Archaeological Site of Volubilis

Olive groves surround the finest Roman ruins in Morocco. Volubilis began in the 3rd century BC as a Mauretanian capital, then prospered as a far-flung outpost of Rome, acquiring the fine buildings whose extensive remains still stand in this fertile plain. Centuries later Idris I, founder of Morocco's first Islamic dynasty, briefly ruled from here; his tomb lies at nearby Moulay Idris. UNESCO listed the site in 1997.