MsLizzy

We have an 8hr layover in Casablanca, from 8am till 4pm. I have contacted one guide but find his price seems quite high - 225Euros. Does anyone have experience with this? Do we need one? Considering most people only recommend the mosque, would it be a better idea to go to the beach? How is the beach in late April?

Interpid

Try with a Casablanca based company, can be cheaper, not someone who will drive from a different city to meet you there, thats explain why the rate is high I think.
You can get a train to down town and then take a taxi to get to the mosque.

Bedar

225 euros is absolutely ABSURD. Follow Interpid's advice and then go one of the many seaside restaurants for a great meal. Where are you heading after Casa ?

MsLizzy

Thanks for your opinions, Intrepid and Bedar. Having traveled in Europe, South and North and Central America I have never paid that much for a guide or a tour even including lunch. The mosque and then a seaside restaurant sounds ideal as we will be tired having just come off of an overnight flight from Cairo and a Nile cruise. We will be on our way home to Canada.

TimCullis

€225 (2475dh) is obscene, what's he doing, flying in from Paris to give you the tour? Think in terms of 300dh absolute tops for half a day.

But why do you need a guide? it's a bit like me hiring a guide to visit the Eaton Centre in Toronto... The train to downtown Casablanca leaves from the bottom level of the airport and runs every hour. Have a look at the schedules at http://www.oncf.ma/index_En.aspx (leaving from Aeroport Med V and going to Casablanca Voyagers).

Also take a look at the many pages of photos of Casablanca at http://looklex.com/morocco/casablanca.htm The streets are a bit choked up at the moment as a new tramway is being installed and lots of tarmac is up.

MsLizzy

Thanks tim, this info confirms my suspicions and that we'll catch the train out from the airport and take it from there on our own.

MsLizzy

I'm just back from my trip and the 8 hours in Casablanca were taken care of by a hotel shuttle from the airport and then a private driver from a hotel. Just had enough time to see the Mosque and a local souk but I was impressed after Cairo with the clean modern downtown.