36 hours in Casablanca

A modern tram snakes through the center of Casablanca.[Photo/Agencies]

Saturday

11:00 PM

Green oasis: The Parc de La Ligue Arabe, the city's largest green space, sits behind a wide tree-lined boulevard filled with cafes. Its central esplanade, stocked with palms and flowering bushes, provides a respite from the urban traffic and grit. There are kids in colorful jerseys practicing soccer on one end, grandpas playing a lively game of petanque on the other. The only noise is birds chirping and the thwack of balls. Goodbye, jet lag.

12:00 PM

Art Break: A short stroll from the park is the Villa des Arts, housed in a 1934 Art Deco building - a white one, of course. Black-and-white marble stairs and wrought iron d��cor set off exhibits of contemporary paintings and sculpture from Morocco and abroad, in airy rooms. Admission is free, and the museum also hosts regular concerts and readings. For a less institutional setting, there is also a cutting edge art scene, with occasional exhibits in an old abattoir in a rundown part of town - the Bush-wick of Casablanca, with equally adventurous work.

1:30 PM

Lunch (or brunch?): With its sleek look - silver barstools, pendant lights - the Mood Caf��, in the trendy Quartier Gauthier, could just as easily be in Miami or Los Angeles. Hip young Casablancans congregate with their laptops at the white tables and bright chairs, taking advantage of the free WiFi and the light fare - sandwiches and fresh juices - on the menu. The house salad is a Moroccan take on a chef's salad, with ham, Brie, corn, olives and walnuts in a creamy dressing; somehow, it works. The restaurant also has a popular brunch special with a smoothie menu, in lieu of a state side mimosa. Expect to spend about 200 dirhams for lunch or brunch, for two.

4:00 PM

Shopping and Sipping: The Quartier Gauthier is a high-end shopping strip, with designer furniture stores, galleries, salons and international boutiques like Hugo Boss clustered along Rue Jean Jaur��s. Window-shop or spend some dirhams with the well-heeled here; keep an eye out for discounts on hip denimlines, manufactured in Casablanca. Then flaunt your finery at Le Chester's, a new-see-and-be-seen spot for locals and French expats. It's popular for happy hour or later, loungier outings. Beneath walls lit neon green and decorated with images of Mick Jagger and Stevie Wonder, and with the Jackson 5 and Amy Wine house on the sound-track, the clientele smokes and flirts over cheeseburgers. Nonsmoking restaurants are a rarity here; the tablefuls of women dolled up, "Sex and the City"-style, seem right at home.

8:00 PM

Dinner and a (Free) Show: "This is alcohol-free wine," the waiter said, pouring me a glass. "In Morocco, alcohol is only for the men, not for the women." A beat. "That's a joke!" he exclaimed gleefully. Opened in 1958, the waiter said, the family-owned Al-Mounia restaurant is a Casablanca institution; Jimmy Carter ate there. The veteran staff seems to be having classic fun at every opportunity - "Tourist!" the waiter called out tomy dinner companion, pretending he made some dining faux pas. Happily, the traditional menuis livened up and dressed with flourish - the harira soup came with a fat wedge of lemon and a plate of figs; pastilla with a dusting of cinnamon and sugar; effervescently fluffy couscous with carrots and squash and a pot of fragrant broth. Enjoy it under the pepper tree in the courtyard as the servers entertain you. Expect to pay about 400 dirhams for dinner for two.