Situated not far from Meknes, between Fes and Rabat, the Roman ruins of Volubilis stand as a testament to a culture that changed the world forever. In the fertile area that the ruined city is located, it’s difficult to remember you’re in Morocco. There’s a lushness that’s not visible everywhere else in the country. Long blades of green grass sway in the gentle breeze, the sun makes the white stone seem bleached and an olive grove along the road you hike from car park to temple, seems to transport you to faraway Italy. Volubilis is a UNESCO World Heritage site and as such is being reconstructed and preserved for future generations. For good reason. The site has an outstanding collection of mosaic floors that rival any collection I’ve seen anywhere in the world outside Rome itself and they’re still being restored which shows the collection will be even more impressive in future years. The Appian Way also runs through the ruins and it’s surreal to walk along the paving stones of a road that was begun in 312 BC. It’s worth any extra money you might incur to hire one of the guides that wait near the entrance to the complex. They’re worth their weight in gold if history interests you. Visit when the sun is not directly overhead for the best photographs and bring extra layers of clothing because the gentle breeze can quickly turn into a strong wind as the ruins are at a higher elevation that the surrounding land.

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Remnants of the Romans in Morocco

Situated not far from Meknes, between Fes and Rabat, the Roman ruins of Volubilis stand as a testament to a culture that changed the world forever. In the fertile area that the ruined city is located, it’s difficult to remember you’re in Morocco. There’s a lushness that’s not visible everywhere else in the country. Long blades of green grass sway in the gentle breeze, the sun makes the white stone seem bleached and an olive grove along the road you hike from car park to temple, seems to transport you to faraway Italy. Volubilis is a UNESCO World Heritage site and as such is being reconstructed and preserved for future generations. For good reason. The site has an outstanding collection of mosaic floors that rival any collection I’ve seen anywhere in the world outside Rome itself and they’re still being restored which shows the collection will be even more impressive in future years. The Appian Way also runs through the ruins and it’s surreal to walk along the paving stones of a road that was begun in 312 BC. It’s worth any extra money you might incur to hire one of the guides that wait near the entrance to the complex. They’re worth their weight in gold if history interests you. Visit when the sun is not directly overhead for the best photographs and bring extra layers of clothing because the gentle breeze can quickly turn into a strong wind as the ruins are at a higher elevation that the surrounding land.

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