tram system across its center. In the oldest part of town, wanderers can buy straw berries and eggs off wheeled carts, eat sandwiches fried on the spot outside the mosque, and engage with locals, who always seem willing to share their pathways through the city's history and geography. A short taxi ride away, visitors can indulge in a luxury shopping spree at Galeries Lafayette, watch a 3-D movie or peer into a three-story aquarium. Here's looking at you, kid.

Friday

12:00 PM