Created by French horticulturist Marcel François in 1951, these gardens were declared a Natural Heritage site in 2003. Recently renovated, they're filled with exotic flora from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean and make a popular day trip for residents of Rabat and Salé. The gardens are around 20km north of Rabat on the road to Kenitra. Take bus 9 from Bab Chellah in Rabat or from Bab Lekhmiss at the Salé medina.
Jardins Exotiques
Rabat
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Musée Mohammed VI Art Moderne et Contemporain
8.6 MILES
Conceived and funded by the present king, this museum opened in 2014 as the country's first national museum of modern and contemporary art. Alongside a…
8.71 MILES
First came the Phoenicians, then the Romans took control of this beautiful hilltop site above the fertile Bou Regreg river plain around 40 CE. From 1154,…
7.79 MILES
Rabat's historic citadel occupies the site of the original ribat (fortress-monastery) that gave the city its name. Predominately residential, its narrow…
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7.73 MILES
The present king’s father (the late Hassan II) and grandfather were laid to rest in this marble mausoleum, which is decorated with exquisite examples of…
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8.04 MILES
When the French arrived in the early 20th century, this walled medina by the sea was the full extent of the city. Built on an orderly grid in the 17th…
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6.89 MILES
Small and relatively easy to navigate, this 13th-century walled medina retains an almost medieval flavour. It's visited on a regular basis by the city's…
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7 MILES
Next to the Grand Mosque's magnificent entrance gate, this medersa (school for studying the Quran) is a showcase of Merinid architecture and decorative…
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7.8 MILES
Rabat's must-see sight – along with the neighbouring mausoleum – this iconic tower looms 44m above the Bou Regreg estuary. It was originally part of an…
Nearby Rabat attractions
4.23 MILES
The clean, sandy strip of beach, around 25km north of Rabat, gets some serious wave action that's good for surfers, but the currents can be dangerous for…
6.89 MILES
Small and relatively easy to navigate, this 13th-century walled medina retains an almost medieval flavour. It's visited on a regular basis by the city's…
6.89 MILES
In the medina's main souq, hole-in-the-wall emporiums sell household goods, leather and wood. The spice souq is nearby, where you can pick up mounds of…
6.97 MILES
This medina landmark dates from the beginning of the 11th century. It's the third-largest mosque in Morocco and a striking architectural mix of the…
5. Koubba of Sidi Ben Ashir At Taleb
6.99 MILES
This white koubba (shrine of a saint) at the edge of the medina was built to honour a 14th-century Spanish adherent and teacher of Sufism. The faithful…
6.99 MILES
Built by the dastardly Sallee Rovers pirates and recently restored, this slave prison next to the Muslim cemetery hadn't officially opened during our most…
7 MILES
Next to the Grand Mosque's magnificent entrance gate, this medersa (school for studying the Quran) is a showcase of Merinid architecture and decorative…
8. Zawiya of Sidi Abdallah Ben Hassoun
7 MILES
Salé's patron saint, Sidi Abdallah Ibn Hassoun, was a 16th-century Sufi cleric and teacher. He's revered by Moroccan Muslims as a patron of travellers in…