Updated September 2023.

Pickaxe

Fez (or Fes) is the second-largest city in Morocco and the oldest of the four imperial cities. It was the former capital city until 1924. It was founded in 789 by Idris I, an Arab ruler who also started the Idrisid dynasty. As a place of trade and learning, it was Morocco’s capital multiple times and prospered during the rule of the Marinids in the 13th and 14th centuries, where it reached its peak of learning and commerce.

Interesting, the word “fa’as” in Arabic means pickaxe, which is supposedly the golden tool that Idris I used to create the lines of the city. When Idris I died, his son built a second city on the left bank of the river. Yusuf Ibn Tashfin later united the cities in the 11th century.

There are three parts of Fes, the two medina quarters of pedestrian streets and narrow alleyways to the north (Fez el-Bali and Fez el Jdid) and the newer area called Ville Nouvelle which is much more modern and Westernized when the French built it. 

This is also where the fez (brimless red felt hat shaped like a truncanted cone) originated, but traditional craftwork Is still a large part of the tourism industry.

Overview

Path is ~ 4 miles of walking from Marinid Tombs to the Royal Palace. Another ~2 miles is added to reach the Marinid Tombs and returning from the Royal Palace to Fes el-Bali.
  • 8:00 - 8:30 AM: Marinid Tombs - necropolis
  • 9:00 - 9:55 AM: Al-Atterine Madrasa - oldest existing and continually operating degree-awarding educational institution
  • 10:00 - 10:10 AM: Chaouwara Tanneries​ - famous tanneries
  • 10:30 - 11:00 PM: Bou Inania Madrasa - first theological college 
  • 11:05 - 11:20 AM: Bab Boujloud - blue gate​
  • 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM: Lunch
  • ​1:15 - 2:00 PM: Jnan Sbil Gardens (closed on Mondays) - scenic gardens
  • 2:00 - 2:05 PM: Bab Dekkakin - southwestern gate 
  • 2:30 - 3:00 PM: Royal Palace (Dar Al-Makhzen) - residence of royal family
  • 3:30 - 6:00 PM: Fes el-Bali - oldest and largest marketplace in Northern Africa 
​Click the star to add the map to your Google Maps!​ To view it, simply open Google Maps, navigate to the Menu, choose “Your Places,” click "Maps", and voila, the map should be added.

Tips

​Fez is notorious for their scammers, notably in the medina:
  1. At the tanneries, they will have people offering you mints to remove the smell, leading you to “viewpoints”, and providing information, all for the tip. In all cases, just refuse and walk away. 

  2. In the medina, which I don’t recommend walking through after 9 PM, there are people who will constantly tell you that the path before you is “closed”. While they can be right occasionally, you shouldn’t always believe them. During the daytime, they will tell you that you are going the wrong way with such confidence, even if they don’t know where you’re going. Follow your own GPS/map.

  3. Many times, one will lose service in the medina and the narrow alleyways will block out the sky/sun. A good rule-of-thumb is that when one is going downhill, one is going into the center of the medina, while walking uphill is heading away from the center. Having a compass app can be helpful or knowing landmark references that will have signage on the walls.
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Signs around the medina provide directions
Many of the main gates surrounding the medina close around sundown, so if one is staying inside the city walls, ensure that one knows other gates that might be open or remain within the medina beforehand.
Guided Tours
This is also one of the few cities where I would recommend hiring a local guide to show you around. The streets can be quite confusing, and it might be better to travel in numbers especially in the Old Medina
Travel
Within the Old Medina, it is easy to walk around, but as mentioned previously, it can be quite confusing. The narrow passageways prevent taxis from entering, so it's best to hail a taxi outside of the walls.

1-Day Plan

8:00 - 8:30 AM: Marinid Tombs

​Necropolis ruins over mysterious tombs, supposedly royal tombs, that were built during the Marinid Dynasty which came into power in 1248 after defeating the Almohad Dynasty. There are two tall mausoleums with entryways left. Situated on the rolling hills, this place also offers beautiful aerial views.
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Bab Guissa




Head through Bab Guissa, an arched stone city gate that is the main northwestern gate of Fes.

Destroyed multiple times, the gate was restored by the Marinid sultan, Abu Yusuf Ya’qub and rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake. It has a bent entrance, with an internal passage turning 90 degrees into the city. Nearby is the Bab Guissa Mosque and madrasa and like other Babs, there's the cemetery right outside the gate.

​9:00 - 9:55 AM: Al-Attarine Madrasa (20 MAD)
Education center completed in 1325 to teach Sunni teachings that no longer houses students from the Kairaouine Unniversity. It is the oldest existing and continually operating degree-awarding educational institution which shows Marinid architecture with a beautiful courtyard, geometric patterned zellij tiles, carved stucco, cedar carpentry. The roof offers beautiful views, but it could be closed.
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Courtyard of Karaouine Mosque (Source: https://tourismlandscapes.blogspot.com)


​Mosque Kairaouine is the second-largest mosque in Morocco and the world’s oldest continuously functioning university founded in 859 (University of Al-Karaouine). Over 20,000 people can visit during prayer time. Given its religious significance, only Muslims are allowed inside, but one can still see the courtyard from the entrance gate or visit the library (opened to the public in 2016) and is one of the oldest surviving libraries in the world with a 9th-century copy of the Qu’ran.
One of the best places to see the view of the mosque is from the roof of the Al-Attarine Madrasa.

​10:00 - 10:10 AM: Chaouwara Tanneries
  • The world-famous tanneries consist of hundreds of earthen pits filled with colored dye used to color animal skins. Chaouwara is the oldest and largest of the traditional tanneries in Fez’s leather souk dating back to medieval times. Skins are cured with archaic methods such as steeping them in cow urine, quicklime, and pigeon feces, before being laid out in the sun. The smell of ammonia and raw hide can be overwhelming, so one common scheme is offering “free mint” and demanding payment for it.
  • N10 Tannery Panorama Point: Head here for a great view of all the tanneries. It's located along Rue Chouara. Note that while free to visit, the shopowner of the store will ask for you to look at the wares or a "guide" will try to give information for money. Don't hesitate to walk away if either occurs or have some small change 10-20 MAD to give them to stop them from asking.
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N10 Tannery Panorama Point
Walk west along Rue Talaa Sghira and turn right down the Rainbow Street Art, an alleyway filled with beautiful artwork.
10:30 - 11:00 AM: Bou Inania Madrasa (20 MAD)
A religious building built in 1355 that is the most important madrasa for the Marinids. It has a marble courtyard, wood carvings, and Islamic zellij, mosaic tilework. This madrasa also has a full mosque with a green minaret rather than a simplified prayer hall that other madrasas have,  and is the only madrasa in Morocco to have one.

​11:05 - 11:20 AM: Bab Boujloud
​Triple-arched Moorish gate that was once a previous entrance to Fez’s old city that was rebuilt in 1913. Its name may be based on the expression Abu al-Junud (“Father of the Troops”), which refers to a parade ground. Its known for its blue color and interestingly, can be closed and locked from the outside.
11:30 AM - 1:00 PM: Lunch

​1:15 - 2:00 PM: Jnan Sbil Gardens (Closed on Mondays)
Public garden in the medina known for palm tree-lined walkways with over 3,000 plants, trees, and flowers. There is a lake in the middle filled with birdlife.

This is a great place through which to stroll and get out of the crowded smells and streets of the medina.
2:00 - 2:05 PM: Bab Dekkakin
  • Fortified and ceremonial gate that means “Gate of the Benches” that referred to the former benches along the sides of the gates where people waiting to enter the Palace could wait.
  • Outside the gate is the Bab Makina Plaza, a historical stone plaza that is known for the Sacred Festival Music, one of the largest music festivals in Morocco held in June each year.
This is Fes el-Jdid and one will head through the Semmarin Medina Gate, or Bab Al-Samarin, the historic Southern gate built in the 14th century and is an important example of traditional Moroccan military architecture. 
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Front of Royal Palace



​2:30 - 3:00 PM: Royal Palace (Dar Al-Makhzen)
A building that’s still frequently used by the royal family and government that is not open to the public, but one can stop to see the blue mosaic tile walls,  bronze doors, and palace gardens. Beside it is the Fes el-Jdid grand mosque.

​3:30 - 6:00 PM: Fes el-Bali
  • The medina of Fez is the oldest and largest medina in North Africa, dating back to the 9th century. Surrounded by city walls, the souks are a labyrinth of narrow streets, even more so than Marrakech and there’s a possibility one can get lsot! Note that certain gates of the medina close after 7 PM, so choose a hotel wisely!
  • Stroll down the Talaa Kebira, the largest "street" in Fez
  • Moroccan carpets, especially the ones from Fez, are of high quality. Check out a shop across from Café El Khmissa to get a new price.

Museums

Like other major metropolitan areas, Copenhagen has an extraordinary amount of interesting museums to visit. I've listed the ones in order that one might want to visit:
  • Borj Nord (Closed on Mondays): Built in 1582, this walled fortification first served to protect Fes from invaders, but is now a weapons museum, showing Morocco’s military history with over 5,000 displayed weapons collected and gifted from over 35 countries.
  • Dar Batha Museum (Closed on Tuesdays): Former royal summer palace for Alaouite Sultan Hassan I before transitioning to French occupation and becoming a museum in 1915 dedicated to traditional Moroccan arts and crafts along with salvaged remnants from discontinued mosques and medersas. The Andalusian gardens with musical fountains and greenery aare also quite beautiful.
  • Nejjarine Museum of Wooden Arts and Crafts: Besides the beautifully decorated public fountain in Nejjarine Square, the building that was once a funduq has been restored to showcase traditional woodwork from screens to doors and furniture. There’s also a rooftop café for medina views.
  • Musée Riad Belghazi (Closed Friday): A former riad turned museum that has four rooms showcasing Moroccan artifacts. It is well-known for the calming courtyard garden filled with citrus trees and zellij-inlaid columns.

Other Activities

  • Hammans: Steam baths for relaxation and massages. Two options are:
    • Hammam Mernissi & Spa: Popular destination for an affordable hamman.
    • La Maison Bleue: Luxurious tiled spa inside of a riad hotel.

Restaurants

  • Restaurant Dar Hatim: Family-run restaurant with a delicious lamb tagine. They have set 3-course meals and is considered one of the best restaurants in Fez. It can be hard to reach, but there are many signs pointing to the restaurant.
  • Cafe Clock: Rooftop bar to enjoy the sunset with a beautiful terrace, but the food is a Western-fusion. It is known for its came burgers.
  • Chez Rachid: Near the Bab Boujloud Gate “Blue Gate”, known for its delicious tangines.
  • The Ruined Garden: In a former merchant's home, they serve delicious beef tagine.

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