Fez holds the world's largest car-free urban area — the medina of Fes el-Bali, a UNESCO site where 9,000 alleys wind past tanneries, madrasas, and the ninth-century Qarawiyyin, often called the oldest university in continuous operation. It's grittier and more authentically Moroccan than Marrakech, with far fewer tourist trappings.
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Quick facts
Timezone
Africa/Casablanca
Currency
DH MAD
Language
Arabic / French
City transfer
~30 min
Taxi / Bus (line 16) / Private transfer
Best time to visit
best weatherdeals available
Don't miss
Reach the Chouara Tanneries terrace by 9–10am when the dye pots are freshest and the light is best — the terrace is accessed through the leather shops above (free if you're with a guide, shops give you mint to hold against the smell). The circular dye pots seen from above, filled with saffron yellow, poppy red, and cobalt blue, are genuinely one of the great visual spectacles of North Africa.
Visit the Bou Inania Madrasa early morning (8–9am) before tour groups arrive — this 14th-century Quranic school has the finest zellige tilework, carved cedarwood, and stucco decoration in Morocco. It's still a working religious school so dress respectfully; entry is around 20 MAD.
Eat lunch at a local restaurant inside the medina rather than at tourist-facing places on the main drag — R'hamna Restaurant near Rcif Square is cheap, has no English menu, and serves market-fresh harira soup and lamb tagine to medina workers. A full lunch with bread costs under 50 MAD.
Walk to the Marinid Tombs on the hilltop above the medina just before sunset — the ruins themselves are unremarkable but the panoramic view over the entire Fes el-Bali from above is extraordinary, especially in the warm late light when the green-tiled mosque rooftops glow. It's completely free and rarely crowded.
Weekend itinerary · 3 days
Day 1
Bou Inania Madrasa & Talaa Kebira
Start your medina immersion at the Bou Inania Madrasa at the top of Talaa Kebira (the main artery of the medina) — 14th-century tiled courtyard, carved cedar screens, and a water clock on the street outside. Then walk the full length of Talaa Kebira downhill to get your bearings in the medina.
Chouara Tanneries
Make your way northeast to the tanneries district — any leather shop on the upper floors above Chouara gives you access to the terrace view. Go in the afternoon light (3–5pm) when the shadows create contrast in the dye pits. Take the mint offered — you'll need it.
Marinid Tombs at sunset
Exit the medina through the northern Bab Guissa gate and walk or take a taxi up to the Marinid Tombs ruins — the sunset view over the entire medina, the minarets, and the surrounding hills is the best in Fez. Bring water and allow 45 minutes up there.
Riad Rcif Restaurant
Inside a beautiful riad just off Rcif Square — the fixed-price Moroccan dinner (pastilla, tagine, couscous, mint tea) is well-executed and the courtyard setting is atmospheric without being overpriced.
Day 2
Al-Attarine Madrasa & Kairaouine Mosque
The Al-Attarine Madrasa (14th century) is next to the Kairaouine Mosque — one of the finest examples of Marinid architecture with exceptional zellige and stucco. Non-Muslims cannot enter the mosque itself but can see the interior from the door of the madrasa courtyard.
Copper and brass souks (Seffarine Square)
Walk to Seffarine Square — the oldest craft square in the medina, where coppersmiths hammer brass trays and pots as they have for centuries. The noise is spectacular and there's no pressure to buy. This is the most authentic craft experience in Fez.
Mellah (Jewish Quarter) & Fes el-Jdid
Exit the medina to Fes el-Jdid, the 13th-century 'new' city — the Mellah (historic Jewish quarter) has elaborately carved wooden synagogue doors, balconied houses, and the Ibn Danan Synagogue which can be visited. Very different atmosphere from the main medina.
Chez Rachid
A no-frills local restaurant near the Rcif bus stop inside the medina — mechoui (slow-roasted lamb), bessara (broad bean soup), and fresh msemen flatbread. Cheap, cash only, and always full of Fassi locals.
Day 3
Nejjarine Fountain & Wood Museum
The Nejjarine Fondouk (old caravanserai) near the wood-turners' souk has been converted into a museum of wooden craft — the building itself with its tilework fountain and three-storey courtyard is the highlight. The roof terrace has medina views. Entry 20 MAD.
Pottery Hill (Ain Nokbi)
Take a petit taxi to the pottery workshops on the hill above the medina at Ain Nokbi — Fez is famous for its blue and white pottery and these are the working studios where plates, bowls, and tiles are made and painted. Far cheaper than buying in the souks.
Bab Bou Jeloud (Blue Gate) walk
End at the iconic Blue Gate — the main entrance to Fes el-Bali from the west, with its brilliant cobalt blue tilework. The gate looks different from each side (blue facing the medina, green facing the Ville Nouvelle) and the square in front is a good spot for a final mint tea.
Café Clock
A Fez institution near the tanneries — the camel burger made them famous but the menu covers all Moroccan comfort food, the staff speak English, and they run cultural events including storytelling evenings. Good for a relaxed final lunch.
Travel tips
- →Hire a licensed guide for the first day — the medina is genuinely disorienting and unmarked
- →Visit the Chouara tannery in the morning when the dyes are freshest and the smell is less brutal
- →Stay in a riad inside the medina, not the modern Ville Nouvelle, for the full atmosphere
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