Moulay Idriss Zerhoun

What makes it special

Moulay Idriss is built on two facing hills, Khiber and Tazga, and the mausoleum and religious complex of the saint Idris the First fill the ground between them. His tomb is still a place of pilgrimage.

Seen from higher up, the burial chamber stands out by its huge pyramidal roof of green tiles, set beside the mosque area.

Khiber is the taller hill, and its summit looks over the whole religious complex and the rest of town. The town's two best-known lookouts, the Grande Terrasse and the Petite Terrasse, sit near the top of the hill.

Further uphill, the Sentissi Mosque stands out for its round minaret, which visitors pass in the upper streets. Look for it on the way up to the terraces.

Visiting

Start where the shared taxis set down, then head into the centre, where the shrine complex sits in the hollow between the two hills.

From the centre, walk uphill toward the summit. The streets go up and down on the way, and the Grande and Petite Terrasse are hard to find, so expect to ask directions. Each gives a wide view over the town.

Walk back down to the centre and on to the drop-off point, where taxis wait in the lot. Take one on to Volubilis, or see the ruins first and finish here.

Tips

Men where the taxis drop you and along the streets will offer to lead you to the terraces, and some follow you uphill and keep asking. If you want one, settle the route and the payment before you set off; if not, decline once and keep walking.