Meknes

Shrouded in a sea of lemon groves and olive fields, the soaring walls of imperial Meknes look nothing short of fairy tale. Perhaps it’s because they are adorned in the same Arabian grandeur as the town’s other great sights; the mosaic-clad Bab Mansour Gate; the square-cut Dar El Beida palace; the regal Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail, with its carved Moorish apses and sunny riad courtyards. Or, maybe it’s because they encircle a city still largely mysterious and unknown to many tourists in Morocco. Clinging to the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, in-between the port of Rabat and the city of Fez, Meknes represents another of the country’s must see historical centres; one a smidgen more off-the-beaten-track and relaxed. Be sure to ask your Meknes tour guide for a low down on all the major sights here, from the bubbling streets of the modern Ville Nouvelle, to the steamy medina and its palatial adjuncts. What’s more, there are the ancient ruins of Volubilis and the hilly pilgrimage site of Moulay Idriss in the town’s vicinity to explore. If you fancy trying your hand at a spot of Berber cooking, then seek out one of Meknes’ culinary schools, where travellers and locals alike mix pots of scented spices and broil vegetables in clay tagines.