Meknes Morocco tends to get overlooked next to its flashier imperial-city siblings, Marrakech and Fes, and that’s exactly what makes it worth your time. This is a city with a genuinely grand history, home to some of the finest historic sites in the country, all within easy walking distance of each other, minus the crowds and hustle that can wear visitors down elsewhere. Lonely Planet even named it a top city to visit back in 2019, and its historic center has held UNESCO World Heritage status since 1996. If you’re wondering what to see in Meknes, here’s a full rundown of the city’s best attractions, plus the day trips that make it an even smarter stop on your Morocco itinerary.
Bab Mansour: Morocco’s Most Famous Gate
Any list of Meknes attractions has to start with Bab Mansour, widely considered the most impressive monumental gate in the country. Commissioned toward the end of Sultan Moulay Ismail’s reign and completed in 1732 under his son, Moulay Abdullah, the gate marks the ceremonial entrance to the old imperial kasbah. Its green and white zellige mosaics and marble columns, some reportedly salvaged from the nearby Roman ruins of Volubilis, are still striking today. Local legend has it that the sultan asked the gate’s architect if he could have built something even finer, and when the architect said yes, he was executed on the spot, a grim story locals still love to tell first-time visitors.
El Hedim Square and Calèche Rides
Directly facing Bab Mansour is El Hedim Square, considered one of the most popular public squares in Morocco and often described as the city’s business card alongside the gate itself. It’s a natural gathering point, with food stalls, storytellers, and a much calmer atmosphere than Marrakech’s Jemaa el-Fna. From here, you can hire a calèche, a horse-drawn carriage that typically seats up to five people, for a relaxed thirty-minute loop past the city’s main landmarks. Expect to pay around 100 dirhams for the ride, and treat it as a good orientation tour before you start exploring on foot.
The Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail
The Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail is one of the very few active religious sites in Morocco that non-Muslim visitors are permitted to enter, which alone makes it worth prioritizing. Sultan Moulay Ismail ruled Morocco from 1672 to 1727 and moved the capital to Meknes during his reign, turning it into the grand imperial city you see today. Inside, the courtyards are genuinely stunning, tiled and quiet, leading to the sultan’s ornately decorated cenotaph. It’s a rare chance to step inside a working Moroccan mausoleum, so it’s worth checking current opening hours locally, since access to religious sites can occasionally be affected by restoration work.
The Royal Stables and Heri es-Souani
Built to house an almost unbelievable 12,000 royal horses, the Royal Stables are one of the most impressive historical landmarks in Meknes and a clear sign of just how much Moulay Ismail wanted his new capital to rival Versailles. The 1755 Lisbon earthquake left much of the original structure in ruins, but three halls have since been restored and remain open, alongside the atmospheric remains of the rest of the complex. A handful of horses are still kept on site largely for visitors, but it’s really the sheer scale of the place, endless arched corridors stretching into the distance, that makes it worth the visit.
Prison de Kara: the Strangest Stop in Meknes
For something a little different, head to Prison de Kara, an underground prison located just a short walk from the mausoleum. According to local history, this vast subterranean space once held Christian, Portuguese, and Spanish prisoners, many of them forced into slave labor to help build the sultan’s palaces. Estimates put its capacity at over 60,000 people at its peak, a genuinely unsettling number to take in as you walk through the dim, cavernous chambers. It’s not for everyone, but it’s consistently ranked among the most unusual things to do in Meknes for visitors who want to go beyond the postcard sights.
Dar Jamaï Museum
Built in 1882 as a private residence for the Jamaï family, this elegant mansion later served as a military hospital and courthouse before being converted into a museum in 1920. Today it houses a well-curated collection of 14th-century ceramics, traditional jewelry, textiles, regional costumes, and finely carved cedar woodwork, all displayed inside a building that’s a striking example of Moroccan domestic architecture in its own right. It’s a manageable, unhurried stop that works well if you want a break from the bigger historical sites.
The Medina and Souks
Meknes’s medina is smaller and noticeably calmer than those of Fes or Marrakech, but it’s every bit as authentic, and you’ll generally get to browse the souks without the constant hassle of touts that can wear visitors down elsewhere. It’s a genuinely good place to shop for carpets, leather goods, and metalwork at fairer prices, precisely because it sees fewer tourists. Wandering without a fixed plan, letting the narrow streets lead you past spice stalls and workshops, is honestly one of the best things to do in Meknes.
Day Trip to Volubilis
No visit to Meknes is really complete without a side trip to Volubilis, the best-preserved Roman ruins in Morocco, roughly an hour away by road. Expect well-preserved mosaics, standing columns, and the remains of a once-thriving Roman provincial capital, set against open countryside that makes for a dramatic contrast with the dense medina you’ve just left behind. Give it at least two to three hours to do it justice, more if you’re genuinely interested in Roman history.
Day Trip to Moulay Idriss Zerhoun
Combine your Volubilis trip with a stop in Moulay Idriss Zerhoun, a sacred hilltop pilgrimage town founded in the 8th century by Moulay Idriss I, who established Morocco’s first ruling dynasty. Non-Muslims can’t enter the Mausoleum of Idriss I itself, but wandering the town’s narrow lanes is still worthwhile, and it’s home to the only round minaret in the entire country. Climb up toward the edges of town for sweeping views over Volubilis and the Saiss Valley below, one of the more underrated viewpoints in this part of Morocco.
Ville Nouvelle and the French Institute
Meknes splits neatly into the old medina and the Ville Nouvelle, the more modern quarter built during the French protectorate era, with wider streets and a distinctly different pace. Between the two sits the French Institute of Meknes, a cultural center with a language school, media library, café, and theater that regularly hosts art exhibitions and film screenings. It’s a good stop if you want a sense of the city’s contemporary side, not just its imperial past.
How Much Time to Plan For Meknes
| Time available | What to prioritize |
|---|---|
| Half a day | Bab Mansour, El Hedim Square, the mausoleum |
| Full day | Add the Royal Stables, Dar Jamaï Museum, and the medina |
| Two days | Add a half-day trip to Volubilis and Moulay Idriss Zerhoun |
Getting to Meknes
Meknes is easy to reach from several other major stops on a Morocco itinerary. It’s about 60 kilometers from Fes, connected by a good road and a reliable train line, making it a popular add-on for travelers already spending time there. It’s also reasonably well connected to Rabat and, further afield, Essaouira, which means Meknes fits neatly into a wider loop through Morocco’s imperial cities rather than requiring a special detour of its own. For a deeper dive into the city’s history and layout, Meknes on Wikipedia covers its founding, population, and UNESCO status in more detail, while the Bab Mansur al-‘Alj entry digs specifically into the gate’s construction and architectural history.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Bab Mansour so famous? It’s widely considered the most impressive monumental gate in Morocco, with green and white zellige mosaics and marble columns reportedly salvaged from nearby Volubilis.
How far is Meknes from Fes? About 60 kilometers, connected by a good road and a reliable train line.
Can you visit Volubilis from Meknes in a day? Yes, the Roman ruins at Volubilis are roughly an hour’s drive away and can comfortably be visited in half a day.
Conclusion
Things to do in Meknes range from the monumental, Bab Mansour and the Royal Stables, to the genuinely strange, the underground Prison de Kara, with a UNESCO-listed medina and two excellent day trips to Volubilis and Moulay Idriss Zerhoun rounding things out. It’s a city that rewards travelers willing to slow down and skip the more crowded stops on the standard Morocco route, offering nearly as much imperial history as Fes or Marrakech with a fraction of the tourist traffic. If you’re building an itinerary around Morocco’s imperial cities, Meknes deserves more than the quick day-trip treatment it usually gets.