10 Free Things to Do in Meknes
Morocco's overlooked imperial city for free: Bab Mansour's grandeur, Place el-Hedim atmosphere, royal ruins, olive country walks, and authentic medina without the crowds.
Bab Mansour — Africa's Grandest Gate
FREEBab Mansour el-Aleuj is the most decorated monumental gate in Morocco — and arguably in all of Africa. Free to admire and photograph. Built in 1732 to complete Sultan Moulay Ismail's imperial city, the gate is covered in zellige mosaic, carved stucco, and marble columns recycled from Volubilis (the nearby Roman ruins). The scale is enormous — the gate dwarfs everything around it. The green-and-white tile work against the honey-coloured stone is extraordinary. The gate opens onto Place el-Hedim and is Meknes's most iconic landmark.
Place el-Hedim Atmosphere
FREEPlace el-Hedim — Meknes's main square — is free and is the city's social heart. Named "the square of demolition" (Moulay Ismail demolished the buildings that stood here to create it), the square sits between the medina and the imperial city with Bab Mansour as its spectacular backdrop. The atmosphere is similar to Marrakech's Jemaa el-Fnaa but calmer and more local — food stalls, juice vendors, storytellers, and musicians without the tourist intensity. The square has cafés along its edges (mint tea 8–12 MAD) and benches in the centre.
Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail
FREEThe Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail — the sultan who made Meknes his capital and Morocco's most powerful 17th-century state — is free to enter (one of very few Islamic shrines in Morocco open to non-Muslims). The interior is stunning: zellige tilework, carved plaster, painted cedarwood ceilings, and ornate fountains. The mausoleum is smaller than the Mohammed V Mausoleum in Rabat but arguably more intimate and beautiful. Moulay Ismail is often compared to Louis XIV of France — both were contemporaries, both were megalomaniacs, both built extraordinary palaces.
Medina Walk & Souk Browsing
FREEMeknes's medina is free, authentic, and significantly less touristic than Fes or Marrakech. The souks are working markets where locals buy daily goods — prices are genuine. The medina has the same architectural elements as Fes (carved fountains, ornate fondouks, zellige-covered medersas) but without the crowds. The food souk is particularly good — olives (Meknes is Morocco's olive capital), preserved lemons, spices, and dried fruits piled in artistic displays. The carpet souk offers similar quality to Fes at lower prices with less aggressive selling.
Royal Granaries & Stables Exterior
FREEThe Heri es-Souani — Moulay Ismail's Royal Granaries and Stables — is one of Morocco's most impressive ruins. The interior charges entry (70 MAD), but the exterior walls and the surrounding area are free and give a powerful sense of the scale. The granaries stored grain to feed the city during sieges; the stables housed 12,000 horses. The thick walls (designed for insulation) stretch for hundreds of metres. The engineering is remarkable — underground channels brought water from the Middle Atlas for cooling. Even from outside, the megalomaniac scale of Moulay Ismail's vision is palpable.
Agdal Basin & Royal Gardens
FREEThe Agdal Basin (Bassin de l'Agdal) — a massive artificial lake built by Moulay Ismail to irrigate his royal gardens and supply water to the city — is free and peaceful. The basin is surrounded by olive groves and gardens. Local families picnic by the water, fishermen cast lines, and the reflection of the surrounding walls in the water is photogenic. The basin is well outside the tourist circuit — you'll likely be the only visitor. The engineering achievement (17th century, still holding water) is impressive. The surrounding area is a pleasant walk through olive groves.
Ville Nouvelle Architecture
FREEMeknes's Ville Nouvelle (new city built during the French Protectorate) has handsome colonial architecture — free to walk and admire. The wide boulevards lined with Art Deco and Neo-Moorish buildings are quieter and more elegant than Casablanca's equivalent. The market hall, the post office, and several civic buildings blend French and Moroccan styles. Avenue Mohammed V connects the Ville Nouvelle to the medina and has cafés, shops, and a pleasant walking atmosphere. The transition from modern Ville Nouvelle to ancient medina through the gates is one of Morocco's great urban experiences.
Olive Groves Walk
FREEMeknes is the heart of Morocco's olive country — the Saiss plain surrounding the city is covered in olive groves. Walking through the groves on the city's outskirts is free and peaceful. The olive trees (some centuries old) create dappled shade. In autumn (October–November), the harvest is a fascinating free spectacle — families beating the trees with poles, olives cascading onto spread cloths, the smell of fresh oil from local presses. The Meknes olive oil is considered Morocco's finest. The landscape around the city is some of Morocco's most fertile — green, gentle, and agricultural.
Bou Inania Medersa Exterior
FREEThe Bou Inania Medersa (Islamic school, 14th century) has a small entry fee for the interior, but the exterior courtyard entrance and the carved facade are visible from the street for free. The zellige tilework, carved stucco, and cedarwood carving on the entrance are among the finest in Morocco. The medersa sits on a quiet medina street — the contrast between the plain lane and the explosion of ornament at the entrance is dramatic. The bronze doors are particularly beautiful. Even the exterior alone justifies a detour through the medina.
Sunset from the Imperial City Walls
FREEThe massive walls of the imperial city — built by Moulay Ismail and stretching for 25km around his palace complex — are free to walk along from outside. At sunset, the pisé walls glow pink and golden — the same rose colour as Marrakech but in a quieter, more contemplative setting. The stretch of wall between Bab Mansour and the Royal Granaries is the most atmospheric sunset walk. The walls are punctuated by monumental gates, each with different decoration. The scale is staggering — Moulay Ismail's ambition was to rival Versailles, and the walls suggest he came closer than most people realise.
Plan it with a local expert
Travel Morocco with Serenity Morocco Tours
Crafting extraordinary journeys through Morocco's timeless landscapes. 100% private journeys, handcrafted around you.
from $2,011Sahara Desert Luxury Expedition
from $2,054Essential Morocco: Imperial Cities Circuit
from $5,978Sahara to Sea: Morocco Complete
More Meknes Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Meknes worth visiting on a budget?
Meknes is one of Morocco's best-value destinations. It's an imperial city with Fes-level historical significance but a fraction of the tourist traffic and prices. The iconic Bab Mansour — Africa's grandest gate — is free to admire. Place el-Hedim (the main square) is free. The medina is free to walk and has genuine local prices (carpets cost half what they do in Fes). The Royal Granaries and Stables exterior is free. Meknes is also the gateway to Volubilis (Morocco's best Roman ruins) and the holy city of Moulay Idriss Zerhoun. Street food is among the cheapest in Morocco.
What can you do for free in Meknes?
Top free activities: admire Bab Mansour (the most decorated gate in Morocco), people-watch in Place el-Hedim (Meknes's version of Jemaa el-Fnaa), explore the medina (calmer than Fes, genuine local prices), walk around the Royal Granaries and Stables exterior (the scale of Moulay Ismail's ambition is visible from outside), visit the Agdal Basin (a massive royal reservoir — free and peaceful), browse the olive and food souks, and walk through the Ville Nouvelle (French colonial architecture). The Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail is free to enter for all visitors.