Planning a trip to magical Morocco? With its Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines, wide sweeping deserts and mountain peaks plus historic cities with Islamic architecture, medinas and souqs, this vibrant country offers a wealth of unforgettable experiences. For all these reasons and more, Morocco is a bucket list destination.

To get there, a growing number of travellers are choosing to fly to the beautiful Moroccan capital city Rabat on the country’s west coast.

Rabat-Sale Airport – also known as Salé airport - looks after more than a million passengers every year. The airport has been voted one of the top 10 airports in Africa based on the quality of its facilities, services and overall passenger experience.

Of the 7 international airports in the country to choose from, Rabat-Sale also has the advantage of being in the centre of Morocco making it easily accessible to other popular destinations like Casablana, Fez and Tangiers.

So, if you are planning a trip to Rabat our friendly Avis team at Rabat-Sale Airport has you covered. They are experts on the region and on hand to offer travel advice as well as provide the perfect rental car for your trip.

Our Avis counter at Rabat-Sale Airport is easy to find, located in the arrivals area within the terminal building. There are signs leading you to the Avis car rental desk after you pass through customs. You’ll be collecting your car from our rental car park just opposite the terminal entrance.

From the Avis car park at Rabat-Sale Airport, Rabat city centre is a 20min, 11.2km drive depending on the time of day. Turn right out of the airport onto Route Aeroport Rabat- Sale before heading west to merge onto the N6, Avenue Hassan II and into the centre of the city.

As the country’s capital and administrative centre of Government, Rabat is a real mix of ancient and modern. One minute you can be driving along wide, ordered, palm-fringed boulevards marvelling at the modern architecture in the ‘embassy’ quarter and the next, strolling through the narrow lanes of the shopping areas.

Rabat has a rich cultural history and there is plenty to see and experience here from majestic architecture to beautiful gardens, fountain-filled squares and of course the walled medina in the old market with its alleyways and stores selling carpets, ceramics, spices, and jewellery.

Head for the Hassan Tower (Tour) the 44-metre-high minaret, often seen as the symbol of Rabat and take time to explore the Kasbah of the Oudayas, a magnificent fortress with views over the Bou Regreg estuary and a designated UNESCO world heritage site.

In the southeast of the city, you’ll find the centuries old, fortified Chellah Necropolis and those who love archaeology will revel in the discoveries at Rabat Archaeological Museum.

For a more modern take, don’t miss the Mohamed VI Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art which opened in 2014. This elegant white building, described as a cultural beacon in Rabat, houses the work of more than 200 Moroccan artists.

Rabat-Sale Airport is close to northern Morocco’s main highways and the N1 coast road so once you land, you are within easy access by road of some of the country’s iconic destinations like Casablanca and Fez.

Morocco has a diverse climate with huge variance between conditions on the coast, the Atlas Mountains down the middle of the country and the Sahara Desert in the east. With its mild, sunny climate, Rabat, on the Atlantic coast is great to visit year-round and with temperatures of around 24 degrees in July and August, it’s a perfect summer destination.

Exotic Gardens of Bouknadel

A quick drive of 40min (18km) up the N1 coast road from Rabat-Sale Airport takes you through Sale and onto Bouknadel. There you’ll find the Exotic Gardens of Bouknadel founded by French engineer and horticulturalist Marcel François in the 1950s and home to a remarkable collection of plants from around the world. Today it’s also a centre for education focused on biodiversity, energy, plant and water conservation.

Casablanca

Just a 1hr drive south of Rabat-Sale Airport via the A1 toll road, Casablanca awaits. This special city is a bucket list destination, not least for fans of the 1940s film where it was set, despite all the scenes being shot in California, USA. The largest city in Morocco, vibrant Casablanca is the country’s business and economic hub. To get a flavour of life and history in Casablanca, visit the breathtaking Hassan II Mosque, stroll through the Medina and then tour the impressive Place Mohamed V to see the Government buildings.

Fez

The 200km drive to Fez, Morocco’s oldest city, from Rabat-Sale Airport will take around 2.5hr along the N6 toll road but several stops along the way are recommended, including to the Roman ruins at Volubilis and the hill-top holy city of Moulay Idriss. Closer to Fez, detour to Meknes, which is notably one of the four imperial cities of Morocco, along with Rabat, Marrakech, and Fez. Fez itself is one of the most-well preserved cities in this part of the world and its historic medina with 9454 cobbled streets and 300 mosques is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Coastal Morocco

While Morocco’s historic cities, breathtaking mountains and endless desert scape are reason enough to visit, the country’s coastline has a charm of its own. We’d suggest a road trip south from Rabat-Sale Airport along Morocco’s Atlantic coast. Get up early to journey south along the A1 toll road bypassing Casablanca until you reach the village of Oualidia. The drive is a 288km stretch of around 3hrs, but you can be there by mid-morning in time to see the anglers clearing away after their morning’s catch. You will be rewarded for your efforts. Away from its deep butterscotch sandy beaches beneath terracotta cliffs, the village is ringed with oyster farms and has a saltwater lagoon, home to 100s of flamingos in migration season.

While there is good public transport in many parts of Morocco, including trams in some centres and a high-speed rail service connecting major cities, hiring a car gives you the freedom to explore independently and go off the beaten track.

The Avis team at Rabat Sale Airport are experts on the region and ready to help make your trip a smooth one from the moment you touch down. If you are feeling inspired check out our other Avis Morocco locations.

If you are travelling long-distance in Morocco, it is a vast country and it is useful to plan your route ahead of time.

Be aware that you will be driving on the right-hand side of the road as you leave the airport. Other road rules of Morocco include a ban on the use of a mobile phone while driving except for a hands-free system and that everyone in the car must wear a seat belt. Road signs are in Arabic, Tamazight and French in the built-up areas and on major routes.

Driving into the centre of Morocco’s larger city centres, especially around areas with narrow streets can be challenging. Some hotels have their own car parks and on-street parking is available in parts of Rabat city. Many visitors opt to use car parking at tram stops and railway stations on the outskirts and this can be a great option in a walkable city like Rabat.