Africa
Morocco
Meknes-Tafilalet Region
Things to Do in Meknes-Tafilalet Region
Volubilis

Volubilis, Meknes-Tafilalet Region

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Volubilis

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Volubilis
4.5
1,829
#4 of 31 things to do in Meknes-Tafilalet Region
Ancient Ruins
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2-3 hours
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
1,829 reviews
Excellent
1,122
Very good
575
Average
117
Poor
8
Terrible
7
mrstraveller1
York, UK1,785 contributions
Worthwhile Visit
This partly excavated Berber-Roman city founded in the 3rd Century BC is a very worthwhile trip in itself, the best preserved archaelogical site in Morocco. It also fits in well with trips to Meknes & nearby Moulay Idriss. It covers 42 hectares & takes between 1-2 hours to walk around, depending on the depth of your interest in history. Particular points of interest are the beautiful floor mosaics. There is a small museum & some half decent loos on site, plus a coffee shop adjacent to the entrance. Entry fee is MAD70. Guides hang around the entrance & I believe the current going rate is around MAD250 for a 60 minute tour. After a few days of being guided in Fes, I decided to explore Volubilis alone & in peace, as there are information boards in English on most of the important buildings. It was quiet on my visit & I was approached by the security guard who started pointing out sites of interest, assuring me he wasn't attempting to seek remuneration as my unsolicited guide. I have no problem in brushing off unwanted services, but quickly established that he had a terrific knowledge of the site, in addition to excellent English, & he definitely added value to my visit. As such, I had decided I'd give him a few dirhams for his informed, though uninvited 25 minutes of guidance. The cheeky ***** suggested I give him the same amount I would have paid for an official guide!!
I didn't!
Written June 28, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Xenia
Haarlem, The Netherlands136 contributions
Ancient Rome in the heart of Morocco!
This place is an absolute must-visit for those who love the history of ancient times!

I visited Volubilis with my boyfriend as a part of our stay in Fes.
Originally we were aiming mostly on Fes and the visit to Volubilis was rather spontaneous. And I am very glad we did it because it happened to be the best part about our stay in Fes and one of the main highlights of our trip to Morocco.

We visited Volubilis on a rainy day in November but it still was a great experience. It was so peaceful there and with very few other tourists. We grabbed a map and were just wandering around the ruins with a feeling that we time-travelled thousands of years back in history. The mosaics are in excellent condition, and we enjoyed examining them.
We didn't hire a guide or join any tour because we like exploring such places in our own rhythm. We did hire a car, the driver waited for us while we were exploring.

Important!
Check out the weather before you go and take an umbrella with you in case it is going to rain. There is only 1 shop next to the ruins and they use their monopoly position to make the prices ridiculously high! I was offered a standard umbrella for something like 15-18 euros, and the guy didn't want to take the price down at all. Luckily, we already had an umbrella with us so we just shared it.
Written August 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
AlbertSalichs
Manresa, Spain9,932 contributions
Wonderful Roman ruins, fantastic guide
Family
Volubilis is a Roman town, where now you can see the ruins of it. They are located near Moulay Idriss, a sacred Muslim town, and 50km far from Meknes, an imperial city in Morocco.
The ruins are very big and very interesting, if you are an history-lover. We came here with a guide, who was very friendly with us and especially with my 4 years old daughter. In fact, he explained us the most important places, especially the main gate, the main street and some houses with well-preserved mosaics of Roman period (wonderful!). Also, he played a lot with my daughter, run and took photos. We enjoyed a lot with the visit and the guide. Thank you very much Morice! Really it is one of the most important ruins of Roman period, you can see in the North of Africa.
(see also Meknes Volubilis Moulay Idriss Day Trip)
Written February 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
packedandready2go
California798 contributions
those interested in history or archaeology should definitely visit.
Friends
If you have an interest in history or archaeology this ancient Roman city is well worth a visit. The guide provided at the entrance kiosk was excellent. The ruins were in good shape and our guide really added to our experience here.
Written November 7, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
David H
Alexandria, LA56 contributions
Fascinating Roman site with wonderful mosaics.
This site trip proved to be a wonderful glimpse into the complex past of Northwest Africa. The Roman and pre-Roman presence left stunning ruins, neglected until French archeologists uncovered them during the colonial period. There are baths, triumphal gates, remains of a basilica and some astonishing (and exposed) mosaics. Our guide, a very knowledgeable man, gave the explanations in English (although we often asked for some information in French, which he spoke flawlessly). This is not handicap accessible, but well worth the side trip. The nearby town of Moulay Idriss is worth a visit as well although the mosque is off-limits to non-Muslims.
Written January 1, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
marftrip
Kernersville, NC242 contributions
Well Worth Part of a Day!
Solo
Much of the history and info on this site are in the previous reviews, so let me add this. Guide books (several years old and in need of an update!) led me to believe signage was poor. That is not the case! All signs, including in the museum, are in French, English and Arabic. I found it very easy to wander around on my own and understand what I was seeing. Granted, I’m a historian and studied Roman history and town planning - but, with help from Google, you can certainly do this on your own and take your time. I enjoyed not being rushed, just being able to absorb the site’s atmosphere. And of course, there are guides available at the entrance. As others have said, you can simply hire a driver at your hotel, then a guide here if you choose. But this site is a really treat - to see so much of a Roman city still on site. Yes, parts of it have been reconstructed, but that’s normal at archaeological sites, the important point is that they acknowledge the reconstructed parts. This is well worth a visit, don’t rush!
Written February 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
FatTireDrifter
Saratoga, CA23 contributions
Must see between Fes and Meknes
Visited while riding my bicycle around Morocco, this UNESCO World Heritage site was one of the specific points of my itinerary.
Some of the structures are well preserved. Expect to spend a couple of hours walking through.
Written March 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
TravelingElbys
New Jersey51 contributions
Incredibly Preserved Roman City
UNESCO does a wonderful job guiding you through the ruins explaining what life was like and the nature of each of the houses and rooms inside. The dry climate has kept the original color of the beautiful floor mosaics intact. This site is worth a visit if you are travelling between Fes and Rabat. It is amazing how far the Roman empire extended.
Written January 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Eileen D
Montclair, NJ119 contributions
Remarkable condition
As an art history teacher, I was blown away by the condition of these ruins. The mosaics were in better condition, open to the elements, than some I have seen in major museums of the world. One can actually envision the city as it was in its Roman heydey. On a beautiful sunny, warm winter day in Morocco, it was a resplendent place to be.
Written January 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Musicians Mum
254 contributions
Interesting stop off visit.
Visited as part of small group tour from UK.This is second time i have been and this time,due to date visited,was devoid of tourists so ambled around with the local guide ,unassailed by large crowds.
This is as far south as the Romans went. Interesting site.Mosaics.
Note.There is no shade.There is no water source INSIDE the site to fill filter bottles
Good toilet facilities at entrance.
Not recommended for anyone with walking difficulites as uneven.
Written April 30, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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