# Chefchaouen, Volubilis and Fes: the north of Morocco

URL: https://soukytours.com/blog/chefchaouen-volubilis-and-fes-northern-morocco
Date: 2026-10-12

Roman mosaics in Volubilis, the tanneries of Fes and the blue alleys of Chefchaouen: what you see in northern Morocco and how to plan the route.

Northern Morocco feels different from Marrakesh. It is greener and cooler, and there is a lot of history within a few hours' drive. Three places stand out: the Roman town of Volubilis, the medina of Fes and blue Chefchaouen in the Rif Mountains.

Soukayna took the photos in this post herself, on her trips through the north.

## Volubilis: a Roman town in open country

Volubilis lies half an hour north of Meknès, on a slope between wheat fields. Around the year 200 about twenty thousand people lived here. Little was built on top of it afterward, so you still walk down the old main street, past columns, arches and the remains of villas.

![A row of Roman arches and columns in Volubilis under a blue sky](/images/volubilis-bogen.jpg "Arches and columns in Volubilis")

The floors are the best part. The mosaics are still where they were laid, out in the open air. On some of them animals stand between the branches of a tree, set so finely that you keep looking.

![A round Roman floor mosaic with a tree and animals, including an elephant, in Volubilis](/images/volubilis-mozaiek.jpg "A floor mosaic in Volubilis, with the fields beyond")

Plan on an hour and a half to two hours. In the middle of the day there is hardly any shade. My advice: go early or late in the afternoon, and bring water, a hat and shoes for uneven stones. You can hire a local guide at the entrance. With someone explaining it, the ruins turn back into a town.

On the hill next door is Moulay Idriss, a place of pilgrimage. You can walk its alleys, but not enter the mausoleum. Wear covered clothing there. More about this day is on the page about [Meknès and Volubilis](/en/destinations/meknes-and-volubilis).

## Fes: a medina where people still work

From Volubilis it is about an hour to Fes. The old medina, Fes el-Bali, is one of the largest car-free urban areas in the world. Thousands of alleys, donkeys carrying loads, and workshops where copper is hammered and leather is dyed.

![Stone dye pits of a tannery in Fes, filled with dye and water](/images/fes-leerlooierij-kuipen.jpg "The pits of a tannery in Fes")

You may know the tanneries from photos. You look down on them from the terrace of a leather shop and get a sprig of mint for the smell. A few minutes is enough.

After that, find some quiet in a madrasa such as the Bou Inania or the Al-Attarine, with courtyards full of tilework, cedar wood and carved plaster.

Fes is busier and more confusing than Marrakesh. My advice is to take a local guide who knows the medina on your first day. On the second day you can easily walk on your own. Stay two nights, so you also have time to recover in your riad. Everything about the city is on the page about [Fes](/en/destinations/fes).

## Chefchaouen: blue and quiet in the Rif

From Fes you drive about three and a half hours into the Rif Mountains. Chefchaouen sits against a mountain at around 600 meters (about 2,000 feet). Walls, steps and doors are painted in shades from pale blue to indigo.

![A narrow blue alley with steps in the medina of Chefchaouen](/images/chefchaouen-blauwe-steeg.jpg "A blue alley in Chefchaouen")

There are no big sights. You come for the streets themselves, and for the pace. After Fes it feels quiet. Early in the morning, before the day visitors arrive, you have the alleys to yourself. Late in the afternoon you walk for thirty to forty-five minutes up to the Spanish Mosque on the hill across from town, for the view at sunset.

Pack a warm layer and a rain jacket. It rains more here than in most of Morocco, in spring too. The best months are April through June and September through October.

## How to combine them

All three places are on the route of our [imperial cities tour](/en/trips/imperial-cities-tour). On day five you see Volubilis and Moulay Idriss and drive on to Fes. Day six is in Fes, and on day seven you go to Chefchaouen. Soukayna drives the whole route and arranges the riads and the local guides.

From Chefchaouen the drive back to Marrakesh is long, seven to eight hours. If you can, fly home from Fes or Tangier. Tangier is a two-hour drive from Chefchaouen.

If you want to know how this fits into your trip, ask in the chat.

## Frequently asked questions

**In what order do you visit Volubilis, Fes and Chefchaouen?**

On our tour you see Volubilis first, then spend two nights in Fes and drive through the Rif to Chefchaouen. The other way around works too, if that suits your flights better.

**How much time do you need for Volubilis?**

An hour and a half to two hours. The mosaics are in the open air and there is little shade, so go early in the morning or late in the afternoon.

**Can you do Chefchaouen as a day trip from Fes?**

You can, but it is a three and a half hour drive each way. If you stay the night, you have the town to yourself in the morning, and that is what I would do.


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Source: https://soukytours.com/blog/chefchaouen-volubilis-and-fes-northern-morocco
Souky Tours, contact through the chat on https://soukytours.com/contact