VISIT VOLUBILIS FROM MEKNèS

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Day 3: MEKNÈS - MOULAY IDRISS - VOLUBILIS - FEZ

We have breakfast today at 8.30 in the morning, so we wake up a little later and take the opportunity to rest that for that we are also on vacation.
While we have breakfast at Riad Amazigh, we ask Fatima, the owner, how visit Volubilis from Mkenès, a visit that we have added in the last days of the preparations for the trip to Casablanca, Meknès and Fez, hearing real wonders of the place.

Having breakfast at Meknès

We have two options for visit Volubilis from Mkenès:
The easy one, which is to take a taxi for us alone for 350 dirhams that includes going to Moulay Idris, a town located next to Volubilis, visiting it for an hour, going to Volubilis, visiting the site for 2 hours and returning to Meknès.

And then there is the way hard but of course cheaper: take a Grand Taxi (gray cars a little longer than the petit taxi, but they have no identification) in front of L'Institut Français de Meknès in the Vile Nouvelle for 10 dirhams per person, which takes you to Moulay Idris and from there make the change to another Grand Taxi that will take you to Volubilis for 5 more dirhams per person.
Total 60 dirhams versus 350 dirhams of the first option. Quite a difference so that we opt for the second option even though we have to get 6 people in the car (a tourism like those here) with what that means.

To reach the Vile Nouvelle we walk from our riad, touring a practically lonely Medina, only with some open positions. We cannot forget that it is Friday and everything is closed. In less than 15 minutes we stand in front of the Institut Français where right on the street in front we find the Grand Taxis (recognizable by the amount of gray cars and the drivers around)

Medina de Meknès on a Friday

Once in the car, we remember that Fatima told us that you can pay "for one more person"and so go with more space in the car. Depending on how we make the journey, on the way back we will perhaps pay one more seat and so we will come quieter 😉
We do the ride in Grand Taxi from Meknès to Moulay Idris in 30 minutes more or less and once there, in the same place where they stop us, we take another Grand Taxi that for 10 dirhams leaves us at the entrance of Volubilis in about 20 minutes.
If you stay in Fez a good option to visit Volubilis and Meknes is booking this tour with a guide in Spanish that also includes Moulay Idriss, which will pick you up at the hotel.

Moulay Idriss

We pay 10 dirhams per person to enter Volubilis By and after rejecting several proposals for guides to tour the ruins for 10 euros, we will explore them for free under a splendid sunny day.

Volubilis

Volubilis is the best preserved archaeological monument in Morocco and was declared World Heritage by UNESCO in 1997. One of the best things you can see will be its incredible mosaics.

Mosaics in Volubilis

Today less than half of the site has been excavated and archaeologists still make fascinating discoveries.
One of the things that we do not particularly like about Volubilis is the little information we find except for the occasional cartel, so it may be a good idea to hire a guide if you do not take a good guide or want to expand the information.

Some other cartel in Volubilis

We carry the Lonely Morocco Guide and we have to say that Volubilis's explanations are quite extensive, which is why we opted, as we said at the beginning to visit Volubilis from Meknès for free.

Volubilis in Morocco

Although we do not find too many people, the recommendations are to come first thing, since Volubilis is one of the most visited enclaves in this area of Morocco And if you come in the middle of the morning, you will most likely have to share a visit with several dozen other tourists.

Volubiis

The best-known monuments of Volubilis are in the northern area of the site, although logic leads you to start from the southern part, the road that branches to the left as soon as you access the site.
In this southern area we can find the most outstanding points oil press and the remains of a female skeleton, currently protected by an iron screen.
After passing this area, we will see the Galen Baths, quite destroyed but showing the underground heating system used by the Romans.
From here we will access one of the most impressive parts of the site: the Capitol, basilica and forum.

Capitol, Basilica and Forum Area

Backlight in Volubilis

After this area we will find the Acrobat House, famous for one of its mosaics that represents an athlete who is being handed a trophy.
Just past the house, on the right we find the Arch of Triumph, originally crowned by a quadriga built in honor of Emperor Caracala and his mother.

Arc de Triomphe de Volubilis

From the arch, the ceremonial road Decumanus Maximus It extends uphill to the northeast where we can find the houses that contain the best sites of Volubilis.

Decanus Maximus in Volubilis

The first is the Efebo House with his mosaic of Bacchus, the following is the House of the Columns, named for the columns that surround the inner courtyard.

Amazing mosaic in Volubilis

Next we can find the Knight's House, with an incomplete mosaic of Bacchus and Ariadne and then we will have a couple of houses with two excellent mosaics: the Works of Hercules and Nymphs Bathing.
From here, crossing the Decanus Maximus, you can see a lonely cypress as far as you have to go to see the House of Venus, which houses two of the most beautiful mosaics of Volubilis: Abduction of Hilas by Nymphs and Diana's Bath.

The House of Venus

In the House of Venus we conclude this visit to Volubilis from Meknès in which we are touring the ruins until 12 in the morning and which we can say after having the experience, which is 100% recommended.
Again at the door of Volubilis we find that all taxis are already waiting for their customers so we are a bit "pulled" willing to have to wait or make the decision to walk from Volubilis to Moulay Idris (something we have seen many people ago). In the end, thanks to the help of one who is waiting for his clients and offers to help us, we get a Grand Taxi that takes us from Volubilis to Moulay Idris for 30 dirhams.
There is no such thing as to haggle and run out of taxi and have to do the 5 kilometers under a sun that burns at this time in the morning.
Once on the main street of Moulay Idris, we repeat the action this morning in reverse and take another Grand Taxi to return us to Meknès for 10 dirhams per head where we arrive almost at 1 noon.
Just down the main street of Meknès and before entering the Medina we see a McDonalds and just today that it is perfect to make a meal of these fast, we take the opportunity to eat a couple of menus plus an ice cream for 130 dirhams.
It's almost half past noon when we get back on track, this time heading to the Bab al Mansour de Meknès Gate that we saw yesterday at night and today we want to see again but in the light of day.

Book the best rated tours and excursions in Spanish from Fez by travelers:
- 2 day excursion to the desert of Merzouga
- Guided tour of Fez and panoramic tour
- Excursion to Chefchaouen
- Excursion to Volubilis, Mulay Idrís and Meknes
- Guided tour of the Medina of Fez
- More excursions and tours here

The initial idea of the planning was to have visited this morning what we had left of Meknès and leave for Fez, but with the addition of Volubilis and by the recommendations that have told us that Fez can see it well in a day and a half, we have preferred to stay more hours in Meknès and enjoy this city that has fallen in love with us.
On the way to the Bab al Mansour Gate We stopped for a couple of coffees for 14 dirhams that just charged us with energy to face the rest of the day.
In the end instead of going to the door we go to the Plaza de Armas and the Mulay Ismali Mausoleum having a view of this part of the city that yesterday when we toured Meknès we did not get to see.

Meknès

After 2.30 pm we go to the Bab al Mansour Gate Yet the El-Hedim Square, where after taking some pictures we go back into the Medina in which at this time, telling that it is Friday, it only has some stores open.

Bab al Mansour door in Meknès

El-Hedim Square

We take advantage that we are facing the Madrasa Bou Inania where we pay 10 dirhams per person to enter.

Madrasa Bou Inania

This Madrasa is very beautiful especially the central part, although we had read in a blog that had the best views of Meknès and in this we have to disagree a little, since although they are good, they are not quite "the best"Although certainly for the price it is well worth the visit.

Views of Meknès from the roof of the Madrasa Bou Inania

Today we meet again with the kindness of everyone who leads us to places of interest without asking for anything in return or they invite us to enter the shops but to receive a "no thanks"For our part, they say goodbye to us with a"thanks bye"Without a doubt something very different from what is usually thought of Morocco and the Moroccans, comparing it with the most tourist area of Marrakech that we visited a few years ago.
At 3 and a few minutes we return to our Riad to get our bags and go through the Medina of Meknès for the last time until the street of the walls where we take a petit taxi so that it takes us to the El-Amir Abdelkader Station in about 10 minutes for 8.20 dirhams.

Corners of the Medina of Meknès

A little color in Meknès with Gladiator

Once at the station we take our train tickets from Meknès to Fez in first class for 60 dirhams both for the train that leaves at 16.28 in the afternoon.

Waiting for our train to Fez at Meknès Station

The train ride from Meknès to Fez takes 45 minutes We spent reviewing the planning we have for the next days in Fez and reviewing the possible itinerary we have in mind for next year to return to Morocco. We are doubting between the area of Agadir or the south of Morocco, although with the discounts that Iberostar does with Cupon.es we believe that our next destination in Morocco is more than decided.
We arrived in Fez with the beginning of sunset at 17.15 in the afternoon.
Upon arrival we go straight to the door of the station that is located in the ville nouvelle To take another petit taxi that will take us to Riad Ibn Khandoun where we will stay the next two nights in Fez.
The initial price they give us is 50 dirhams without a taximeter claiming that the station's taxis know all the riad of the Medina well and that is why they are more expensive. At this moment we have a "pride moment"and we say no, that it is very expensive and we go to the sidewalk in front of us to try our luck. But after 5 minutes seeing that all the passing taxis are already full (everyone comes from the station) we choose to eat the pride and return to the station where at the moment we arrive they give us a price of 30 dirhams for the same route, so we put the bags in the trunk and already wishing to reach our accommodation, we get lost in the streets of Fez for which we took about 15 minutes to reach the riad.
The taxi leaves us in one of the streets of the South of the Medina since it cannot enter through the narrow streets and a boy comes directly with his car to bring us the bags to the riad and tell us exactly where he is, something that we greatly appreciate with 10 dirhams of tip and that makes it very easy to locate you at the first moment you arrive in a new city in Morocco.
We stayed at the Riad Amazigh, one of the most famous in Fez thanks to PSP Travel where they receive us with some pastries and tea and then give us the keys to a suite in the upper part of the riad where we can enjoy incredible views of the Medina.

Arrival at the riad of Fez, having tea and some pastries

We rest for a while in the room and at 6.30 in the afternoon we leave ready to get lost for a few hours through the streets of Fez.

More practical information to prepare your trip to Fez
- 50 things to see and do in Fez
- 10 essential places to see in Morocco
- 10 essential tips for traveling to Morocco

And the first on the forehead. Just in the first street of the Medina in which we enter a young man approaches us and although we do not like to classify, qualify or judge, in this case we have to add that the pints he had were to carry more than a drink and Just for the look, the aggressiveness was palpable. Start insisting again and again with taking us to a Berber restaurant.
We try not to pay much attention to him, but after 10 minutes following us, we tell him on several occasions that we do not want to have dinner, that we are only walking and start shouting in French that I only I say no and that I am being very unpleasant with him because he is poor.
The tension begins to become increasingly palpable and when you begin to get too close to talk to us you begin to notice an increasingly palpable attitude.
Seeing that this is not going to take us on the right track, we choose to turn around the road of the riad or a restaurant that welcomes us while we wait for it to leave.
We are approaching a police post and suddenly we see that it disappears. We look at each other breathing calmly, but nothing is further from reality. A few meters later it appears again from nowhere, again with the same singer watching us even if it goes a few steps ahead of us.
For a few moments we do not know how to act and when he returns to the attack saying that he is poor Roger tells him that we are going to the Riad and that please leave us alone.
Disappears saying goodbye and some words that we do not understand and now we do breathe in relief, but not so much as to get back too far from the riad, so we chose to have dinner at a bar near an impressive lemon chicken tagine, which for a while makes me forget of the clash we just had.

Having dinner in Fez. Lemon Chicken Tagine

We pay for a lemon chicken tagine, a plate of skewers of different meats, water and coke 140 dirhams.
The tajine reminds me of the one we tasted in Marrakech several times and we have to say that the treatment of the staff has been very friendly (although they try to strain a guide for tomorrow but certainly in good manners and with sympathy).
It's 9 o'clock at night when we return to the riad with a full stomach but with a bittersweet half taste for the first contact we have had with Fez.
We hope tomorrow is all different.