Visit Meknes

Less visited than nearby Fez, Meknes offers a medina without the crush, the Bab Mansour gate, Moulay Ismail's colossal stables and vineyards on the Saïss plateau. Two days are enough, a third adds Volubilis and the holy town of Moulay Idriss.

Why visit Meknes?

Meknes was Morocco's capital under Sultan Moulay Ismail, who ruled from 1672 to 1727 and gave it walls, palaces and granaries on a grand scale. Its historic city has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. It is also the ideal base for Volubilis, about thirty kilometres away.

Meknes must-sees

Moulay Ismail's monuments, a Marinid medina and a Roman site, almost all reachable on foot or by carriage.

Bab Mansour

A monumental gate completed around 1732, after Moulay Ismail's death, covered in zellige tilework and adorned with marble columns. It opens the imperial city opposite El Hedim square.

Bou Inania Madrasa

A 14th-century Marinid Koranic school in the heart of the medina: courtyard with basin, zellige, carved stucco and sculpted cedar, with students' cells on the upper floor.

Heri es-Souani

Huge vaulted granaries and stables built for the sultan's grain stores and horses. Their thick walls kept the air cool; the ruined bays remain spectacular.

Moulay Ismail Mausoleum

The builder sultan's tomb, one of the few shrines in Morocco open to non-Muslims in its permitted area. Covering clothes required, visits paused during prayers.

Dar Jamai Museum

A late 19th-century palace on El Hedim square, now a museum devoted to Moroccan arts and ceramics, with an Andalusian garden and painted cedar reception rooms.

Habs Qara vaults

Vast vaulted chambers beneath the imperial city, traditionally described as a prison for Christian captives. Part of them can be visited, lit by light shafts.

Agdal Basin

A large rectangular reservoir dug to irrigate the sultan's gardens and supply the city, next to the granaries. A favourite stroll for local families in the early evening.

Volubilis ruins

A Roman city 30 km away, listed by UNESCO: mosaics in place, the Arch of Caracalla and colonnades against olive groves. Allow two hours, ideally in the morning.

What to see in Meknes, from the medina to Zerhoun?

The medina and El Hedim square

El Hedim square faces Bab Mansour and acts as the hinge between the medina and the imperial city: snail sellers, storytellers and musicians liven it up from late afternoon. Behind it, covered souks lead in about ten minutes to the Grand Mosque and the Bou Inania madrasa. Touts are far less pushy than in Fez, so you can wander without a guide. Allow half a day and come back to the square at sunset, one of the most authentic moments among the imperial cities of Morocco.

Moulay Ismail's imperial city

South of the medina stretches the city Moulay Ismail built from the late 17th century: walls running for several dozen kilometres, monumental gates and a royal palace that remains closed to the public. A walking circuit links Bab Mansour, the sultan's mausoleum, the Habs Qara vaults and, further on, the Heri es-Souani granaries and the Agdal basin. Allow three to four hours and about 6 km there and back, or take a horse-drawn carriage from El Hedim square for a loop of roughly an hour, agreeing the price before you get in.

The Hamria new town

Across the Boufekrane river, the new town laid out during the French protectorate lines up tree-lined avenues, Art Deco buildings, pavement cafés and most mid-range hotels. Both of the city's railway stations are here. It takes twenty to thirty minutes on foot, or a few minutes by petit taxi, to reach the medina. Staying here suits travellers arriving by train and looking for restaurants serving alcohol, which are rare on the other side of the river; those after atmosphere will prefer a riad in the medina.

The Zerhoun massif and its ancient sites

About thirty kilometres north, Volubilis preserves the remains of a Roman city listed by UNESCO in 1997: triumphal arch, basilica, capitol and houses with mosaics still in place. The site is very exposed: arrive at opening time and bring water, as there is almost no shade. A few kilometres away, Moulay Idriss Zerhoun, a holy town built around the tomb of the founder of the Idrisid dynasty, spreads over two hills; its shrine is reserved for Muslims. A day by grand taxi or with a driver covers both, about 40 minutes by road from Meknes.

Vineyards and produce of the Saïss plateau

Between Meknes and Fez, the Saïss plateau is one of Morocco's great farming regions: olive groves, orchards and a large share of the national vineyard, with several estates open for visits and tastings by reservation. Allow half a day with a driver, as the estates lie 15 to 30 minutes by road from the centre. Every spring, usually in April, the city hosts the International Agricultural Show of Morocco: hotels are then fully booked, so reserve early or avoid those dates. Local olive oils are easy to bring home from the souks.

When to come and how to combine with Fez

March to May and October-November are the best months: mild weather, green countryside in spring and golden light in autumn. In July and August, afternoons often exceed 35 °C: sightsee early in the morning. Fez is only about sixty kilometres away, 45 minutes to an hour by train, so you can stay in one and visit the other as a day trip. Rabat is just over two hours away. To head on to Marrakech and the south, allow a long day by train via Casablanca, six to seven hours depending on connections.

Frequently asked questions about Meknes

Meknes or Fez: which one to choose when time is short?
Fez has the largest and densest medina, Meknes grander imperial monuments and a far more relaxed atmosphere. With only two days, stay in Fez and visit Meknes as a day trip by train; with four days, add Volubilis from Meknes.
Can you see Volubilis and Moulay Idriss in half a day?
It is doable with a driver if you leave early: about two hours at the Roman site, an hour in the holy town and 40 minutes on the road each way. By shared grand taxi, plan on a full day, as waiting for departures can take a while.
Is the Moulay Ismail Mausoleum open to non-Muslims?
Yes, it is one of the rare exceptions in Morocco: you can enter the courtyards and ablution rooms and glimpse the burial chamber from the threshold. The monument has gone through long restoration periods, so check it is open before going, and cover shoulders and knees.
Should you take a carriage to visit the imperial city?
It is not essential, but the distances between Bab Mansour, Heri es-Souani and the Agdal basin exceed 6 km there and back, often in full sun. A loop of about an hour by carriage from El Hedim square is a good compromise, as long as you agree the price first.
Riad in the medina or hotel in the new town of Meknes?
A riad puts you minutes from El Hedim square and the monuments, in a traditional house, but usually without alcohol. A new town hotel is better if you arrive late by train or leave early for Fez, Rabat or Volubilis by grand taxi.
Can you spend the night in Moulay Idriss Zerhoun?
Yes, several guesthouses welcome travellers, who were long barred from staying overnight. The town remains a major pilgrimage site: dress modestly, no alcohol, and the shrine stays closed to non-Muslims. In return, the terraces offer a peaceful morning view towards Volubilis.
Does the agricultural show complicate a trip to Meknes in April?
Yes, during the week of the International Agricultural Show of Morocco, the city receives hundreds of thousands of visitors and hotels are snapped up. Check the dates before booking: shift your stay or sleep in Fez and come by train.
What to eat in the evening on El Hedim square?
Bowls of snails in a spiced broth are the stalls' speciality, alongside harira soup, skewers and honey pastries. Pick the stands busiest with local families, a sign of quick turnover, and keep small change handy.
Can Meknes be visited as a day trip from Fez?
Yes, the train links the two cities in 45 minutes to an hour, with many departures. In one day you can cover El Hedim square, Bab Mansour, the mausoleum and the granaries. Volubilis and Moulay Idriss, however, need an extra day.

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