6 best day trips from Fes

Day trips compared

The day trips

60 km · About 45 minutes–1 hour by train

1.Meknes

Sultan Moulay Ismail's 17th-century imperial capital has the monumental Bab Mansour gate, the Place el-Hedim square, granaries and royal stables, and a more relaxed medina than Fes.

Getting there

Train from Fes to Meknes

Best for

Culture, First-timers

80 km · About 1 hour 30 minutes by car

2.Volubilis

The UNESCO-listed ruins of a Roman city on the edge of the empire, with a triumphal arch, basilica and some of the finest floor mosaics in North Africa, set among olive groves.

Getting there

Private driver or grand taxi; often combined with Meknes

Best for

Culture, Families, First-timers

75 km · About 1 hour 15 minutes by car

3.Moulay Idriss Zerhoun

A whitewashed holy town spread over two hills around the shrine of Moulay Idriss I, founder of Morocco's first Islamic dynasty, with views down to Volubilis from its terraces.

Getting there

Private driver or grand taxi; combine with Volubilis

Best for

Culture, Quiet stays

65 km · About 1 hour by car

4.Ifrane and Azrou cedar forest

Ifrane is a Middle Atlas resort town with Alpine-style chalets and lakes, and the cedar forest near Azrou is home to Barbary macaques. Do not feed the monkeys.

Getting there

Private driver or grand taxi

Best for

Families, Quiet stays

200 km · About 3.5–4 hours by road

5.Chefchaouen

The blue-washed mountain town in the Rif has a small medina, a kasbah and walking trails; it makes a long day trip and is better as an overnight.

Getting there

CTM coach or private driver

Best for

Couples, First-timers

30 km · About 40 minutes by car

6.Sefrou

A small walled town in the foothills of the Middle Atlas with a compact, little-visited medina, an old mellah and orchards; known for its cherry festival.

Getting there

Grand taxi or bus

Best for

Quiet stays, Culture

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• ONCF trains from Fes station in the Ville Nouvelle run to Meknes, Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier and Marrakech.
• CTM and other coach companies run comfortable intercity buses to Chefchaouen and other towns not on the rail network.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask