Fès-Meknès, northern Morocco · Morocco
A quiet imperial city of monumental gates and a sultan's stables, and the best-preserved Roman ruins in Morocco, in an olive-covered plain.
Photo: Mustang Joe · CC0
Meknes was a modest city until the second half of the 17th century, when Sultan Moulay Ismail (r. 1672–1727) made it his capital. Over 55 years he built miles of walls, monumental gates, palaces, granaries and stables, which turned Meknes into one of Morocco's four imperial cities. UNESCO inscribed the historic city in 1996.
It is a quieter, less touristy alternative to Fes or Marrakech, with a friendly medina and a relaxed pace. The great gate of Bab Mansour, completed in 1732, is one of the finest in Morocco, and the sultan's mausoleum is one of the few in the country that non-Muslims can enter.
About 30 km north lie the ruins of Volubilis, a Roman town in the province of Mauretania Tingitana, inscribed by UNESCO in 1997. It flourished from the 1st to 3rd centuries AD on the olive and grain trade, and its mosaics, capitol and triumphal arch remain in a landscape of rolling fields. Nearby, Moulay Idriss is a hillside pilgrimage town holding the tomb of the founder of Morocco's first Islamic dynasty.
Why visit
Meknes and Volubilis together make one of the best day or two-day excursions in Morocco.
Volubilis is the best-preserved Roman site in the country, with mosaics still in their original position.
Bab Mansour, the Heri es-Souani granaries and the walls show the ambitions of Moulay Ismail.
A calmer medina than Fes or Marrakech, with less hassle.
Moulay Idriss stacks white houses on two hills, and is a pleasant place for lunch.
Meknes is only an hour from Fes, and a good stop between Fes and Rabat.
Main attractions
Give Meknes a morning and Volubilis an afternoon, or stay overnight and take it slowly.
The great ceremonial gate, finished in 1732, decorated with zellige tile and marble columns, some taken from Volubilis.
Tip Photograph it in the late afternoon.
The tomb of the sultan, a series of elegant courtyards with zellige, carved plaster and a fountain. It is open to non-Muslims, unusual in Morocco.
Tip Dress modestly and remove your shoes as requested.
The massive granaries and former stables of the sultan, with rows of great arches in a vast space, built to house grain and horses.
Tip Combine with the neighbouring water tank.
A large square facing Bab Mansour, with cafés and snake charmers, leading into the medina and its craft stalls.
Tip The medina is easy to explore alone.
A 14th-century Marinid college with decorated courtyards, quieter than the one in Fes.
Tip Check opening.
Things to do
This is a place for history, and for wandering.
Walk the paved main street, the basilica and the capitol, and see the mosaics, including the Labours of Hercules and Diana bathing.
Tip Go in the morning, and hire a guide at the entrance.
A hilltop town holding the tomb of Idris I, the founder of Morocco's first Islamic dynasty. It is a pilgrimage site.
Tip Non-Muslims cannot enter the shrine, but the town has views.
Follow the walls and gates from Bab Mansour to the mausoleum.
Tip Go early to avoid the heat.
The Meknes region is Morocco's main wine-growing area, with vineyards and tastings.
Tip Ask your hotel about tasting visits.
Damascene metalwork, ceramics and textiles, in a calm setting.
Tip Prices are often lower than in Fes.
Use Meknes as a day trip from Fes or a stop on the way between Rabat and Fes.
Tip Take the train.
Local food
Meknes is known for its olives and fruit, and its food is simple, Fassi-influenced Moroccan cooking.
The region is one of Morocco's big olive producers, and olives and oil are sold in the market.
Where to try it The main market.
Classic dishes in local restaurants.
Where to try it Restaurants in the medina.
Red and rosé wines, from vineyards near Meknes.
Where to try it Restaurants and wine tastings.
Kebabs and kefta sandwiches.
Where to try it Stalls on Place el-Hedim.
Local sweets in cafés.
Where to try it Cafés around Place el-Hedim.
Accommodation
Stay in the medina or the new town, and consider a night near Volubilis.
Transport
Meknes lies about 60 km west of Fes, on the main train line.
The medina is on foot, and you need a taxi for Volubilis.
When to go
Meknes has hot summers and cool, wet winters. Spring and autumn are best for Volubilis, which has little shade.
Green fields and mild temperatures.
Hot, and the Roman site has little shade.
Pleasant, and quieter.
Cool, with rain.
Worth planning around: The midday heat in summer.
Itinerary
The imperial city and the Roman ruins, with a stop at Moulay Idriss.
Gates and granaries.
Rome and a holy town.
Travel tips
A few tips help you plan the visit.
FAQ
Yes, for its imperial monuments and quiet medina, and as a base for Volubilis. It is less touristy than Fes.
About two hours, with a guide.
Yes. It is an easy and popular day trip, by train and taxi or private driver.
Yes, it is one of the few in Morocco open to non-Muslims.
A holy hill town that holds the tomb of Idris I, Morocco's first Islamic ruler.
Spring and autumn.
Keep exploring
Places that pair well with Meknes, whether you have a few spare days or are building a longer route.
Fès-Meknès, northern Morocco, Morocco
Morocco's spiritual and cultural capital: a 9th-century medina of thousands of lanes, the world's oldest surviving university, ornate madrasas and traditional crafts.
Don't miss A guided walk through Fes el-Bali, ending on a terrace above the tanneries.
Explore Destination — FesRabat-Salé-Kénitra, Atlantic coast, Morocco
Morocco's capital: a UNESCO-listed city with the Hassan Tower, the Mohammed V Mausoleum, the Kasbah of the Udayas, the Chellah ruins and a relaxed medina.
Don't miss The Kasbah of the Udayas, with its blue-and-white lanes and Andalusian garden above the Bouregreg river.
Explore Destination — RabatTanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceïma, Rif Mountains, Morocco
The famous 'blue pearl' of Morocco: a hillside medina of blue-washed walls and stairways, a lively square, a spring-fed river and trails into the Rif.
Don't miss The blue lanes of the old medina at first light, before the tour groups arrive.
Explore Destination — ChefchaouenRead next
Heritage
A UNESCO listing tells you a place matters; it does not tell you whether it is worth two days and a detour. This is how to read the list usefully — and which sites reward building a trip around them.
Where to go
The most visited place in a country is rarely its best, and it is almost never its best value. This is a method for finding the destinations that do not make the postcards — and a set of examples from five of the 50 countries on this site.
Advertisement
