Visiting Rabat by Rental Car: the Oudayas, Hassan Tower, Salé and the Beaches

You can see part of Rabat on foot and by tram, but its main sights are strung out along the Bouregreg river and its beaches begin where the tram line ends. A car lets you link the Kasbah of the Oudayas, Hassan Tower and the Chellah in one day, cross over to Salé, then head out to Temara, Mehdia or Casablanca. Below: where to park, which loop to follow and which roads to take.

Photo: Bernard Gagnon — CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Published on 24 September 2026

Do you need a car to visit Rabat town and its surroundings?
Where to park near Rabat's monuments
Things to do and see in Rabat in one day: the Oudayas, Hassan Tower, Chellah and Salé
Beaches around Rabat by car: Temara, Skhirat and Mehdia
Rabat with children: the zoo, the botanical garden and play parks
How to drive from Rabat to Casablanca, Kenitra or Fez
Renting in Rabat or at Rabat-Salé airport
Car rental in Rabat, Salé and Temara: where to pick up your car

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Do you need a car to visit Rabat town and its surroundings?

Rabat has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2012, listed as "Rabat, Modern Capital and Historic City: a Shared Heritage". The site covers the new town built from 1912 onwards and older districts, some dating back to the 12th century. These places are spread over several kilometres, from the river mouth to the south of the city.

The Rabat-Salé tram, running since May 2011, has two lines and crosses the Bouregreg on the Hassan II bridge. It is enough for getting between the centre and Salé. A car wins as soon as you want to string several monuments together without changing lines, and it becomes essential for the southern beaches, the Kenitra road or a day in Casablanca.

The medina is best explored on foot, as its lanes are not built for traffic. Park at its gates and keep the car for everything beyond the city walls.

Where to park near Rabat's monuments

For the Kasbah of the Oudayas, the easiest option is to park below it, along the Bouregreg quays or towards the corniche, then walk up to Bab Oudaya. The kasbah itself is a maze of lanes closed to cars.

Around Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, there is usually space in the nearby streets. In the new town, along Avenue Mohammed V and near medina gates such as Bab el Had, street parking is run by attendants who keep an eye on the car and expect a few coins when you leave. Keep some change handy.

One habit applies across the city: leave nothing on show inside the car. Put bags and luggage in the boot before you arrive, not once you have parked.

Things to do and see in Rabat in one day: the Oudayas, Hassan Tower, Chellah and Salé

What are the best things to do in Rabat when you only have a day? Follow the river: the Kasbah of the Oudayas, Hassan Tower and the Chellah follow one another by car without crossing the whole city, and Salé lies just opposite, on the other bank of the Bouregreg.

Start with the Kasbah of the Oudayas, a citadel fortified by the Almohads in the 12th century, high above the mouth of the Bouregreg. Its monumental gate, Bab Oudaya, dates from the end of that century. Inside, the Andalusian garden and the Moorish café look out over the river and across to Salé.

Inside the Kasbah of the Oudayas, the former palace next to the Andalusian garden houses a museum: check its opening days before walking up.

A few minutes' drive away, Hassan Tower is the unfinished minaret of a mosque begun in the 1190s by the Almohad sultan Yacoub el-Mansour, who wanted it to rank among the largest in the Muslim world. Work stopped when he died in 1199, so the tower stands at about 44 metres instead of the 60-plus planned. On the same esplanade is the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, resting place of kings Mohammed V and Hassan II.

Hassan Tower, which many visitors also call the Tower of Hassan, is visited on foot: park in the streets around the esplanade, then walk between the rows of columns of the unfinished mosque to the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, whose entrance is watched by royal guards in ceremonial dress.

The Chellah, south of the centre and a few hundred metres from the Almohad walls, layers two cities: the Roman ruins of Sala Colonia and a 14th-century Marinid necropolis, set in a green hollow where storks nest. Allow a good hour there.

In the afternoon, cross the Bouregreg to Salé. Its medina, quieter than Rabat's, is explored on foot, and the Mohammed VI Tower, about 250 metres tall, rises on this bank and serves as a landmark across the whole area.

Beaches around Rabat by car: Temara, Skhirat and Mehdia

Oudayas beach, below the kasbah, is the closest to the centre, but it is an urban beach, busy and open to the swell. For a quiet day on the sand, you need the car.

Heading south, the coast road runs through Harhoura and then Temara, with Contrebandiers and Sables d'Or beaches, before Skhirat and Bouznika on the way to Casablanca. These beaches fill up fast in summer and at weekends, so set off in the morning.

Skhirat beaches, between Temara and Bouznika, are longer and less urban than Rabat's. The Skhirat royal palace takes up part of the seafront and its grounds are off limits, so reach the beaches through the public access points on either side. Leave the motorway at Skhirat or follow the coast road from Temara.

Heading north past Salé, the Kenitra road passes the Bouknadel exotic gardens and leads to Mehdia, a beach popular with surfers at the mouth of the Sebou river. Close by, Sidi Boughaba lake is a protected wetland listed under the Ramsar Convention. The Atlantic has strong currents all along this coast, so swim where there are lifeguards.

Rabat with children: the zoo, the botanical garden and play parks

Rabat Zoo is one of the capital's favourite family outings. Animals are shown by broad natural habitats, from desert to savannah, and the park is known for its Atlas lions, which are extinct in the wild.

The zoo is away from the centre, so driving is the easiest way to get there. Arrive at opening time, when it is cooler and the animals are more active, especially in summer.

For a botanical garden, Rabat has the Jardin d'Essais, a large historic park right in the city, with shady paths and plants from several continents. To the north, on the Kenitra road, the Bouknadel exotic gardens make a good second stop.

For a play park, Rabat's large green spaces, such as the Ibn Sina urban forest, offer shade and room to run, and several districts have children's playgrounds. With children, pick an air-conditioned car with a boot big enough for the pushchair.

How to drive from Rabat to Casablanca, Kenitra or Fez

Rabat is the starting point of three motorways. The first runs south to Casablanca, about 90 kilometres away or roughly an hour's drive, then carries on towards El Jadida and Safi. The second heads north through Kenitra, around 40 kilometres away, and on to Tangier. The third runs east towards Meknes and Fez.

All three are toll roads. To avoid queues at the barriers, our guide to tolls and the Jawaz tag explains how to pay and what to ask the agency. Speed limits are the same as in the rest of the country and enforced by cameras: 60 km/h in built-up areas and 120 km/h on motorways.

During office hours, the roads into Rabat and the bridge to Salé clog up quickly. Leaving early for a day trip and coming back before late afternoon saves more time than any shortcut.

Renting in Rabat or at Rabat-Salé airport

Rabat-Salé airport lies about 10 kilometres north-east of Rabat, within the municipality of Salé. If you are flying in, the pick-up point is shown on each car's listing, so check it before you book.

Loccor is a marketplace: cars are listed by independent rental agencies, and the agency's identity is shared with you once the booking is confirmed. Each listing shows the rate, the gearbox and the security deposit, which depends on the agency: some ask for one, others do not. You pay a deposit online and the balance at the agency on collection. A national driving licence in Latin script is enough.

For Rabat, a city car is all you need: streets in the centre are narrow and the motorway asks for nothing more. If no car in Rabat fits your dates, look at Casablanca too, an hour away by motorway.

Car rental in Rabat, Salé and Temara: where to pick up your car

Car rental in Rabat works at the scale of the whole area: Rabat, its twin city Salé on the other bank of the Bouregreg, and Temara, on the coast to the south, form one urban area. A car picked up in any of the three works just as well in the other two.

For car hire in Salé, look at the pick-up point shown on each listing. Rabat-Salé airport is within the municipality of Salé, and collecting on that side of the river saves crossing the Bouregreg bridges, which clog up during office hours.

For car rental in Temara, the town has its own page on Loccor. Temara sits on both the coast road and the Casablanca motorway, a good starting point for the beaches of Skhirat and Bouznika. If choice is limited for your dates, widen the search to Rabat or Casablanca.

Frequently asked questions

Is Rabat Morocco's capital?

Yes. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 2012 as "Rabat, Modern Capital and Historic City: a Shared Heritage". Casablanca is about 90 kilometres away on the motorway, roughly an hour's drive.

Can I drive into Rabat's medina?

No, the medina and the Kasbah of the Oudayas are visited on foot. Park at their gates, for instance near Bab el Had for the medina or below the kasbah along the Bouregreg.

How far is Rabat from Casablanca?

About 90 kilometres on the toll motorway, roughly an hour's drive outside rush hour.

Where is Rabat-Salé airport?

About 10 kilometres north-east of Rabat, within the municipality of Salé. The pick-up point is shown on each car's listing, so check it before you book.

Do I need an international licence to rent a car in Rabat?

No, a national licence written in Latin script is enough. The security deposit depends on the agency and is shown on each listing.

What are the best things to do in Rabat in one day?

The Kasbah of the Oudayas in the morning, then Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, then the Chellah, before crossing the Bouregreg to the medina of Salé. Park at the gates of each site and explore on foot; the car links the stops without any tram changes.

Where do you park to visit Hassan Tower?

In the streets next to the esplanade, where there is usually space. The esplanade, with the tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, is then explored on foot.

How do you get to Rabat Zoo?

By car is simplest, as the zoo is away from the centre. Arrive at opening time for cooler air and more active animals.

Where can I rent a car in Salé or Temara?

On Loccor, each listing shows the pick-up point. Rabat-Salé airport is within the municipality of Salé, and Temara has its own rental page. A car picked up in Rabat, Salé or Temara covers the whole area.

Once you have done the one-day loop, which other attractions in Rabat, Morocco, are worth visiting, and which places need the car?

Several sights lie outside the centre. On the Kenitra road, north of Salé, come the Bouknadel exotic gardens, Mehdia beach and Sidi Boughaba lake, a protected wetland; to the south, the coast road runs to the beaches of Temara and Skhirat. In the city itself, the Jardin d'Essais is a large historic park with shady paths, and across the river the Mohammed VI Tower in Salé serves as a landmark for the whole area.

Is Rabat worth visiting on a holiday to Morocco?

Yes. Rabat has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2012, its main sights fit into one day by car, and its beaches begin where the tram line ends. It also sits on the motorway between Tangier and Casablanca, roughly an hour from Casablanca, so it is easy to fit into a wider road trip.

Rabat holidays by car: how many days do you need in the city?

One full day covers the Kasbah of the Oudayas, Hassan Tower, the Chellah and Salé. Add a second day for the coast, south to Temara and Skhirat or north to Mehdia, and a third if you want a day trip to Casablanca, roughly an hour away by motorway, or a family outing to Rabat Zoo.

Where are the Andalusian gardens in Rabat?

Inside the Kasbah of the Oudayas, next to the former palace that now houses a museum, with the Moorish café looking out over the Bouregreg and across to Salé. The kasbah is closed to cars: park below it, along the Bouregreg quays or towards the corniche, and walk up through Bab Oudaya.

Is there much stuff to do in Rabat with children?

Yes. Rabat Zoo, known for its Atlas lions, is the favourite family outing and easiest to reach by car, ideally at opening time when it is cooler. The Jardin d'Essais and the Ibn Sina urban forest offer shade and room to run, and the beaches south of the city make a good half day, as long as you swim where there are lifeguards.

Sources

UNESCO — whc.unesco.org

Visit Morocco — visitmorocco.com

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Written by the Loccor editorial team, the platform connecting travellers with car rental agencies in Morocco.

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