Meknes is one of four imperial cities in Morocco.  Although it is the smallest one, it really deserves a visit. 
Nowadays Meknes is now an agricultural centre but in the late 17th century Sultan Moulay Ismail had plans to build the biggest royal palace in the nation there.  Although his dreams were never fully realised he most definitely made a mark on the city. 
Relative to Fez or Marrakech, Meknes may be smaller but this gives it the advantage of being more laid back, less hassle but nonetheless full of exciting attractions.

The El Qaraouiyine University, with its impressive emerald tiled roof, was the oldest centre of learning in the western world, predating Oxford and Sorbonne.
It is now one of the main intellectual centres of North Africa. Its library is one of the largest in North Africa and contains more than 30,000 books including a ninth century Koran.

The medina of Fes el-Bali (Old Fez) is one of the largest living medieval cities in the world and has been continuously inhabited since the 10th century. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1981 and was the first Moroccan site to be so. Within Fes el-Bali 9400 streets and lanes twist and turn their way through the original medina. Finding your way around can be confusing, but it’s a delightful way to get lost and found. Ville Nouvelle, on the other hand, is laid out in typical French colonial style with wide, tree-lined boulevards, squares and parks. Here you’ll find most restaurants and hotels, as well as the main post office, banks and most transport connections.

Situated on the Alaouites square, the Royal Palace of Fez was built in the thirteenth century by the Merinides, but has been embellished and renovated many times since then. This imposing building of 80 hectares comprises many palaces, a mosque, a medersa and huge gardens.

Built in the beginning of the fourteenth century, the tannery is still keeping to the old traditions of tanning and dying leather. The tanneries quarter is located at Souq Dabbaghin not far from Qaraouine University and is a must see in Fez. It is a live museum showing a craft tradition kept intact for hundreds of years.