Often overlooked by travelers, Morocco’s capital actually has much to offer. The city’s proximity to the Casablanca airport (about an hour away) makes Rabat an ideal first stop on a Morocco itinerary, especially now that the wonderful new Four Seasons Hotel Rabat at Kasr Al Bahr has opened. On a day of touring in the city, we enjoyed but a few of the many sites and experiences available. Here are some of the highlights.

Royal Palace

We started our day outside the Royal Palace, the residence of the king and the administrative headquarters of the country. Our guide gave us a brief introduction to Moroccan politics, noting the relatively high proportion of women in parliament (nearly 25%) and the country’s dedication to preserving Indigenous culture by making Tamazight, an Amazigh (Berber) language, one of the official languages. Though we weren’t allowed inside, we strolled the grounds and glimpsed the grand entrance to the palace.

Chellah

Less than five minutes from the city center is Chellah, a place that offers insight into Rabat’s ancient history. Our guide led us through the doors of an imposing medieval gate into a lush garden with the ruins of thousands of years of civilization. The first settlers were Phoenician traders in the third century B.C. After the region was annexed by Rome, the Romans built the city of Sala there in the first century A.D. We got a good look at the mosaic floors of the market and the headless statue of a Roman goddess. Around the fifth century, the city was again abandoned until Arab colonists arrived, and the site became a religious complex and necropolis during the 13th-century Marinid dynasty, after which the area was left to ruin. Later, it was nearly destroyed by the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. We wandered through Roman and Marinid ruins, marveling at the ancient construction, while in the distance, the gleaming Mohammed VI Tower provided an anachronistic backdrop. Though we didn’t dine there, Chellah has a lovely looking restaurant where you can have lunch with a view of the ruins.