Olive trees have surrounded Volubilis for two thousand years, and they still do. The Roman city, on a gentle slope below the Zerhoun massif north of Meknes, was the westernmost major town of the empire's province of Mauretania Tingitana, and it grew rich on olive oil, grain and the trade in wild animals for the arenas of Rome. Its ruins include a triumphal arch dedicated to the emperor Caracalla, a basilica, a forum, temples, and above all a series of houses with superb mosaics in their floors, showing Orpheus with his lyre, the labours of Hercules, Bacchus and Diana bathing. Volubilis became a World Heritage Site in 1997.
After the Romans withdrew, the city lived on, and in the late eighth century Idris I, founder of the first Moroccan dynasty, came here and was proclaimed ruler. His tomb lies in the holy town of Moulay Idriss Zerhoun, a few kilometres away, whose white houses tumble down two hills, an important pilgrimage site for Moroccans.
The landscape around Volubilis is green in spring, with wheat, olives and wildflowers, and the views from the site over the plain toward the hills are wide and lovely. Storks nest on the columns of the basilica. In summer, the heat is intense, and there is little shade on the site, so come early or late.
The riding is pleasant: the roads from Meknes to Volubilis and Moulay Idriss wind through hills and olive groves, with good surfaces and moderate traffic. The road over the Zerhoun mountains is narrower and more scenic. Watch for donkeys, carts, pedestrians and grand taxis stopping without warning. Further north, the roads toward the Rif and Chefchaouen are spectacular.
Meknes, twenty kilometres away, is the place to top up the tank, and it is a fine imperial city in its own right, built by Sultan Moulay Ismail. Fez is an hour east. Near the site, small restaurants serve tagines and grilled meat, and the local olive oil is excellent.