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Quieter and smaller than its grand neighbour Fez, Meknes feels rather overshadowed and receives fewer visitors than it should. It’s more laid-back with less hassle, yet still has all the winding narrow medina streets and grand buildings that it warrants as an imperial city and one-time home of the Moroccan sultanate.
Sultan Moulay Ismail, the architect of Meknes’ glory days, might be a little disgruntled at the city’s current modesty, but visitors will find much to be enchanted by. Remnants of no less than three sets of fortifications, ingeniously incorporated into the city's road networks, make it clear how important this city once was. The king's tomb sits at the heart of what remains of the original imperial city, flanked by an almighty royal granary, the magnificent Bab El Mansour – the likes of which even Fez can't compete with – and Place El Hedim, a local mini-me of Marrakesh's popular square Djemaa El Fna.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Meknes.
Gate
The focus of Place El Hedim is this huge gate, perhaps the grandest of all imperial Moroccan gateways. The gate is well preserved, if a bit dulled by soot, with intricate mosaic tilework and inscriptions across the top. It was completed by Moulay Ismail’s son, Moulay Abdallah, in 1732. You can't actually pass through, though the front door is sometimes open to host exhibitions. Otherwise, there's a little foot passage through the wall to the left of the gate.
Islamic Site
Opposite the Grande Mosquée, this religious school, completed in 1358, is typical of the exquisite Merinid interior design. Although it is not as lavish as its counterpart of the same name in Fez, it does display the classic zellige tile, delicate stucco and carved cedar-wood ceiling. You can explore the student rooms, the roof (nice views of the Grande Mosquée's minaret) and even the school's hammam (down a hall to the left, opposite the ticket desk).
Square
Cleared by Moulay Ismail so his populace could better admire Bab El Mansour, this square is the social heart of the medina, and it really livens up at night. Families come out to stroll, snack at the cafes, play football and listen to musicians. Kids zip around in battery-powered cars and occasionally (and somewhat unfortunately) a monkey or an ostrich is dragged in for photo ops. Park yourself at a snack stand or a nearby rooftop to watch the show.
Mausoleum
Closed since 2016 for a massive renovation, the final resting place of the sultan who made Meknes his capital in the 17th century is ordinarily a must-see for anyone travelling through town. Before the closure, non-Muslim visitors were allowed into the entry hall and the front courtyards; this may still be the case when it reopens, perhaps in 2020.
Museum
On the north side of Place El Hedim, this museum was under renovation at last visit, with a possible reopening in 2020. Built in 1882 by the powerful Jamaï family, two of whom were viziers to Sultan Moulay Al Hassan I, the palace building has been a museum since 1920. Its collection includes traditional ceramics, jewellery, textiles and cedar-wood craft. The Andalusian garden and courtyard are shady, peaceful spots dotted with orange trees.
Palace
Moulay Ismail's summer palace, built in the countryside in the 17th century, now sits in the middle of the urban fabric of Meknes – there's even a neighborhood playground out front. It has undergone a massive restoration, although at last visit, only the round, domed storage room was open to visitors. It's far south from the centre, so only worth a visit if you're travelling by car or if you just want an excuse to witness ordinary life in a regular city district.
Ruins
Moulay Ismail considered this early-18th-century complex one of his finest architectural projects, and on paper it's a marvel. The massive, thick-walled, barrel-vaulted granaries (tribes paid taxes in grain) were kept cool through a system of underfloor water channels, drawing from a cistern below. Outside to the west are the remains of stables for a supposed 12,000 horses. In practice, unless you're particularly interested in water engineering, there is not much to see, considering the rather steep admission price.
Monument
Moulay Ismail's reception hall for foreign ambassadors is a lovely show of zellige (patterned tile) work. It's here that Unesco officially inscribed Meknes in the World Heritage Site registry in 1996. In front of the building, small windows provide light for a 40-hectare crypt below. Descend via stairs to the right of the reception hall; the entrance fee covers both.
Lake
Adjacent to the Heri Es Souani lies an enormous stone-lined lake, the Agdal Basin, built in the 18th century as both a reservoir for Moulay Ismail's gardens and a pleasure lake. Originally it was surrounded by high walls and fed by a complex system of wells and aqueducts. Today the water is stagnant, but it's still a pleasant place for photos, perhaps by the Giacometti-like statue of a traditional water-seller that sits at one corner.