STOP 6 | Morocco: Meknes + the sublime blue of Chefchaouen

Dedicated to Hanane, as Chefchaouen reminds me of her and she is Morocco for me 😘

 

Day 3: Meknes, Volubilis, Chefchaouen

 

With Intrepid Travel, we usually have a tight schedule, with the goal to see many things and get in touch with the local culture. This was the itinerary for Morocco:

https://www.intrepidtravel.com/en/morocco/morocco-uncovered-124068. 



After seeing the sunrise while having breakfast, we were ready to explore Meknes, with Abdullah our local guide. We started with the Thursday Gate, and by bus we reached Bab Berdaine and the stables 







After finishing with Meknes, we took a short drive to Volubilis, which means oleander, an ancient Roman outpost, still very well preserved. I appreciated the fact that this was the only moment in history when Roman (~Italians' forerunners) were powerful across Europe. Many mosaics were really preserved and we got the chance to see so many patrician houses, which were so big, with fountains at the entrance.




 

But the most amazing thing of Volubilis is that you could appreciate a pagan temple, where Jupiter, Juno and Minerva were worshipped, with in front a basilica, built when the Christian religion was declared official in 380 AD.




Temperature hit for sure 44°C (111°F) while we were walking throughout the archaeological site: actually about 60-70% of the site is not even excavated yet and there are programs in place with universities and Italians archaeological as well. After Volubilis, we boarded our minibus directed to Chefchaouen, a 3h drive.

 

Chefchaouen caught me by surprise, as I had never heard about it, but it’s one of highlights of this trip: experiencing the sublime for real. We just spot it all of a sudden, after a curve.

 

 

We stayed at the Dar Mounir hotel, which was the best bountique hotel I have stayed at in my entire life; quiting Lonely planet “”.

 

VIDEO from the hotel or pic

 

After checking-in we took a walk till the reached the spring. I Checfaboe, in the past known as cheaon, was. I was amazed by this city.

 





 

 

DAY 4: Exploring Chefchaouen

 

We woke up early to have a hike to the Spanish Mosque, seeing the city from top was really fabulous and the hike was not bad, despite the 40+ °C forecasted for the day (XX+° F). 

 


After the hike, I explored the Kasbah, which is basically the only archaeological piece of importance in the city and then I was able to enjoy my espresso together with a fresh squeezed fruit juice.



 

We were then able to depart the hotel, not before taking an amazing picture

 

 




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