New Medina (Habous)

Habous, in Arabic, means a common law neighborhood, that is to say, that it's joined with little shops, and each shop keeper is part owner of the buildings, and they're free to do business there. The Habous neighborhood is similar in nature to Casablanca, a little touristy, and you can find good artisan crafts there. Also, there are several souks, spices and snacks like olives, and things like slippers. It's a neighborhood that was constructed during the colonial French period, and now it's a fun place during the day, with a lot of buying and selling. To go toward the center you'll have to take a taxi, which shouldn't cost more than 25 dirhams, or around 2,50 euros.

The new medina, near the souks of Habbous, is a very nice Casablanca neighbourhood. It was built in the 1920s by Albert Laprade, whose goal was replacing the old medina, which was dirty and about to collapse. The royal palace and administration moved to the new medina, but as it's not by the sea or in any convenient location, the heart of the city remained around the old medina. Curiously, there's almost no traffic in this part of town, while the rest of Casablanca has plenty of cars. There are fountains, trees, green tiled roofs, making it a very picturesque place.