Day Trip From Fes To Volubilis & Meknes

 Meknes is the most modest of the four Imperial Cities of Morocco, something that makes it a different place, much quieter and more relaxed than Fez, Marrakech, or Rabat. In this day trip to Meknes and Volubilis, you will explore the old medina of Meknes including landmarks and monuments, then discover the Roman ruins in Volubilis dated to the 3rd century BC.

 The first inhabitants of Meknes were the Mkanssa Tribs that means the warriors, a Berber tribe that gave its name to the city. They settled in the tenth century and little by little they expanded the city.
 In the 17th century, Moulay Ismaíl Alalaoui established the capital of Morocco in Meknes, creating the walls and magnificent gates. Its death, in 1727, caused that the city began its decay until losing the title of the capital shortly after.
 What to see in Meknes:
 Artisanal markets:
 A simple walk through the souks serves to see that we are in a more modern city than Fez.
 El-Hedim Square:
 The square el-Hedim in Meknes is like the Jamaa el Fna Square in Marrakech, the center of the public and cultural life of the city. Restaurants and terraces have been installed in the areas where public executions and royal announcements were once witnessed.
 Bab el-Mansour Gate:
 Built-in 1732 and communicate the previous square with the old Imperial City of Mulay Ismaíl.
 Mausoleum of Mulay Ismail:
 One of the key visits of Meknes. Here is the tomb of the sultan that marked the origins of today’s Morocco.
 Medersa Bouanania:
 Old koranic school from its top you get a curious view of the city. Its interior is very similar to the Medersas of Fez.
 Heri Souani:
 Under this name are the royal stables of Mulay Ismaíl, with capacity for 12,000 horses. It’s a huge building and it’s quite interesting.
After the visit to Meknes, we will head to Volubilis to visit one of the oldest countries in Morocco and old roman capital. The Roman city came to have more than 20,000 people dedicated mostly to the cultivation of wheat since production was ordered by Rome. Volubilis was part of the Roman Empire until the end of the third century when it was in the hands of Berbers, Greeks, Syrians, and Jews.
At the end of the 8th century, Idrís I made Volúbilis his refuge. After proclaiming to be emir manifesting to be a direct descendant of Muhammad, Idrís I turned Volúbilis into the birthplace of Islam in the area.