travel morocco Archives • Cook the Beans

Is it worth going to Meknes in Morocco?

Meknes is known for its huge gates and remnants of its imperial past, and also for being close to the famous ancient Roman ruins of Volubilis.

I didn’t really have big expectations about Meknes, but because was on the way and I had time to spare I stopped there. I found Meknes quite disappointing, and don’t really recommend including Meknes on your travel plan.

The city itself is ok, but not worth a visit when compared with other cities in Marocco. On the bright side, Meknes receives fewer tourists than other imperial cities.

Walking in the old medina is nice. Because Meknes receives fewer tourists it feels in a way more authentic and untouched than other cities. Simply wander and get lost in the small streets of the old city.

The gates are huge and really impressive, The most beautiful one is Bab Mansour right in front of Hedim square.

The Place Hedim (also called Lahdim square) its the heart of the city, full of people, music, games, coffees and restaurants, a less chaotic version of Jemma el Fna square in Marrakesh.

But there is a dark side to this place. It’s where snake charmers, ostriches and monkey with lids being explored.

Visiting the market is also a must, they sell a bit of everything.

Visiting the Moulay Ismail Mausoleum it’s free and non-Muslim can enter. It’s also a beautiful place with fountains, courtyards, colourful tiling and stucco walls.

Tourists are not allowed to ‘approach’ the tomb itself, but it is easy to see through the archway, and another side window where viewing is permitted.

The Dar Jamai Museum is worth a visit more for the building rather than the collection. The entry fee is DH10 (~$1).

Bou Inania Madrasa is a beautiful building, that used to be both a school and a mosque. Located right in the centre of the old Medina. To enter the entrance fee is DH60 (~$6.50) not worth it.

The royal stables have fallen in decay due to poor maintenance, and are not worth a visit. The entrance fee is DH70 (~$7.50).

The prison of Habs Qara is a huge underground prison where the Sultan Moulay Ismail would keep prisoners. In my opinion also not worthy of a visit. The entrance fee is DH60 (~$6.50)

Since I don’t really recommend any of the paid attractions there isn’t a whole lot to do as a tourist in Meknes. So just soak up the atmosphere.

Outside of Meknes

Located a less than an hour from Meknes you have the ancient city of Moulay Idriss and the Roman ruins of Volubilis. both worthy of a visit.

How to get to Meknes From Fez

How to get to Meknes from Fez

It’s really easy to travel from to Meknes, all 3 options are good. Get to Meknes from Fez by bus with the company CTM or by train.

You can also travel in a shared taxi. The shared taxis stop in front of the main bus station (just outside Bab El Mahrouk).

The short answer to my question: Worth going to Meknes in Morocco? No, but if you have plenty of time on your hands why not 🙂

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.

Ouarzazate Morocco’s Hollywood

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Ouarzazate (war-zazat) is located at the edge of the Sahara desert and for that reason called “The Doorway to the Desert”. A city of palm trees, sandy streets, muddy brick houses, blocky, fort-like buildings and film sets.

This town is surprisingly calm for Morrocan standards located five hours south of Marrakech by bus. This town is in the Souss-Massa-Drâa of southern-central Morocco.

Ouarzazate has a connection with blockbuster cinema and two major film production studios are located here, a film school and even a museum of cinema. Many call Ouarzazate “Ouallywood”.

As a travel destination by itself, Ouarzazate doesn’t have that much to see or do. But because its location can be used as a base for day trips.

Day trips from Ouarzazate

You have the orange dunes in the east and some nice nearby villages and kasbahs to be explored.

The well-known Ait Ben Haddou is a beautiful ancient ksar about 30 minutes outside the city of Ouarzazate. A place used as a backdrop in countless movies and TV programs.

It’s also within easy reach oasis valleys and ancient kasbahs. The Fint Oasis and the Tifoultoute Kasbah are perfect for a nice hike (15km and 8km from Ouarzazate respectively).

A bit further away you have the Todra Gorges, a series of stunning limestone river canyons that are also worth a visit.

What to Do in Ouarzazate

Ouarzazate is a great place to get lost in while you discover the Old District, with its muddy brick houses lining the old streets.

The Taourirt part of the Old District holds an ancient fortified village, still standing right in the heart of the city. Taourirt Kasbah Museum showcases the south Moroccan kasbah architecture.

At Ouarzazate city centre, you can walk around Al-Mouahidine Square and the market, and also stop at a pastry shop or café to take in the city’s lively evenings.

The Ouarzazate Center Market begins at 6pm. Here they sell all sort of goods, from clothes to handicraft. the market is located right in the city centre.

The local market located on the market road (6.00am) sells all kinds of items from clothes to crafts and spices. The market happens every Sunday is probably one of Ouarzazate less visited place by tourists.

Then you have lots of attractions related to cinema, from the Atlas Cinema Studios, the CLA Cinema Studios and the Cinema Museum. I didn’t visit any of these places but if you’re a cinephile I’m sure you will enjoy it.

How to get from Marrakech to Ouarzazate

Getting to Ouarzazate from Marrakech is quite easy. There are two companies that run bus services between these two cities, CTM and Supratours. The cost for both is 80 Dirhams (~$9.8), and the journey takes 5 hours.