Day 1 - Off to Casablanca!

March 27, 2026

Day 1 - Off to Casablanca!

Today, we embark on our Moroccan adventure! We received a friendly reminder via email to be at the airport 3 hours before departure. It was a tight squeeze with work, but we made it. Even though we arrived at the airport early, the line at the Royal Air Maroc check-in was impressively long. Around us were mostly senior travel groups and a few young families – we were right in the middle of it all. 

After getting our seats and boarding passes and successfully checking in our luggage, we headed through security to the gate. There was no wait at security! And what’s even better – as we learned last year when flying to Japan: you can now take 500ml drink bottles with you!!! Yay! Finally, no more overpriced drinks to buy after security!!!

To pass the waiting time until boarding, we treated ourselves to a little whiskey tasting in the duty-free area. A nice start, even if the flight ultimately took off with a 45-minute delay – all that hustle for nothing, but safety first…

The flight itself was absolutely calm. Although there was no entertainment system or screens on board, it was totally fine for the short distance. Luckily, I managed to grab a window seat, and the view was better than any movie: a spectacular view of the Alps and the ski resorts below us, brightly lit as the slopes were being prepared. A real highlight!

We landed around 9:40 PM. While it was pleasantly cool at 15 degrees outside, it was quite warm inside the airport building.

The immigration line was full, but we surprisingly moved through quite well. Upon exiting, we experienced total culture shock: Hundreds of Moroccans, the atmosphere like a giant party – relatives and friends were enthusiastically greeted everywhere.

We struggled to get through the crowd with our luggage. And time was not on our side, as our car rental company closes at 11 PM sharp!

At 10:45 PM, we finally had the key in hand. Phew... we just made it in time. Our companion for the next few days is a black Dacia Duster. With just under 90,000 km on the clock, it has already seen quite a bit, but looks okay and is clean inside. We couldn't spot any major damage in the dark. The tires look new but seem more suited for the city – whether we can make it far on gravel or sand later remains to be seen... if we even need to drive on such terrain…!?

We didn't take the toll highway to the hotel, instead opting for the scenic route. It took only five minutes longer but felt like we navigated through countless roundabouts and over many 'bumper' roads. We found the hotel “AS Premium by Soho Hotels” right away. A real stroke of luck: We got an upgrade to a huge suite! There was also a free parking space in the garage, though the entrance was extremely tight – it reminded us immediately of our hotel in Porto 😅.

The suite is amazing: living room with a mega sofa, kitchenette, king-size bed, and a terrace out back, so it’s nice and quiet. At 12:45 AM, we just collapsed into bed, utterly exhausted.

For the statistics:

Flight AT811 from Frankfurt to Casablanca (Mohamed V – Terminal 2)      Flight time: 17:35 - 21:10                                                                                                  => Delay 45 minutes                                                                                  Weather: Casablanca 15 degrees, dry                                                            Accommodation: AS Premium by Soho Hotels in Casablanca (Suite BB)