Meknes

The most overlooked of Morocco's four imperial cities, Meknes was built by the ambitious Sultan Moulay Ismail in the 17th century as a rival to Versailles. Today the city rewards visitors with the magnificent Bab Mansour gate, vast royal granaries, a relaxed medina with far fewer tourists than Fes or Marrakech, and easy access to the Roman ruins of Volubilis.