After a quiet year of tourism due to a terrorist attack downtown, Casablanca is once again seeing its tourist trade grow. As Morocco’s economic and business capital, this seaside city is a lure for business travelers — but offers plenty of reasons to say “here’s lookin’ at you” when the workday is done.

Unlike the imperial cities of Fes and Meknes or the desert city of Marrakech, Casablanca is a thoroughly modern community, a place where Europe meets Africa in terms of language, architecture and style. Modeled on Marseille, France, the largest port city in Morocco retains a cosmopolitan atmosphere, from its beach clubs to its high-rise hotels. A suburban sprawl at times makes the city feel a little too much like home; visitors have to do a little searching to seek out the medina, or old city, and palm-lined parks.

Although the French are responsible for much of the architecture today’s guests see, Casablanca dates back to the days of the Phoenicians, who settled west of today’s city in what is now the upscale suburb of Anfa. In the seventh century, they were joined by Arabs and all was fairly quiet until the 13th and 14th centuries when the port became a pirate hangout, the perfect spot from which to launch attacks on Spanish or Portuguese ships. It was the Portuguese who gave the city its name, which means “white house.”

Reminders of those early settlers are few, however, due to an earthquake that leveled the city in 1755. More than a century later, Arab merchants cleared the area and built the medina, a site that eventually grew into today’s city of 4 million residents.

Casablanca (“Casa” if you want to sound like the locals) quickly grew into a financial capital, ranking as Africa’s top center outside Johannesburg, South Africa. But it took a movie — filmed entirely in Hollywood — to bring the city to the attention of tourists. The 1942 Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman classic may have been filmed on the California back lots, but Casablanca keeps the tourists coming to see the city where the familiar and the exotic meet.

For many travelers, Casablanca is a home base from which to explore the Moroccan coast and acclimate before heading east to Marrakech, Fes and the Atlas Mountains; the city is home to Mohammed V International Airport (CMN), the country’s largest. Those who begin or end their Morocco stay with a day or two in the city quickly find that Casablanca offers plenty of diversions.

The most recognized building in Casablanca is the Mosque of Hassan II, opened in 1993 at an estimated cost of $800 million. This waterside mosque welcomes up to 25,000 worshippers inside and another 80,000 in its courtyard. This is no ordinary mosque: Designed by French architect Michel Pinseau, it has taken its cue from the Koranic phrase “the throne of God lies on the water.” Part of floor of this facility is glass so worshippers can kneel directly over the sea; above, a laser beam points to Mecca. Built on reclaimed land, the mosque features the country’s tallest minaret.

Guided tours of the mosque are available several times daily; it’s the only mosque in Morocco open to non-Muslims. Guests must be dressed modestly and must remove shoes before entering.

In contrast to this modern Arabic design, the buildings of downtown Casablanca are colonial French, many with baroque touches — not to mention some art deco and art nouveau buildings.

The heart of Casablanca, home to many of its most-viewed buildings, is Place des Nations Unies, a traffic roundabout from which the city flows, with the medina gate and its clock tower on one side.

A few years ago, a royal decree swapped the names of the Place des Nations Unies and the Place Mohammed V, the city’s other primary center. Even today, some taxi drivers still refer to each by its old name, so extra explanations can be needed.

Adjacent to the Place des Nations Unies (the old Place Mohammed V) stands Casablanca’s old medina and its modest souks, far smaller than the mazelike souks for which Marrakech and Fes are well-known. Here, haggling is the order of the day, whether it is for a rug, or leather babouches (soft slippers), or caftans, traditional women’s apparel, or a djellaba, a long men’s garment with a deep, pointed hood. The medina includes many scattered fruit and vegetable stands, but most rug vendors and other merchants are located on the southern exterior wall. The walls themselves are an attraction, with their gates, guard posts and ancient cannons; they stand in stark contrast to the adjacent modern Hyatt hotel.

The Place Mohammed V is the downtown centerpiece of French colonial style, a style echoed along the Boulevard Mohammed V all the way to Parc de la Ligue Arabe or the Arab League Garden. In a style that blends French and Arab influences, sidewalk cafés are filled with local businesspeople, all in the shade of towering palm trees.

Although traditional clothing fills the markets, Casablanca’s beach area has a very Western feel. Pools, bars and clubs fill Âïn-Diab, a European-style fun-in-the-sun getaway located south of the Hassan II Mosque. Thatched palapas, colorful umbrellas, water slides and pools cool the hottest days.

Near Âïn-Diab stands Sidi-Abd-er-Rehmane, a religious shrine perched on a small rocky outcrop that, at high tide, is cut off by the sea. The shrine is dedicated to a medieval mystic of the same name from Baghdad who was believed to have healing powers for those with psychological or mental problems. Today the shrine is visited by pilgrims but cannot be entered by non-Muslims.

Tooling Around

Kicking back in Casablanca generally means more than an exploration of the city. Get out to see the whole region, a stark contrast to the modern seaside city. Traveling in Morocco is easy thanks to modern highways and an extensive network of domestic flights.

For golf buffs, there are several courses to explore not far from the city. Golf has long been popular in Morocco; played here for over a century, it was a beloved sport of the late King Hassan II, who created the Hassan II Trophy.

The most extensive course in the region is the 18-hole Royal Golf of Mohammedia (tel 033 32 46 56 or 033 32 46 66, fax 033 32 11 02), about 20 miles from the city. An omnipresent wind adds challenge to the par-72 course, which is shaded by pines and eucalyptus, and decorated by laurel, gorse and acacias. The clubhouse, which dates to the 1920s, has an open-air terrace that’s a favorite place to discuss the game.

Just 10 minutes from downtown Casablanca in Anfa, the upscale residential area of Casablanca that began as a Phoenician settlement, the par-35 Royal Golf d’Anfa course (Anfa-Casablanca Racecourse, tel 022 36 53 55 or 022 36 10 26,fax 022 39 33 74) offers nine holes. Shared by a horse racetrack, the site overlooks gardens and offers a distant view of the Hassan II Mosque.

Beyond golf, the region holds an allure for both history lovers and shoppers. Just an hour from Casablanca lies the closest getaway to the north: the capital city of Rabat and its twin city, Salé. Stroll along 12th century walls in Rabat to really get the feel of ancient Morocco. Here, within the casbah, stands a whitewashed Andalucían village, a reminder of the strong Spanish influences seen in everything from architecture to language as you travel farther north.

Along with the casbah, most travelers stop to see the Palace Museum of Oudaïa and the Andalucían Garden. The walled palace, constructed in the late 17th century, now houses galleries exhibiting the finest in Moroccan crafts, from costumes to pottery to musical instruments.

Day Trips

Rabat attracts travelers because it’s close to Casablanca, but east of the capital lies an ancient imperial city with far more exotic allure: Fes. Dating to the eighth century, many of the buildings of this medieval Islamic city have been preserved thanks to the efforts of UNESCO. Today travelers can wind their way through ancient alleys that form a veritable maze of commerce: Everything from freshly slaughtered meat to fine hand-made carpets is for sale. Since medieval times, the souk has been reserved for pedestrians — and donkeys — only. Be sure to keep an ear out for cries of “barek” to warn of incoming donkey deliveries.

The Souk des Teinturiers or dyers souk features leather items in every imaginable color. Visitors are warned of the souk’s odors (leather is treated in vats that contain everything from pigeon droppings to lime), but clever guides provide visitors with a sprig of mint to smell while they view the multicolored vats that produce some of the area’s finest leather goods.

Whereas practicality reigns in the souks of Fes, in Marrakech, located southwest of Casablanca, a circuslike atmosphere prevails. If Hollywood devised a movie set of a North African city, it would undoubtedly resemble Marrakech. Protected from the sands of the Sahara by the High Atlas Mountains, the city has the feel of both a desert hideaway and a rich oasis. Sand-tinted buildings, many dating back centuries, are often shaded by date palms. Long the crossroads of Africa and Europe, a way station for the great caravans, the city throbs with excitement.

The heart of Marrakech is Jemaa el Fna or “assembly of the dead,” a public plaza named for its days as an execution site. Today life, not death, permeates every inch of the square.Here performers gather in the late afternoon and into the evening; for the price of a small tip, travelers can watch a cobra dance to the sway of a wooden flute, photograph the colorful water-sellers with their chests covered in dangling brass cups and have a look at the “dentist,” whose quick extraction skills are advertised by a table full of teeth.

But, for most travelers, the real attraction of this area lies behind Jemaa el Fna. Here sprawls the souk, with miles of turning walkways that offer a startling array of goods for sale. The souk’s alleyways and narrow passageways are far more orderly than they first appear. Within its borders, specialty souks overflow with fabrics, spices, meats, brass and ironwork, clothing and more. Budget at least half a day to stroll along the displays of Berber jewelry, carpets and the obligatory silver teapots, symbols of Arabic hospitality. When it’s time for a break from the frenetic action, relax at the nearby La Mamounia (Avenue Bab Jdid, 40 000 Marrakech, tel 212 44 38 86 43 or 212 44 38 86 44, fax 212 44 44 49 40, www.mamounia.com), one of Morocco’s most elegant hotels and a favorite of Winston Churchill’s.

For all its fascination, there’s far more to Marrakech than its captivating souks. Dating back to the 11th century, the city is filled with a sense of history. Eleven kilometers of sand-colored walls surround the medina. Here the tallest structure is also one of the oldest: the 12th century Koutoubia Mosque. The square tower stands only 230 feet high, but the distinctive shape of the minaret has been used as a pattern for mosques throughout the country.

After a morning of touring, many visitors make an afternoon stop at the peaceful Majorelle Gardens, owned by French designer Yves Saint Laurent. The quiet retreat is a reprieve from the hustle and bustle of Marrakech; the quiet of the garden is interrupted only by a few coos from doves in the honeysuckle-covered palm trees.