Visit Morocco: Old Town Rabat – The Kasbah des Oudaias, The Andalusian Gardens and the Cemetery of the Martyrs
Along the Atlantic Coast, on the banks of the Bou Regreg river lies the fortress of the Kasbah of the Udayas. The oldest part of Rabat, the fortress was built during the Almohad Caliphate (1121 – 1269), and today contains a collection of homes and shops. Rabat, incidentally,  comes from the Arabic for Fortified Palace and refers to this fortress. Nearby are the Cemetery of the Martyrs, the Kasbah Mosque and the Andalusian Gardens.
I visited Rabat’s old town as part of a trip arranged by the Moroccan National Tourist Office. If you take a golf vacation to Morocco, be sure to take the time to visit the cultural sites. As good as the golf was, I wish that I had more time to spend exploring the history and culture.
Within the walls of the fortress, the Kasbah des Oudaias is a exotically romantic labyrinth of narrow streets, flanked by white and blue walls. Â Hidden within these walls was a restaurant that had a spectacular view of the waterfront and the adjacent neighborhoods. I would have loved to spend a leisurely evening there with a meal and a good cup of coffee.
The streets of the Kasbah des Oudaias are home to a great many cats.
Adjacent to the Kasbah des Oudaias is the Andalusian Garden. The garden is in a large courtyard, laid out in a formal structure with orange trees, palms, hedges, hibiscus and other flowering plants.
Also nearby is the Cemetery Chouhada, which is both eerie and beautiful. Just across the street and a couple of blocks down from the Kasbah des Oudaias is Rabat’s souk.
More photos from my trip to Visit Morocco: Old Town Rabat, the Rabat fortress, the Kasbah des Oudaias and the Andalusian Gardens follow. Read more about my trip to visit Morocco at this link.
