Holiday in Meknès

What makes Meknès special as a destination?

Meknès is the most underrated of the four Moroccan imperial cities and a place where you can experience authentic Morocco without the tourist crowds of Marrakech or Fès. The city's splendor is thanks to the eccentric Sultan Moulay Ismail, who in the 17th century wanted to create a Moroccan Versailles from a modest garrison town, employing 25,000 slaves and 12,000 horses for this purpose. The result is a monumental imperial city with massive walls, palaces, and the legendary Bab Mansour, perhaps the most magnificent city gate in the entire Islamic world. The Bab Mansour el Aleuj marks the entrance to the imperial city and impresses with its enormous dimensions, the intricate Zellij mosaics in green and white, and the massive Corinthian marble columns that Moulay Ismail had transported from the Roman ruins of Volubilis. The El Hedim square in front of the gate is Meknès' counterpart to the Djemaa el-Fna in Marrakech, but significantly more relaxed. In the evenings, storytellers, musicians, and street food vendors gather here under the open sky. The underground granaries and stables of Heri es-Souani are an architectural marvel: huge vaulted halls that once housed 12,000 horses and were connected to the nearby Agdal basin by an elaborate water supply system. The mausoleum of Moulay Ismail, one of the few Islamic shrines open to non-Muslims, captivates with its peaceful atmosphere featuring bubbling fountains and delicate stucco decorations. For German travelers, Meknès is an ideal starting point for visiting the Roman ruins of Volubilis (30 km), the holy city of Moulay Idriss, and the wine region around the city, which produces surprisingly good Moroccan wines. The train connection from Fès to Meknès takes only 40 minutes, and the city is perfect for a day trip or as a quieter alternative to the overcrowded neighboring city.