A Comprehensive Guide about Living in Casablanca

Life in Casablanca

Casablanca is the largest city in Morocco and is considered to be the economic and business center of the country, even though Rabat is the capital city. The main language is French, although Arabic and English are also both spoken.

Education in Casablanca

Education is free and compulsory for children aged between seven and 13 years old. The Moroccan system consists of six years of primary education, three years of intermediate, and three years of secondary education.

Most private schools in Casablanca are international schools, although some others are affiliated with specific religions. International schools in Casablanca offer a variety of curriculum, including the International Baccalaureate, General Certificate of Secondary Education and the American grade school system. There are also international schools offering education taught in French, Japanese and German. Expatriates moving to Casablanca may be doing so to work in one of the universities or colleges, including the Ecole Supérieure de Technologie de Casablanca or the University of Hassan II.

Transportation in Casablanca

One of the main ways of moving around Casablanca is by tram. The tramway is over 30 km long and has 49 stops so far, with more planned in the future. The roads can be quite congested, but there are various ways of getting around by car. Petit taxis are small red cars that are hired privately, whereas grand taxis are larger white people carriers which typically run along pre-determined routes and are shared.

There are intercity coaches, also, which transfer passengers from Casablanca to other Moroccan cities, as well as some European destinations. There are three main railway stations in the city, meaning that expatriates working in Casablanca may prefer to reside in the suburbs and commute. The main station is Casa-Voyageurs which runs services north to Rabat and south to Marrakech. There is also an airport shuttle service from this station. Casa-Port is typically a commuter station serving the Casablanca — Kenitra corridor and also has a connection to the tram system. Casa-Oasis is to the south of the city and serves as a suburban main station for commuters.

The Mohammed V International Airport is Morocco’s busiest and serves other Moroccan destinations, as well as some European and American cities.

Culture and Leisure

Expats living in Casablanca may like to indulge in some retail therapy at the largest shopping mall in Africa. The Morocco Mall has over 250,000 m2 of floor space and features a 1,000,000 liter aquarium called Aquadream. Visitors can even take a ride through the center of the aquarium, or scuba dive with over 40 varieties of fish.

There is a large public park, also, the Parc de la Ligue Arabe, where expatriates working in Casablanca can take time to relax and enjoy nature and sports. Expats living in Casablanca may also like to become spectators of Moroccan sports.

Association football is popular in Casablanca and the two local teams, Raja Casablanca and Wydad Casablanca, both play at the Stade Mohammed V. Casablanca also hosts the annual Grand Prix Hassan II tennis tournament, and in the past has been the host city for the Pan-Arab Games, the Mediterranean Games and the Africa Cup of Nations.