Day 3 - Volubilis Tour, onward to Fes

Day 3 started in Moulay Irdiss, went to the nearby world heritage site of Volubilis, back to Mekenes for a few hours, and then on to Fes.

We woke to partially sunny skies. Everyone was in a good mood at breakfast as the forecast had indicated the rain might remain for part of the day on Friday, and it had heavily rained in the evening and there was even hail.

After breakfast we went on walking tour of Moulay Idriss with a local guide. The town is very hilly, with narrow, pedestrian only streets. Lots and lots of steps. Donkeys carry many of the items to homes and businesses, so beware of where you step. Non-Muslims are not allowed to go to the mosque and tomb, but two of our group are Muslim and were allowed entry.   In fact, prior to 2005 non-Muslims were not allowed to even spend the night in Moulay  Idriss.

 After we left Moulay Idriss it was a short taxi ride to the archaeological site of Volubilis. The ruins of this former Roman provincial capital are a world heritage site and the best preserved archaeological site in Morocco. Our local guide explained the history and function of the buildings at the site as we walked through the ruins. The site is famous for its many beautiful mosaics.

After leaving Volubilis, we returned to Mekenes by taxi. We spent some time in the medina, including having a camel burger for lunch. We then explored more if the city, including its extensive walls.  More than 25 miles of wall exist in Mekenes, including the largest gate in Africa.

Our group taxis picked us up and took us to the train station where we took a ~35 minute train ride to Fes. We would spend the next 2 nights in Fes, so took advantage of that by doing laundry once we got to the hotel to allow things time to air dry prior to heading out for dinner.