Meknes and Volubilis day trip from Fez
A day trip to Meknes and Volubilis from Fez: the Roman city of Volubilis with its mosaics and triumphal arch, the view over the holy town of Moulay Idriss Zerhoun, then Meknes: Place el-Hedim, the Bou Inania Madrasa in the medina, the Bab Mansour gate, the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail and the vast Heri es-Souani granaries. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 1 days
Meknes and Volubilis in 1 day
Day 1
Volubilis
The best-preserved Roman city in Morocco, a UNESCO site with the Arch of Caracalla, a basilica and house mosaics still in place.
Moulay Idriss Zerhoun viewpoint terrace
Terrace above the whitewashed holy town of Moulay Idriss, spread over two hills around the shrine of Morocco's founding saint.
Place el-Hedim
Meknes's great square between the medina and the imperial city, lively from late afternoon with food stalls, storytellers and families.
Bou Inania Madrasa
Fourteenth-century Marinid college in the medina, with carved cedar, stucco and zellige tiles around its courtyard and a rooftop view.
Bab Mansour
Monumental 18th-century gate to Moulay Ismail's imperial city, covered in green and black tilework, facing Place el-Hedim.
Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail
Tomb of the sultan who made Meknes his capital, with tiled courtyards and carved plaster; one of few shrines non-Muslims may enter.
Heri es-Souani granaries
Huge vaulted storehouses and stables built for Moulay Ismail's horses and grain, with thick walls that kept them cool.
Watch: Meknes and Volubilis
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
Getting there
From Fez most visitors hire a driver or a grand taxi for the day, or drive: about an hour and a quarter to Volubilis, then about 40 minutes on to Meknes and about an hour back to Fez. Trains link Fez and Meknes in under an hour, and grand taxis from Meknes run to Moulay Idriss, a short ride from Volubilis.
Staying in Fez? This day fits into those city plans, and in the Trip Builder it is one click under each of them.
When to go to Meknes and Volubilis
Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the best times, warm and dry with green or golden fields around Volubilis. Summer is very hot inland, so start early, and winter days are mild but can be wet and cold. Ramadan changes opening times and the rhythm of the day, as its dates move each year.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Meknes and Volubilis on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Meknes and Volubilis on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Meknes and Volubilis on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Morocco from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Meknes and Volubilis
- Start at Volubilis early: the site is open, with almost no shade, and the midday sun is fierce from late spring to autumn.
- Bring water, a hat and good shoes; official guides wait at the entrance of Volubilis and help make sense of the ruins and mosaics.
- Moulay Idriss Zerhoun is a holy town; non-Muslims cannot enter the shrine, but the terraces above it give fine views.
- Dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered, for the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail, one of the few Moroccan shrines open to non-Muslims.
- A driver for the day is the easiest way to link the three places; agree the route, stops and waiting time before setting off.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Bab Mansour: Robert Prazeres, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bou Inania Madrasa: Ben Bender, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Heri es-Souani granaries: Andrew Brehmer, CC BY 2.0
- Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail: Rigelus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Moulay Idriss Zerhoun viewpoint terrace: Ninara from Helsinki, Finland, CC BY 2.0
- Place el-Hedim: Moleskine, CC BY 4.0
- Volubilis: Subhros, CC BY-SA 3.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
