Moulay Idriss (Zerhoun)
Think of a quant old town in Italy perched up on the side of a hill with looming mountains behind and you have Moulay Idriss, a holy town in the north of Morocco.
It’s one of the most holy sites for Muslims in the country as it’s where Moulay Idriss arrived and brought Islam to Morocco in 789.
Nowadays for Moroccan’s it’s an important pilgrimage site, but is also becoming popular among tourists due to its quiet setting and nearby ruins of the Roman city of Volubilis.
Luckily so far most tourists just come for a quick look around while on a day trip from the nearby cities of Meknes and Fes, and only a handful of travellers stay in the town itself.
This allows the place to remain relatively unspoilt and relaxed.
Part of the reason for that is in the past tourists weren’t overly encouraged to visit as the locals sensibly tried to keep the place a bit of a secret.
Understandable when you see what happens to places like Fez and Marrakech that let in the tourist hordes, so too speak.
You can stay in traditional buildings that have been turned into guesthouses and are run by the very helpful families that live in them.
They are often in a great position in the town as well, with relaxing rooftop terraces to have dinner and unwind.
There is no hassle like you get in some other parts of Morocco and that’s a big relief. Instead you will encounter genuine friendliness from most people.
It’s a great place to get a little lost wandering the cobble stoned alleyways, watching children have a game of football, or see adults standing around having a discussion.
Nearby only 15 minutes walk from the centre is an old Roman bath that has natural thermal waters, although the water is not that hot, but still good for the skin and to chill out in for a while.
Ask in the guesthouses and they will give you directions on how to get there.
The rear of the town that’s perched on a cliff looks down on the bath and the river that runs beside it, and if you continue past that you will end up in the mountains.
The Ruins of Volubilis
What also makes this whole region great to visit is the ruins of the ancient city of Volubilis.
A prosperous Roman city from early AD onwards, its wealth came largely due to the olive growing industry in the fertile plains surrounding it.
Nowadays for travellers it basically means a cool place too hang out for a few hours and soak in the historical ambience.
It’s also a great place just to escape the towns and cities and enjoy some quiet, apart from the few tour groups that wander around. But the area is big enough to find your own little space.
There are plenty of smaller things to see while you walk about as you will come across old mosaics amongst the larger ruins.
After Roman times Volubilis was still used for living in until the rulers moved to the city of Fez, after which the population was resettled in nearby Moulay Idriss.
The French helped excavate and restore parts of the ruins during there time in Morocco, and the subsequent government have also done their part.
Like stated before many people come by here on day trips from Fes and Meknes, but if you end up staying in Moulay Idriss, which I highly recommend doing for a night, then you can easily have a pleasant 45 minute walk down to Volubilis and will most likely encounter very friendly farmers and locals along the way.
That’s one of the benefits of walking there.
People will be used to most tourists just driving in and out quickly, and so will often be curious and happy to meet the lone traveller strolling down there.
If you end up in Morocco there is the high chance that you will be visiting Fes, as that is one of the main tourist cities to see.
Moulay Idriss is about one and a half hours drive from there and like I suggested would be a good place to spend the night.
If you don’t have the time to sleep over then at least go on a day trip.
But staying there you can enjoy the tranquility of Moulay Idriss.
I recommend using SafetyWing Travel Insurance for your trip, just in case, it’s best to be prepared.
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