With a relaxing night in old city Meknes to refresh, my family and I were looking forward to visiting the Roman ruins at Volubilis. The ancient structures show a rare glimpse of how life was back then. After a week of the desert, souks, tajine, camels, and other very Moroccan experiences, Volubilis was different and far away from the throngs of people.

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We found a taxi driver willing to take us to Volubilis at Bab Mansour, also known as the prettiest gate in all of Africa. We negotiated with the driver of a grand taxi to come with us and stay for an hour and a half at the ruins before taking us back to Meknes for a reasonable price of 300 dirhams. The drive was a short 25 minutes on winding roads that took us right to the entrance of Volubilis.

When we arrived, only a few people were trickling in. Volubilis usually does not make into many people's itinerary in Morocco since there are many other famous spots to see. The weather was beautiful as we walked through the small olive tree grove to the ruins. Olive oil and olives used to be the primary export when the city was still functioning so it was appropriate to appreciate these trees on the way.

The main city center used to be where the trading happened, and the travelers passed through with their wares. On one of the columns, a pair of nesting storks had built an impressive nest, which we learned can hold up to 40 kg of weight. Behind these colums, there's still a lot of different ruins to discover while in Volubilis!

The most distinctive structure of Volubilis is called the Arch of Caracalla and was built in honor of Emperor Caracalla, who was murdered before the structure was even completed. The original structure is also believed to have a chariot pulled by six horses on top.

The rest of the city is mostly comprised of ruins of large mansions that were built from the wealth of olive trading. As I strolled through the ruins, there were several ceramic tile floors depicting various Roman mythology. The one that caught my eye in particular depicted the 12 tasks of Hercules. Walking through the ruins, it was possible to imagine how different life was back then.

If you have some time in your Morocco itinerary, I highly recommend Volubilis as a unique experience to have in an African country. The time to properly see the ruins is only 3 hours including travel time, and there are always guides available on site if you want to learn more!