Last updated: June 2026
Meknes is the imperial city that people mean to visit and then skip. That’s mostly a mistake - but it depends entirely on how you plan your time.
Morocco has four imperial cities: Marrakech, Fes, Rabat, and Meknes. The first two draw millions of visitors. Rabat gets attention as the capital. Meknes sits 60 km west of Fes, 45 minutes by train, and most itineraries reduce it to a half-day bolt-on. I’ve been here twice - once as a day trip from Fes, once with an overnight - and my honest view is that the day trip crowd are selling themselves a bit short, though Meknes is absolutely not a two-night destination.
Here’s what’s actually here, what it costs, and how to work it into a Fes trip properly.
What Meknes Actually Is
Meknes was Morocco’s capital for about 50 years under Sultan Moulay Ismail (1672-1727), who turned what had been a modest town into a vast imperial complex. He was, by all accounts, a ferocious and brilliant ruler who used Christian slaves and Sudanese soldiers to build his city. He wanted Meknes to rival Versailles - and in some respects he pulled it off.
After Moulay Ismail died in 1727, the capital shifted back to Fes, Meknes went into slow decline, and a devastating earthquake in 1755 finished off much of what he’d built. What you see today is partly ruins, partly restoration, and partly a functioning city of about 650,000 people getting on with their lives.
This history matters for how you experience Meknes. It’s not a preserved medieval medina like Fes. It’s a city with genuinely extraordinary individual monuments surrounded by a lot of ordinary streets.
Bab Mansour: The Great Gate
Bab Mansour is the main reason people make the trip, and it’s worth it. Built between 1672 and 1732, it’s the largest gate in Morocco and one of the finest surviving examples of late-Marinid decorative architecture in North Africa.
The gate stands roughly 16 metres tall, decorated with intricate zellij tilework, carved stucco panels, and green-glazed ceramic. The marble columns flanking the central arch were taken directly from the Roman ruins at Volubilis - a point Moulay Ismail was apparently proud of rather than embarrassed by. The arch is unmistakably theatrical: designed to impress, and it does.
What to know before you go: As of late 2025, Bab Mansour is undergoing restoration work. Scaffolding covers parts of the upper sections. The gate is still visible and worth seeing, but photograph expectations accordingly. Entry is free and there’s no set visiting time - it’s on an open plaza.
The square in front, Place el-Hedim, is Meknes’s equivalent of Jemaa el-Fnaa in Marrakech, though a fraction of the size and considerably calmer. There are juice stalls, a few souvenir sellers, and local families sitting out in the evening. The hassle level here is genuinely low compared to Fes.
The Moulay Ismail Mausoleum
A short walk from Bab Mansour, the mausoleum of Moulay Ismail is one of the few religious sites in Morocco that non-Muslims are permitted to enter. You remove your shoes at the threshold, pass through a series of tiled antechambers, and reach the tomb room itself - cool, quiet, and genuinely beautiful.
The tilework is exceptional. Moulay Ismail chose this location specifically because it had previously housed the city’s court of justice; he wanted to be judged by his people even in death. Whether you find that touching or grandiose probably says something about your relationship with absolute monarchy.
Practical notes: The mausoleum is open Monday to Friday 9am-6:30pm, and Saturday/Sunday 9am-12:30pm and 3pm-6:30pm. There’s no entrance fee, though donations are accepted. Dress modestly - shoulders and knees covered, and wear socks because you’ll be walking barefoot on the tiled floors.
This is consistently the most affecting stop in Meknes. Give it 45 minutes minimum.
Heri es-Souani: The Granaries and Agdal Basin
This is the site most visitors underestimate, and it’s the one I’d argue most rewards attention.
Heri es-Souani was Moulay Ismail’s royal granary and stable complex - a massive vaulted structure built to store food, house horses, and demonstrate imperial power simultaneously. The sultan reportedly kept 12,000 horses here (the number is almost certainly an exaggeration, but even at a fraction of that it’s a staggering logistical undertaking). The 1755 earthquake collapsed much of the roof, leaving a series of roofless barrel-vaulted chambers that are genuinely dramatic to walk through - shafts of light dropping through the ruins, pigeons nesting in the broken arches.
Attached to the granaries is the Agdal Basin, an artificial reservoir measuring roughly 319 by 149 metres - built to supply water to the imperial compound. People come here in the afternoon to walk the perimeter, sit by the water, and cool down. It’s peaceful in a way that almost nowhere in Moroccan tourism is peaceful.
Entry: 10 MAD (roughly £0.80). Open daily 9am-noon and 3pm-6:30pm. Note that parts of the stables have been undergoing renovation - the granaries section is the main draw anyway.
The Medina: What It’s Actually Like
Meknes medina is smaller and quieter than Fes. That’s not a criticism - it’s the point.
In Fes el-Bali, navigating the souks requires active decision-making about whether the person walking next to you is a guide, a tout, or just someone walking. Meknes doesn’t operate like this. The medina has proper souks - spices, leather goods, clothing, ceramics - but they’re working commercial areas rather than performance pieces for tourists. You can walk through without being grabbed or followed. You can stop at a stall without being treated as a sales target.
The medina is not especially beautiful. The architecture is functional rather than spectacular, and the lanes are shorter and more navigable than Fes. There’s a decent Bou Inania Madrasa here (same name, different building than the famous one in Fes) with carved stucco and cedar screens around a central courtyard - worth 15 minutes and a few dirhams for the entrance.
The food: Cheaper than Fes. A bowl of harira, a brochette and bread, a fresh orange juice - you can eat a proper lunch for under 60 MAD. The mechoui (slow-roasted lamb) places near the main souk are the most reliable for a midday meal.
Day Trip vs. Overnight: The Honest Answer
Most people visit Meknes on a day trip from Fes. The train runs approximately every hour, takes 35-45 minutes, and costs about 20-25 MAD second class (roughly £1.60). You arrive at Meknes-Amir Abdekader station, take a petit taxi to the medina for about 15 MAD, see everything in 4-5 hours, and catch a late-afternoon train back. That’s a valid plan.
But here’s what you lose on a day trip: If you’re also doing Volubilis and Moulay Idriss (which you should - see below), cramming all three into one day from Fes means you’re rushing. You see Bab Mansour in late morning, eat quickly, get to the granaries, get a taxi north to Moulay Idriss, and by the time you reach Volubilis you’re tired and it’s getting warm. Volubilis deserves 2-3 hours of unhurried walking.
The case for one night in Meknes: Accommodation costs noticeably less than Fes (average daily spend around £50 per person versus £75 in Fes). An overnight means you can do Meknes itself in an afternoon, have dinner somewhere quiet, and leave early the next morning for Volubilis when the light is right and there are no other tour groups. You also get the Moulay Ismail mausoleum and Heri es-Souani without a clock running.
Meknes is not a two-night city. There isn’t enough here for two full days unless you’re doing serious day trips outward. But one night is genuinely worth considering, especially if your Fes itinerary is already full.
Combining with Volubilis and Moulay Idriss
Volubilis is 30 km north of Meknes - about a 30-minute drive. The holy city of Moulay Idriss is roughly 4 km from Volubilis, between the two sites. This triangle is the classic circuit, and it’s the strongest argument for spending a night in Meknes rather than basing yourself in Fes for both.
From Meknes, a shared grand taxi to Moulay Idriss costs about 10 MAD per seat. From Moulay Idriss to Volubilis is walkable (about 4 km, 50 minutes on a dirt track) or 20-30 MAD by petit taxi.
How to sequence it: Meknes first (city doesn’t require morning light), then Moulay Idriss for the afternoon views across the valley, then Volubilis in late afternoon when tour groups have thinned. If you’re staying overnight in Meknes, doing Volubilis first thing the next morning is even better - cooler, quieter, and the Roman columns catch the early light in a way that’s worth the early alarm.
You can read the full Volubilis guide for what to see at the ruins themselves. We also have Fes day trips that cover the logistics in more detail if you’re keeping Fes as your base.
If you want a guided circuit covering all three, our Morocco tours include this route as part of several northern Morocco itineraries - useful if you’d rather not coordinate three different taxis and entrance times.
Getting to Meknes
From Fes: Train is the easiest option. ONCF trains run approximately hourly, journey time 35-45 minutes, cost 18-26 MAD second class. The train station in Meknes (Meknes-Amir Abdekader) is about 2 km from the medina - petit taxis from the station to Bab Mansour cost 15-20 MAD.
From Rabat or Casablanca: Meknes is on the main rail line. From Rabat it’s about 2 hours; from Casablanca about 3.5 hours.
By car: Meknes sits on the A2 autoroute. Parking near the medina is possible but involves navigating the new town first.
Getting around Meknes: The key sites cluster in the Imperial City area, roughly 10-15 minutes on foot between them. Petit taxis are cheap (rarely more than 15 MAD within the city). The Heri es-Souani is about 20-25 minutes’ walk from Bab Mansour, or a 10 MAD taxi.
Practical Costs
- Train from Fes: 20-25 MAD (about £1.60)
- Petit taxi from station to medina: 15-20 MAD
- Moulay Ismail mausoleum: free (donations welcome)
- Heri es-Souani: 10 MAD
- Bab Mansour: free
- Bou Inania Madrasa: 10-20 MAD
- Lunch in medina: 50-80 MAD per person
- Guesthouse in Meknes: 300-600 MAD per night
A comfortable day trip from Fes with lunch costs roughly 150-200 MAD per person including transport. An overnight adds accommodation but saves you roughly the same amount versus staying an extra night in Fes.
For a broader sense of how Morocco travel costs add up, the Morocco itineraries guide breaks it down by trip length.
The Honest Verdict
Meknes is a city that rewards slightly more time than most people give it. The monuments - Bab Mansour, the mausoleum, the granaries - are genuinely excellent. The medina is a working Moroccan city rather than a tourist show, and the lack of pressure is something you notice immediately if you’ve come from Fes.
It’s not as architecturally rich as Fes. The medina is smaller, the historic fabric less intact. If you’re only in Morocco for a week and have to choose between spending an extra day in Fes or a day in Meknes, Fes probably wins. But if your Fes itinerary is already planned and you have a night to spare, using Meknes as the base for a Volubilis excursion makes a lot of sense. You’ll spend less money, encounter fewer tourists, and see some of the most impressive imperial architecture in the country.
Most people who skip it say afterwards they wish they hadn’t. Most people who go say they wish they’d had one more hour. Both are useful things to know.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Meknes take to visit?
A half-day (4-5 hours) covers the main sites: Bab Mansour, the Moulay Ismail mausoleum, the Heri es-Souani granaries, and a walk through part of the medina. Add a full day if you’re combining with Volubilis and Moulay Idriss. An overnight is worth it if you want to do both Meknes and the Volubilis circuit without rushing.
Is Meknes worth visiting without going to Volubilis?
Yes. The city itself - Bab Mansour, the mausoleum, the granaries - is worth a half-day on its own merits. Volubilis adds significantly to the trip but isn’t required. That said, they’re so close to each other (30 km) that it makes sense to combine them if you have the time.
How do I get from Fes to Meknes?
Train is the best option. ONCF trains from Fes to Meknes run approximately hourly, take 35-45 minutes, and cost about 20-25 MAD (roughly £1.60) second class. Taxis are also available - a shared grand taxi from Fes takes about an hour and costs around 30-40 MAD.
Can non-Muslims enter the Moulay Ismail mausoleum?
Yes. The Moulay Ismail mausoleum is one of a small number of sacred sites in Morocco that are open to non-Muslim visitors. You’ll need to remove your shoes and dress modestly (shoulders and knees covered). Entry is free. It’s open Monday to Friday 9am-6:30pm, and shorter hours at weekends.
Is Meknes medina less hassle than Fes?
In my experience, yes - noticeably so. Meknes medina has fewer touts and almost no fake guides. The souks are working commercial areas rather than tourist circuits, and you can walk through without the level of attention you’d get in Fes el-Bali. This isn’t universal - tourist-heavy areas near Bab Mansour can attract sellers - but compared to central Fes it’s considerably calmer.
What does a day trip to Meknes from Fes cost?
A comfortable day trip - train both ways, petit taxi in Meknes, entrance fees (mausoleum is free, granaries 10 MAD), and a sit-down lunch - should come in at roughly 150-200 MAD per person (about £12-16). Add 100-150 MAD if you continue to Volubilis and Moulay Idriss by shared taxi.
