Quartier Habous

What makes it special

Rows of arches run along the lanes and frame the shopfronts, a deliberate echo of Morocco's imperial cities. The Mahkama du Pacha at the head of the quarter is a Hispano-Moorish building by the architect Auguste Cadet, and it took more than ten years to finish.

On the big square, the Al Mohammadi mosque stands out for the irregularity of its structure. The Moulay Youssef mosque, the quarter's other historic mosque, sits right beside it, so the square gives you both at once.

Craftsmen work on their pieces inside the shops along the way, and you can stop to watch them at it. Stalls carry leather goods, slippers, bags and poufs, along with traditional clothing and pieces for decorating a home.

Visiting

Start outside the Mahkama du Pacha, then cross to the big Habous square facing the Al Mohammadi mosque. Rue Ibn Khaldoun is the main street through the quarter.

On the way, the Dar Al Kitab bookshop stocks reference works and art books. Pâtisserie Bennis, close by, sells traditional Moroccan cakes to take away.

Finish at the olive market, in a courtyard off a main street that is easy to walk past. Follow the smell of brine to the entrance; inside, an olive tree grows in the middle of the cobbles, ringed by barrels of every kind of olive.

Tips

At the olive market, ask to taste before you buy; a seller may let you try several kinds first. Shopkeepers along the lanes are not known for pressing you, so browsing is relaxed.

In the days before a festival, the lanes fill with shoppers from across Casablanca. Pick another day if you want room to browse.