The Hassan II mosque in Casablanca

Casablanca is one of the world's most iconic cities.

Michael Curtiz's noir classic instantly ensured millions of tourists would pay homage to the place where Humphrey Bogart and Ingmar Bergman played out a love affair as Claude Rains, Sydney Greenstreet and Paul Henreid engaged in derring-do as WWII simmered in the background. 

The reality? Casablanca is suited to people who are content to scratch the surface of a country rather than explore its heart. Sure, it has great hotels and restaurants, sports' facilities and nightlife - but doesn't every big city have the same?

Still, if you find yourself passing through this cosmopolitan, seaside city - and many people do start their Moroccan odysseys here - be sure to pay a visit to the gobsmacking Hassan II Mosque, the second-largest mosque in the world after Mecca.