Category: Moulay Idriss

Moulay Idriss a gem to be discovered

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The sacred heart of Morocco
Moulay Idriss is one of the country’s most important pilgrimage sites.
The town is located between picturesque hills on top of a mountain, 4Km from Volubilis nestled in a small crevice of the Atlas Mountains.
It is said in Morocco that six pilgrimages to Moulay Idriss are the equivalent of one trip to Mecca.
Moulay Idriss is the burial place of the great-grandson of the prophet Muhammad. In order to keep the town pure till 2005, non-Muslim people weren’t allowed into the town after 3 PM.
The town stands out because of it’s whitewashed look and picturesque setting. 
Putting Moulay Idriss on the tourist map
It’s strange to understand why more tourists don’t visit… when is located so close to a busy attraction like Volubilis. If you have time I highly recommend spending the night here, if not at least stop on your way to or from Volubilis.

Moulay Idriss it’s still a relaxed quiet place, free from mass tourism and with a centre free of carpet shops, offering a break from the hustle and bustle of the more popular Moroccan cities.

The people of Moulay Idriss we meet were really kind and nice.

What to do in Moulay Idriss

It’s not like there is much to do here, but the relaxed vibe, picturesque streets and the view from the top of the town are stunning. 

In town, you can wander around the narrow streets and look out for the numerous hidden terraces.

The main square is lined with cafes and food stalls.

Visiting the local market in Moulay Idriss is great, they sell fresh produce, traditional Moroccan pastries, dates, spices and meat (the disturbing bit)

You can see that here people depends greatly on donkeys, and you will see them everywhere. They use donkeys for transportation up and down the mountain. It looks like they work very hard with little food. It’s really sad to see how they treat the animals and how unhappy and unhealthy they look.

The mosque is quite simple from the outside, and non-Muslims are not allowed to enter.

Moulay Idriss is a great place to take refuge while still exploring Morocco.

How to get to Moulay Idriss from Meknes
By public bus

You can get to Moulay Idriss from Meknes by taking the public bus #15. It leaves from the bus stop near the grand taxi station and it costs 7 MAD for a one-way ticket.

By shared taxi

In front of the French Institute, you have the shared taxi station. One way costs 10MAD.

photography – all rights reserved – Ana Rocha