Fes 3 days Itinerary. A survival guide – The Historian Traveller

Last Updated on December 9, 2024 by Laura

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I get that naming a piece of blog “a survival guide” sounds a little melodramatic nowadays. However, when it comes to Fes, this is the only term that comes to my mind. You’ll soon going to understand why. Surrounded by mountains and called home by 1.256 million people, Fes (or Fez) is the largest medina on Earth. Its mazed alleys, grow into each other uninterruptedly since the 8th century. This makes the city one of the most difficult to navigate in the whole Morocco, and possibly in the whole world. For this reason, this blog will be a Fes 3 days itinerary but at the same time, a survival guide for those crazy people who, like me, will enter this mazed jungle on their own.

I’ve been to several challenging places in my life. From the chaotic streets of New Delhi to the dusty and old alleys of Cairo. Nevertheless, I never experienced a place such as Fes. There is something incredibly beautiful about this city, but at the same time very sinister that left me with a strange feeling that I still can’t decipher after all this time. It took me a while to write this guide. Not because I didn’t know what to write. Indeed, Fes is full of marvels. But because my visit to Fes was somehow bittersweet and left me with many perplexities that I hoped to resolve once I was back home, but they still live there unresolved in a corner of my mind.

Want to skip the history session? Click here! 🙂

A history of Fes

Why it’s important to understand Fes’ history before your trip

Before getting into the details of our Fes 3 days itinerary, it is mandatory to know some notions about Fes’ history. This because learning about the history of the city is essential to understand why Fes is so different from any other place on Earth. Moreover, it might help you to get your head around its complicated topography. I genuinely tell you this because as a historian of the Middle Ages who has partially studied the history of Fes, I thought I was greatly prepared for my trip. Well it turned out I wasn’t.

However, the few notions I had from from what I studied, helped me hugely both in my orientation and understanding of what I was visiting. Therefore, don’t underestimate the importance of Fes’ history for your visit because it might be one of the few things getting you out of the maze. I will strongly focus on the Medieval history of Fes. Not only because it’s in my expertise, but because it’s fundamental to understand the foundations of the city as it is today. Indeed, Fes is pretty much the same as it was centuries ago.

Al-‘Aliya and Madinat Fas

On the, now almost invisible, banks of the river Oued Fes a large, deep valley flourished in the northern area of Morocco during the early Middle Ages. The river, main source of water for the communities of the valley, used to split two main autonomous and competing settlements known as Al-‘Aliya and Madinat Fas. These were founded by two powerful members of a dynasty known as the Idrisid.

Madinas Fas was the older of the two settlements, founded in 789 by Idris I, while Al-‘Aliya was founded by Idris I’s son, Idris II a few years later. While Idris I was from Arabia, his son was born in Volubilis and raised among the Berbers. This made him a local “superstar” with a large following of Berber tribes and Kairouan warriors from Tunisia. He was well-educated and very influent on the communities resident on his side of the river. So much that his tomb became a site of pilgrimage even centuries after his death.

Idris II

After he succeeded his father in 803, problems between the two settlements started to begin. In fact, Madinas Fas became home of a large population of Andalusian expelled from Córdoba between 817-818. On the other side of the river, Al-‘Aliya remained the stronghold of the Idrisid dynasty. This was home of large Arab, Tunisian, Berber and Jewish communities. This division contributed to the later change of the two settlements’ names into Fes el Andalous (Madinas Fas) and Fes el Karaouyine (Al-‘Aliya). A cultural division that is still very much evident in the architecture and layout of nowadays Fes.

One of the most important events of the Idrisid period is the foundation of the, now University, Al Quaraouiyine Mosque (857-859). This is the oldest continuously functioning institute of higher education in the world as well as a sacred institution. After the death of Idris II, the settlements were divided among his sons. Nevertheless, the dynasty was expelled from their settlements in 927 with the arrive of the Fatimids.

Fatimids, Almoravids and Almohads

10th and 11th centuries have seen the two settlements of Fes disputed between the Fatimids from Tunisia and the Caliphate of Córdoba. It was an age of fights for power, territorial modifications and internal competition. At the same time, the two cities became increasingly integrated into each other. Constructions of bridges along the river and houses that filled every single empty space modified the city’s appeareance. From this period, we can still admire the gates signposting the entrance of each settlement. These are Bab Guissa in the north and Bab Ftouh in the south.

Between 1069–1070 the two settlements were conquered by the Almoravids, a coalition of Berber tribes from central Morocco. They were guided by a powerful leader named Yusuf Ibn Tashfin who not only co-founded the city of Marrakech, but reunited Al-‘Aliya and Madinat Fas into a unique city naming it Fes el-Bali. During this period, Fes lost its status of Capital city in favour of Marrakech but remained an important religious and cultural centre. In 1145 the Almohad leader Abd al-Mu’min besieged and conquered Fes from the Almoravids. He completed the walls of the city (that still survives today) and grew Fes into one of the largest cities in the world (for that time).

Marinids’ Golden Age

Between 13th-15th centuries Fes was ruled by the Marinids. A berber tribe arriving originally from modern day Algeria. Under the Marinids, Fes regained the title of capital city. Differently from their predecessors who lived within the walls of the Kasbah, the Marinid dynasty took distance from the densely occupied city. They built their residence over a hill (where the Marinids’ Tombs now remain) together with an entirely new royal citadel (now lost). The new city was originally named as al-Madinat al-Bayda but soon became known as Fes el-Jdid (new Fes) as opposite to Fes el-Bali (old Fes).

The Marinids’ period is famous as the city’s Golden Age. Indeed, Fes became a major intellectual centre with numerous madrasa (Islamic schools) created during that period. The Marinids were also responsible of the creation of the important Jewish quarter of Fes, known as Mellah. This cultural golden age lasted until 1465. This year, the Moroccan revolt overthrew the last Marinid sultan giving power to the Saadians.

Saadian decline

With the arrival of the Saadians, the golden days of Fes came to an end. Marrakech flourished again as new capital and Fes fell in decline. Power struggles within the Saadian dynasty after the reign of reign of Ahmad al-Mansur, brought Fes into a state of civil war. Chaos and anarchy reigned within and out the walls of Fes at least until 1640. The disastrous collaps of the Saadian dynasty and the continuous revolts, left the city deprived of its past beauty. Fes was longly neglected until 1666 when regained briefly the status of capital and restored to its former glory.

Long peace and prosperity

After a series of alternate dark periods in the 17th century, particularly after the arrival of the Udayas tribes between 1790 and 1795. Fes finally had a long period of stability. It established itself as a centre of religious culture. Moreover, powerful Fassi families became the main players of the country’s political and intellectual scene. Fes became also an important trade centre. Particularly for rich Jewish and Muslim families who decided to build in the city new sumptuous palaces and luxurious residences.

With the beginning of the French Colonial rule, Fes lost his political power and the capital of Morocco became Rabat. Fes, as well as many other cities around the country, have seen new urban redevelopments with the construction of new cities outside the historical walls. These have been named as Ville Nouvelles. Now seen as an integral part of the city, they used to divide the French colonisers from indigenous Moroccans. After Morocco became independent in 1956, Fes remained the third largest city in the country despite part of its upper class relocated to Casablanca or Rabat. In 1981, the old city, consisting of Fes el-Bali and Fes Jdid, gained the status of UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Things you should know that will make your Fes visit much smoother

One of the big mistakes visitors do in Fes is undervaluing its topography. This is partially due to a lack of digital images showing how the Fes medina really looks like. Partially is due to the over confidence of certain travellers when facing new destinations. Because you are an experienced traveller doesn’t mean you can’t get lost in a place like Fes. Therefore, do your homework and read the tips below!

Fes is the world’s largest pedestrian zone.

Yes. You have read right. When you step inside the Fes medina, you are going backward of 1200 years. Cars were not yet invented during the Middle Ages, and people moved around cities mostly on foot. Fes isn’t changed that much since the time of Idris II. It’s one of the oldest medieval cities in the world still keeping most of its original heritage. Maybe it has more bridges and houses filling the once empty spaces, but its tiny alleys are still not made for cars. It is estimated that Fes has something like 9454 alleys.

Is better to have a guide

This sound strange coming from me but Fes is one of those few places in the world where having a local guide will save you from a few hassles. I originally planned to have a guide. Nevertheless, because I was visiting on a weekend (about this see below), my guide gave forfait and I had to arrange my my own itinerary a bit last minute.

I listed here a few reason why having a guide in Fes is life saving and I strongly recommend it.

The medina is a never-ending maze

First, the medina is HUGE. Imaging it like a real life version of Maze Runner. Photos online don’t give justice to the scale of the Old City. Alleys are mysteriously tangled and growing into each other since the 8th century. One moment you are on a main road, the moment after you are on a dark semi-underground passage with a lot of doors heading who knows where. There is a real risk of getting lost or ending up in sketchy areas where no tourists should go.

Unpleasant encounters

Fes is the place where we have been harassed the most in Morocco. There wasn’t a single step we made without someone following us, appearing suddenly in the dark, blocking our passage, touching us or trying to divert our route. It was really, really unpleasant and once or two times even frightening as we’ve been surrounded by a large group of people while walking alone in one alley.

A guide will help you avoiding most of these unpleasant encounters. Especially if you are a woman solo traveller, certain areas of the medina can be particularly risky.

Knowledge for your visit

Being one of the oldest cities in the world, every single cm of Fes has some history in it. As much as I knew some local history and landmarks, I wish I had a guide explaining me all around. This because there is so much that you will see while walking and you will need some local knowledge to learn something about all you are looking at.

If you want a guided tour of Fes

There are plenty of guided tours in Fes. Make sure to book in advance from an authorised guide. Here below, you can find a few ones with good reviews from Get Your Guide.

Friday is a NO-GO day

If I did a mistake in my trip, is that of putting our visit to Fes on a weekend. Honestly, I didn’t pay attention to the days of the week when planning the itinerary. I planned this only according to the distances from one place to the other. Nevertheless, I later discovered that Friday is a NO-GO day for Fes.

This because it’s a day off for Muslims and most shops as well as historical landmarks are completely shut. It wasn’t quite the same in Marrakech, so I thought something could be open anyway. MISTAKE. We were literally the only tourist getting around and possibly this contributed to attire a lot of attention on us causing our unpleasant encounters. Who knows.

Let’s say that we used Friday to acclimatise with the layout of the medina. We managed to sneak into a few places and we discovered that after 2 pm many places started to open again. However, if I had to plan a visit again, I wouldn’t do it on a Friday as I felt I lost a lot of useful time. So, for a better visit, try to skip Friday!

Google maps issues

There seems to be a shared knowledge that Google maps doesn’t work inside the medina. This isn’t entirely true. Google maps do works inside the medina (if it didn’t, I was probably still there trying to get out of that maze). Nevertheless, because the medina is made of a myriad of tiny streets that sometime end into people house, these are not fully mapped. This means that you might get a general direction but at one point you might find that google doesn’t know where you are because that street isn’t mapped.

One of the worst thing you can do in Fes is looking like a lost rabbit. You might not realise that, but when walking around the medina you will be closely watched. The exact second you will look lost or checking on your phone for directions, someone will magically appear and will try to take you to the “right place” or telling you that “the street is closed”. I will come to this topic later, but, if traveling without guide, you want to avoid this happening at any cost.

The best thing to do, is having all the places you want to visit readily saved on Google. Create your direction map before heading out of your accommodation. If you loose signal or Google doesn’t know where you are, don’t panic. Look at the compass on the map and follow the direction pointing to your saved place. You might take one or two wrong turns or dead roads, but soon you will recover a mapped road and Google will recalculate the street.

If you don’t have the time to create a map. I’ve got you covered. At the end of this blog you will find my Fez like a PRO map, ready to use for your trip!

Don’t follow or trust anyone on the street

At cost of sounding like a grandma. From my experience, Fes is not the right place where to trust people on the street. I would say that 9 out of 10 people who approached us wanted money, to scam us or taking us somewhere where we don’t wanted to go. We also had a verbal (very animated) discussion with a group who physically blocked our way. Therefore, if anyone approaches you, block your way or try to help you. Kindly refuse. If they tell you that a street is “closed” or “don’t lead anywhere” it’s a lie. Only trust your guide and accommodation recommended people.

Try to not venture in dark alleys alone.

There is not an easy way to explain the topography of Fes to someone who has never been. You have to keep in mind that the centuries-old medina is built inside a valley. Therefore, its walls are on a upper part and the city descends deeper and deeper inside this valley. The deeper you go, the more the city becomes tangled, dark and sketchy stretching in more than 9450 alleys. These are often smaller, with low light and intricate passageways of which you can see the entrance but not the end.

Some of these areas have very sinister vibes, a little bit like when Harry Potter ends up by mistake in Knockturn Alley but with a much scarier feeling. Considering our experience with unpleasant encounters in Fes, I wouldn’t venture in these places. Especially alone. I’ve heard nightmare stories of people attacked with knifes, robbed and punched. I can assure you that nobody will know where you are if something happens. This because there is no police, patrolling or people willing to help.

I am not telling you this to get you scared or discouraging of visiting Fes. It’s just a sensitive precaution for a city that is not entirely safe for tourists. If something is feeling off, it probably is. Therefore try to stick to the more crowded areas when possible. Crossing dark alleys might be inevitable depending in which part of Fes you are staying. I’ve crossed myself a few. Not all of them are creepy, but if you need to pass them through, keep your eyes wide open, be always aware of your surroundings and don’t look at your phone.

Don’t get around the medina at night

On the same note as above, if in the morning you have to keep your eyes and ears wide open when going around, at night is better to not venture out. Before seeing Fes with my own eyes, on my itinerary there were a few restaurants around the medina that I originally planned to visit for dinner. However, soon after our first day, we realised that it wasn’t safe to head out in that labyrinth at nighttime.

Therefore, we were extremely thankful that our riad had one of the best restaurants in the city and we decided to dine there every night! If you want to head out at night, try to not go too far from your hotel and make sure to stay in enlighten alleys. Some hotels do offer a chaperon service to tourists. Don’t hesitate to ask about it if you feel unsafe returning to your place or heading out. Is better to pay a few quids rather than getting lost in Fes at night!

There is a secret road sign system to recognise the type of alleys

This is one of the things I wished I knew before my trip as it would have saved me a lot of issues! Apparently, there is a secret road sign system that is used in Fes to indicate the type of alleys you are walking. I will tell you more about it in the section below “Getting Around Fes”.

Have cash with you

Fes is still very much a cash city. From entrance to the various landmarks to buying souvenirs, cards are barely accepted in the medina. We really only used cards when paying at restaurants/hotel but to enter various sites they always asked cash. Make sure to have cash with you, particularly small changes like 10,20, 30 MAD.

Best time to visit Fes

The most enjoyable periods to visit Fes is late spring and early autumn. Indeed, temperatures are mild and you can enjoy longer hours outside. We visited mid June and we hated it. Indeed, Fes is was the hotter place we stayed in Morocco. Even more than the Sahara! There was a constant of 40-42 degrees in the morning and because the medina is inside the valley, the air seemed not moving at all. Unfortunately, that was our only period of holiday but if you have the chance to choose, pick up another period!

If the weather is good, Fes in winter might be a good option. However, it could be very cold and if it’s raining, might not be that enjoyable.

Where to stay in Fes

Riad Idrissy

Fes is full of wonderful places to stay. Moreover, it’s a city that is open to any type of budget. You can be really surprised of the jewels you can find at less than £100 a night inside the medina! Indeed, if you are adventurous and would like to sleep in one of the oldest cities in the world, I do recommend to stay in a riad or dar. These are usually historical houses reconverted into hotels. Their decorations are incredible and it’s like going back in time. Below, you will find not only some information about the place where we stayed, but also a few other suggestions that I loved and where on my list too.

For our stay, I opted for Riad Idrissy. A 400-years old riad in the heart of Fes. We opted for this option for mainly two reasons. First the history of the Riad and its beauty. Second, because the riad has a very famous restaurant called The Ruined Garden. We thought it would have been good to have a place where to relax or eat dinner at night without worrying to outside in the dark. Indeed, this was the best choice ever. Please do not confuse this Riad with another with a similar name but in Meknes! They are two different ones!

If you want to read more about our experience at Riad Idrissy, read my blog about it!.

Other Recommended Stays in Fes

Here below are some other of my favourite stays in Fes. These were high on my list and I will probably consider them for a future trip. To note that most hotel in Fes are more towards the “boutique hotel” category. There are a few limited 5 stars accommodations, renowned for their high level service and rooms but you shouldn’t expect places like La Mamounia or Amanjena in Marrakech.

Inside Fes el-Bali

All the below accommodations, are located inside the heart of the medina, Fes el-Bali. They are all splendid accommodations with excellent service. Before booking at Riad Idrissy, I was considering, Karawan Riad, Jardin des Biehn and Dar Seffarine.

• Riad Jardin Des Biehn – Located in a quiet part of the medina. This riad was originally part of the grounds of Dar el-Mokri. It received a top-notch renovation and looks like an oasis of peace in the chaos of Fes.
• Riad Laaroussa – A 17th-century palace that has just 8 splendid rooms and a beautiful terrace.
• Palais Amani is an incredible 17th-century palace that belonged to wealthy Fassi family before falling into despair. 3 years renovation brought back to life this incredible structure that is now renowned as one of the best places to stay in Fes.
• Dar Seffarine is one of the oldest houses in Fes. It has over 600 years of history and features the most stunning Moorish architecture in the area.
• Riad Anata Recently renewed, riad with some beautiful decorated rooms and great terrace restaurant with view on the medina of Fes.
• Karawan Riad The hotel itself is probably one of the most beautiful you can stay in Fes with a high level of service and incredible rooms. Located in the Andalusian quarter.
• Hotel & Spa Dar Bensouda Nice accommodation in the upper part of the medina with 18 renovated rooms and a beautiful courtyard
• Riad Le Moucharabieh Located very close to Tala’a Kebira, this hotel has been recently renewed. A small historical house with some beautiful rooms. The Suite Royale Andalous has a spectacular roof decoration!

Outside the medina

The below accommodations are located out of the central part of the medina. There are advantages and disadvantages in booking such type of accommodations. Being inside the medina allows you to immediately getting out for your explorations and it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity of experiencing Fes. However, it’s true that people can feel overwhelmed by the chaos of Fes el-Bali and prefer quieter retreats. Of the 3 options listed below. Palais Faraj is the only one that offer a hybrid option. Indeed, it’s very close to the medina but at the same time it’s not inside the maze.

• PALAIS FARAJ Suites & Spa. Built in 2012, this hotel is an optimal choice for those who prefer staying a little further from the heart of the medina but still access this on foot. Famous for its restaurant l’Armandier, it has a beautiful view on the medina.
• Fes Marriott Hotel Jnan Palace Located in Ville Nouvelle, this hotel has a classic Marriott interior and great service. Because it’s quite far from the medina, you’ll need to use a taxi every day.
• Hotel Sahrai A recent addition in the luxury scene of Fes, Hotel Sahrai is the ultimate retreat. With 5 restaurants and a beautiful spa, you probably won’t regret being far from Fes el-Bali!

Getting to Fes

You can reach Fes in various ways. By plane, coach, train and by car. I will help you navigating each way and give you also some suggestions if, like me, take the long way by car.

Flying to Fes

Fes is served by the Fes Sais International Airport. This is located well-out from both Old Fes and the Ville Nouvelle, at about 30 mins drive from the city. The best way to reach the city from the airport is by taxi because this isn’t served by coaches or train. Taxi fare is usually between 250 and 300 MAD. Fes Airport is served by some major European airlines like ITA Airways, Airfrance and Ryanair. Flights tend to be slightly cheaper compared to Marrakech. Therefore, if you are searching for a cheaper way towards Morocco, arriving via Fes is not a bad idea!

Travelling to Fes on a bus

If you are aiming to use public transport in order to reach Fes from another city in Morocco (e.g. Marrakech), this is a long way but doable. There are 2 main companies that provide bus travelling around Morocco. These are CTM and Supratours. CTM is the national company in Morocco, they provide newer and reliable buses with routes all around the country. The only downside is that they don’t have multiple departure times for certain destinations (e.g. for Essaouira), therefore if a slot is complete you should check different providers.

Soupratours is managed by ONCF and the tickets can be bought from the same website. Conversely to CTM they have multiple departures for certain destinations and their bus stations are generally closer to the city centre/medina than CTM.

Travelling by bus is very cheap. However, because Fes is in the Northern part of Morocco, you have to account long distances that would take all or part of your day. For example:

• Casablanca to Fes on a bus takes from 3 hours 30 mins to 5 hours (depending on the type of bus). A one-way ticket cost 110 MAD
• Marrakech to Fes on a bus takes from 6 hours 30 mins to 10 hours. A one-way ticket cost 210 to 350 MAD (depending on the company).
• Chefchaouen to Fes on a bus takes around 5 hours. A one-way ticket cost 135 MAD.

Travelling to Fes by Train

Travelling to Fes by train is possible from main cities like Marrakech, Casablanca, Rabat etc. Similar to the car travelling below, also train travelling requires a lot of time. Indeed, you have to account to loose at least half a day to reach Fes from central Morocco. The good thing is that tickets are extremely cheap starting at 260 MAD for a second class ticket and 350 MAD for a first class ticket if you travel from Marrakech.

Tickets are sold by ONCF. You’ll need to create an account with the train company in order to purchase your ticket. Tickets are available to be purchased online and you can use the QR code you will receive as the one below. I used trains in Morocco only in Casablanca, so not sure if long-distance travelling is good.

Here below you can find an example of how long it will take to reach Fes from some main cities.

• Marrakech to Fes on a train 06h30min
• Casablanca to Fes on a train 03h47min
• Rabat to Fes on a train 02h50min
• Tangier to Fes on a train 03h27min

Travelling to Fes by Car

If you are planning a road trip to Morocco, you’ll soon need to put Fes on the map. Then you’ll realise that Fes is far from every city or place you’ll want to visit unless sticking only into that area. Indeed, from any point you will check on the map driving is always 5 to 7 hours. That in Moroccan driving times translates into 9-12 hours.

I reflected longly on what was the best way to reach Fes. In the end I opted for an option that probably wasn’t the best, but it worked for my itinerary. Indeed, we were circling Morocco in a counterclockwise direction and Fes was the next sensible stop on the map soon after our stay in the Sahara Desert. Putting Fes during another step along the way would have meant messing up the whole itinerary and sense of the route.

Therefore, in my specific case, it made sense to drive all the way from the desert up to Fes. After talking to my husband about the plan (since he was supposed to drive). He agreed that this was the best option so we did it. This was the longest drive we took in Morocco. It was supposed to be 6 hours and 30 minutes but realistically it was like 8/9 hours drive.

It was a very long drive, with honestly not much to see. The best way to plan it around is departing early morning and break the drive in two big chunks with a 1 hour lunch stop in the middle. This way you will have some rest time but you’ll still be in Fes before darkness.

Parking in Fes

As you probably already know, the Fes medina is the largest pedestrianised area in the world. This means that no cars or other means of transports (in theory) are allowed to circulate within its walls. This means that if you have a car and your hotel/riad is inside the medina, you will have to park outside the walls and reach your destination on foot. My best suggestion is first, ask your accommodation if they have a trusted place where you can leave the car. They might have a partnership with someone or know a trusted garage.

If they don’t know anyone, search for parking on Google maps. I would recommend picking a guarded garage, rather than leaving the car on the street. If your accommodation is on the South-west side of the Fes medina, I would recommend to use this parking garage. We left the car here for 3 days and it was totally safe. It looks a bit sketchy but it’s guarded and they close it at night. If the parking is almost full, the owner might ask you the keys of the car to move it around when it’s necessary.

Always look in which area of the medina is your accommodation before picking up a parking as you might need to walk a lot (with your luggage). So you would want to park as closer as possible to the entrance side of your accommodation.

Fes 3 days itinerary – Getting around Fes

Most of Fes’ landmarks are located within the walls of the medina. Being this a pedestrianised area, the only way to get around is on foot. The medina can be quite steep at traits so it’s better to wear comfortable shoes.

If you are planning to explore the outer walls and Ville Nouvelle, the best way to go around is by taxi.

Decoding the Secret Road Sign System to navigate Fes

There are at least two ways to minimise your chances to get lost in Fes. One is following the colours, the other one is following the road signs typologies.

Following the colours in Fes

In 2014, as a part of a huge renovation project, Morocco government has spent over 95 million dollars to make Fes “more accessible” to tourists. This included renovation projects but also the creations of 5 different heritage routes and installation of about 214 colour-coded signs to help tourists navigate the medina.

If you look at the walls of the medina, particularly in the centralised area, you might notice that part of its walls are coloured in various tones: dark blue, green, orange, light blue and purple. These represent the 5 tourist routes of Fes:

• Black is the routes for monuments and souks
• Green is the route for Andalusian palaces and gardens
• Orange/Brown is route for the walls and fortifications
• Red is the route for the Artisans workshops (potteries/tanneries)
• Blue is the route named as “connoisance and savoir faire”. Not sure what it was suppose to showcases!
• Purple is the Fes Jdid route

REALITY. It’s true, various parts of the city have the above map that will advise you about these “routes”. Nevertheless, the QR code that was supposed to get you more info, doesn’t lead anywhere and most of the colours are so faded that you might not even note them. Moreover, they don’t seem to follow a specific pathway and you might end up in a back road anyway. I would recommend sticking to Google maps instead.

Secret Road Sign System

Something that is actually more useful (and that I unfortunately learnt after my trip) is this road sign system advising people on which type of route they are entering. If you look up at the beginning (or ending) of a route you will find a shaped sign with the name of the route in both Arabic, English and Imazigh. I saw a few of those signs around, but I never expected their shape actually meant something. Indeed, each shape tells you something about the alley you are walking.

• Rectangle sign means that the alley you are taking have multiple exit points
• Hexagon sign means the alley you are taking is a dead end (good to know especially if you recognise that someone is following you!)
• Square sign means the alley have just two ends: entrance and exit.

REALITY. I’ve checked more than 2000 pictures I shot in the street of Fes and these signs popped up only once. This means that, YES, they are around but not in any of the 9000 + alleys in Fes. Moreover, YES, they might be an aid in avoiding you getting into a dead end. The Hexagon sign is the most useful one among them. But I won’t rely solely only on these signs to not get lost.

Follow the two main roads

Another trick you can use to navigate Fes without getting too lost is following the sites around its two main streets. Yes you heard right. The medina of Fes has two main big streets running parallel to each other. From these street you can reach most of Fes landmarks. However, you must keep in mind that both streets follow the valley in which Fes was built. Therefore, they might go up and down and twist at certain points. Nevertheless, it easier to follow the route compared to other smaller alleys nearby.

The first street is called Tala’a Kebira. Historically, this started from Bab Mahrouk. However, because of the new outer walls and larger space near the Kasbah, it’s more practical to say that starts from the Blue Gate Bab Bou Jelou and ends nearby al-Attarine Madrasa.

The second important street is Tala’a Seghira (or Tala’a Sghira). This starts from Bab Bou Jeloud but diverge from Tala’a Kebira on its right side to rejoin it again in the Ain Allou area in the east between the Chrabliyine Mosque and Place Nejjarine.

What is really like getting around in Fes. Our experience

As I told you at the beginning of this blog piece, my experience in Fes was a little bittersweet. Although watching some videos online, documenting my self and having my background in history, the impact with the reality of the city left me with many perplexities. Indeed, none of the sources you find online portrait an accurate description of Fes.

Below, you’ll find both our positive and negative experiences that will give you an idea about what is really like to visit Fes on your own. I am a pro campaigner of managing people’s expectations when travelling. I really hate when other travel bloggers or influencers sugarcoat challenging destinations saying that everything is beautiful and shiny posting only about photogenic spots. This blog is not selling you a trip to Fes. I would like you to visit this destination as safely as possible enjoying all its amazing sights, but making you aware also of the less glossy experience you might possibly get.

The good part of Fes

Me and my husband have quite contrasting opinions on this after our experience. Indeed, he felt like Fes was one of the worst parts of our trip and our bad experience (read below) kinda covered all the good things that this city has to offer. BUT there is good in Fes, there is beauty and there is history in every single inch you can touch. Yes. I do remember well our experience, and this is kinda blocking me of revisiting Fes in the future at the moment. However, I still remember the beautiful feeling of walking in this timeless place that looked like out of a medieval ballad. Every single door in Fes has over 1000 years of history and I felt incredible privileged of seeing such a rare, incredible place.

Heritage and stays

Fes historical heritage, despite faded, damaged and at traits not-well maintained, is one of the best parts of my visit. I couldn’t stop looking everywhere because even in the most random street there were signs of a past glory, signs of beautiful art and lost stories that I wanted desperately to know about it. All the palaces and madrasa were some of the most beautiful architectural examples I’ve seen in the whole Morocco. This beauty stole my heart and is what I keep dearly in my memories.

Our accommodation was also one of the best parts of our trip. Riad Idrissy not only has over 400 years of history, but it’s a very special place for all the people who work there and the delicious food served in their stunning restaurant, The Ruined Garden. This place was our refuge, our home away from the chaos. We really spent a lot of time there, not only to stay away from the sketchy places at night but because we really loved it.

The bad part of Fes

As a historian, I had my “romanticised” idea of Fes. Maybe because when I visited Cairo was exactly as I expected so I really wanted a similar experience. Nevertheless, my impact with Fes was a little different. Not because of the dirty or smell such as many reviews online tell about the city. This things usually don’t bother me much. Fes has more than a thousand years, it can’t be shiny new!

It was because of its people. I know, it’s horrible to say and I really feel sorry for saying this. However, this is the only place in Morocco where the famous “Moroccan hospitality” kinda lost its way to it, probably within one of the 9000 alleys. Except for the people from our Riad, anyone in Fes was quite hostile, almost angry. We were perceived exclusively as two walking wallets rather than people and once refusing to give money or saying no to something, people reaction was disproportioned, aggressive and threatening. It was a continuous verbal aggression on the street and this was really extenuating.

Chouara Tanneries

For example, we were searching for the Chouara Tanneries and following the directions of our Google maps. At one point, we spotted this guy following from inside the souk. At the beginning, he was just following us without saying anything. When we reached a street with no many people, he approached us saying that we were going towards the wrong direction for the Chouara Tanneries and he insisted to follow him.

We kindly refused saying that our map worked perfectly and didn’t need his help. He continued to follow us. After a few minutes he tried to push us towards another route, when we refused again he started to be very angry and started shouting like crazy. Saying something like that we were stupid not following him and other things in his language that I didn’t understand. He was very loud.

Luckily we spotted an Aussie family who was exactly in the same situation in the opposite side of the road and we decided to join forces. We walked together until we found the entrance of the tannery with these two guys on the back. And guess what? When we arrived, they wanted money from us because “they took us there”! WTF! Just be careful around that area. Especially if alone.

The street is closed

Most of our days in Fes were spent trying to avoid approaches similar to the one we had near the Chouara Tanneries. It was exhausting getting around all day like this, but in the end, we just ignored them and went on our way. The worst day came when instead of a verbal approach, we had to face a physical one. We were walking towards the Glaoui Palace, when 5 guys appeared out of nowhere and physically blocked the way in front of us. We kindly ask them to move but they were standing there.

The boldest of the group started talking saying that “this road is closed and doesn’t go anywhere”. Of course it wasn’t true as our Google maps was working perfectly. Initially, it was more a verbal exchange as we didn’t want a fight. I have to say that only this guy was the one very aggressive, the others seemed just following his orders or be there in “standby”. After a good 5 minutes stuck by them, he started behaving very aggressively and talking to my husband saying that “as a man, he shouldn’t let me talk or say my opinion”.

Hey Sister

You have to know that I am the hot head of the couple, my husband is very calm. I have a bad temper and get annoyed very easily, while he is always rationale and try to avoid conflicts. I was already boiling while he was waaay too kind to these junks. At one point, this guy started me calling “sister” but in a very offensive way and instigated my husband by insulting me without shame. Of course, he didn’t know that the reason why I hadn’t punched him in the face until that moment is just because my husband was very kind to him and I was playing the game.

So, when he tried to approach us physically and pushing us, I couldn’t handle anymore and confronted him face to face with my husband trying to pull me away from him. After days of harassment on the street, I kinda reached my limit in that very moment. My rage exploded all on him, whom was likely never shouted like that by a woman. He clearly didn’t expect this from the face he did. Basically it ended up that they had to divide us as the situation was escalating very quickly. The fight ended up with my husband pulling me towards the road we had to originally go and him shouting at my husband “you know mate, you chose a bad woman” and with me shouting at him “yes like your mother!”. LOL. As you can imagine, the road wasn’t blocked or closed at all.

Reflections on this experience

I had the time to reflect on this experience, and I admit we’ve been very lucky and that it could end in a much, worse way. My husband was quite angry at my reaction because he was scared they would have pulled out some knifes or trying to abuse me. They were 5 against 2 of us. Luckily the other 4 guys weren’t that keen to enter this fight with myself only and were just laughing at us. But what if they weren’t that passive? Now, all the possible horrible scenarios from that evening comes in my mind and I feel stupid that I put us in that position.

To my justification, I was very fed up after 3 days of continuous aggressive approaches that made our Fes visit a nightmare. In that moment, with 40 degrees and a day trying to defuse any approach from strangers. I just wanted that guy out of my way. But I now realised that what probably spared us it was my husband in not engaging with their provocations. I think their tactic was trying to provoke his reaction by insulting me. If he had reacted the same way I reacted, they would have probably jumped all on him.

It’s hard to know what to do in these situations as you never expect this happening for real. There is no guide on what to do in Fes if you get approached physically and I hope this doesn’t happen to anyone else. But if I learnt something from our experience, is that is better not respond to provocations. Even after three annoying days.

Fes 3 days itinerary

If I didn’t scare you too much and you still want to visit Fes. This itinerary will help with your trip planning! The ideal time to explore Fes is about 2 or 3 days. Maybe 4 if you want to add a day trip to Volubilis or Meknes. In 2 days, your itinerary will be very full but you can visit most of the main landmarks of the city. In 3 days, you can have a relaxed visit and add a few more sights.

We stayed 3 nights in Fes. Nevertheless, we lost part of one day because it was Friday and many places were closed. We used that day to acclimatise with the medina and figure it out where most of the scammers were located. To be honest, it was very useful as it made us understand that we didn’t want to get around after dusk.

To make this itinerary easy to follow and with less possibilities of getting lost. I will stick as much as possible to the two main roads at least at the beginning. You might need to use your navigation instinct if Google dies but if using my map, the chance of getting in remote areas should be smaller!Hopefully!

Day 1 in Fes Morning – Tala’a Kebira and its landmarks

On your first day, you’ll explore Fes’ main route: Tala’a Kebira. You will get a first taste of the city’s souqs, visit some beautiful madrasas and taste local cuisine.

Old Gates and Kasbah

Start your day with a very good Moroccan breakfast at your hotel/riad. Then head to your starting point at Bab Mahrouk. If you feel insecure about crossing the medina alone, ask for company to your hotel. Bab Mahrouk is the historical western gate of Fes el Bali. It was built in 1204 over a previous gate that used to be called Bab ash-Shari’a. It always designed the starting point of the historical Old City main street. If you have some time to spare, you can visit the nearby Bab Mehrouk Garden.

If not, continue your walk towards (but do not enter) another monumental gate called Bab Chorfa. This is the only entrance gate to the Kasbah An-Nouar, one of several fortified military citadels built around Old Fes. The gate dates back to the 12th century and I believe is one of the most impressive still standing in Fes. By entering that gate, you will cross into the Kasbah, as separate citadel that I do not recommend visiting your first day. During the weekend, the massive square in front of Bab Chorfa, is usually occupied by a market. Therefore it’s not easy to take pictures!

The entrance of Tala’a Kebira

Continue towards what is now considered the “real” entrance of Fes el Bali. The famous blue gate Bab Bou Jeloud. If you are on a rush, you can skip Bab Chorfa and head directly here. There are actually a few blue gates around the city, but this one is definitely the most famous among them. It isn’t actually that old. In fact, it was built by the French colonial administration in 1913. The original gate, still existing, is much smaller and on the side of the blue one.

Once you pass through the gate, there is a very small square with a few cafes (picture above). Here you will be immediately at the crossroad between the two main roads Tala’a Kebira and Tala’a Sghira. If you continue on your central/right-side, you’ll go towards Tala’a Sghira, if you turn left where that white house stands, and then immediately right, you’ll be in Tala’a Kebira. That’s your road! For your first day, I do recommend sticking to this main road. If you get confused and by mistake ends up at Tala’a Sghira, don’t panic! Both main roads will be connected again later on by a small passage famous as “Rainbow street”. Another trick to get into Tala’a Kebira is following the directions for “Cafe Clock” as this is right on this street.

Tala’a Kebira is itself a souk, therefore you can take your time and explore the different stalls selling spices, souvenirs and traditional handcraft products.

Bou Inania Madrasa and the Water Clock

Assuming you didn’t get lost after the Blue gate, your first serious stop will be the Bou Inania Madrasa. If you are unfamiliar with the term madrasa, this is an Arabic word that refers to any type of educational institution, whether it is secular or religious. The Bou Inania Madrasa takes this name from its founder, Abu Inan Faris and was built in 1350. It is regarded as one of the most beautiful examples of Marinid architecture and it worked for sometime as educational institution. Nevertheless, due to the nearby (and most important) Al- Qarawiyyin (now University), it ceased operations as madrasa and was mainly used as a mosque.

In this regards, one of the peculiarity of the Bou Inania Madrasa is that is made of several buildings. Among these: the madrasa itself with the entrance on Tala’a Kebira. The  Chrabliyine Mosque with a rear entrance on Tala’a Sghira and the famous Dar al-Magana, better known as the “Water Clock”.

Bou Inania Madrasa is the only building of this type in Morocco featuring a minaret. Unfortunately, of the many buildings composing the structure, you will be allowed to visit only the main courtyard of the madrasa. However, you can see part of the Water Clock next to the madrasa entrance in Tala’a Kebira (point D on the map). This is a unique type of clock. It has been renovated around the year 2000 but the lack of records on how it used to work made it impossible to repair its original mechanism.

Before heading for lunch, stop to the nearby Rainbow Street to get a nice picture!

Lunch time

Once you finish with your visit, you’ll probably want to take a break and have some food! One of the nicest restaurants in this area, is a bit further along the way and it’s called La Tarbouche. It’s quite a small place but they serve traditional Moroccan dishes, including the famous Pastilla. Not too far from the Bou Inania Madrasa there is also the famous Clock Cafe. We had lunch there one day and I admit that is quite overrated. Half of the menu wasn’t available to order and the few things they had that we could order tasted very average compared to other places we’ve been in Morocco. The building itself is nice, but I believe there are much better places for a lunch stop!

Day 1 in Fes Afternoon – Craft, art and Tanneries of Guerniz

With your morning tour, you checked-off the main landmarks of Tala’a Kebira. I hope you have got a little more confidence in getting around the medina because you will need this for your afternoon tour! This will be around a neighbourhood called Guerniz. Differently from Tala’a Kebira, you will need a little bit more of navigations skills as the route is much more windier than it was in the morning.

The historical funduqs of Guerniz

Finally leaving Tala’a Kebira, you will start your afternoon visit from the Nejjarine Museum, best know as Funduq al-Najjarin. This is a historic funduq/foundouk (aka a traditional inn similar to the caravanserai, that used to host travellers in historical Maghreb). The name Nejjarine comes from the actual location of the funduq that used to be a “carpenter souq”. This funduq dates 1711, while is, much more famous fountain is a much more recent addition (19th century). The funduq used to operates as an inn but also merchant house. For a period it was also a post office and now hosts the Nejjarine Museum of Art and Craft.

Guerniz is actually an area famous for historical funduqs. In this part of the itinerary, in addition to the Nejjarine one, I’ve added also Funduq Barqa (point E on the map) to potentially visit on your way to Cherratine Madrasa. This is a 16th-century funduq that is been renovated beautifully to its past glory and now host the centre of “female creativity”. So you can often find some exhibition. If you are interested in this type of architecture, not too far from these two funduqs you can find also Fondouq Sbitriyin and Foundouq El Jadid Al Qatanin.

Sidi Moussa Tannery

I put this stop (D on the map) as an optional one. Fes has many tanneries that are old as much as the city. A large part of tourists visiting the medina, head exclusively to the oldest tannery in the city: Chouara. Nevertheless, there is a large debate that is actually the Sisi Moussa Tannery the oldest one as a few sources dates this back to 9th century alongside the city’s foundation.

Therefore, I thought that being around the area of Guerniz you might want to give this tannery a look. To be honest, it’s much smaller than Chouara but it smells exactly the same. Your experience however could be potentially better as is less visited by tourists and not much in the scammers radar like the Chouara one. If you are not too keen in visiting two tanneries in two days, just skip this one as you will visit Chouara on the second day.

Just a few note if you want to visit. There are a few directions for this tannery around the medina and they are written in French. If by any chance your Google maps die, follow the direction that says “Tanneur“. Also all the tanneries are free to visit from the balconies of the leather shops. Since they are private balconies, some of the owners might ask you a small donations or to give a look to their shop. We haven’t been asked anything to pay, but we got a little bit around the shop who hosted us. The owner also provided us with a mint branch to smell that helped us bearing the terrible smells from the tanneries.

Cherratine Madrasa

If you are coming from the tanneries, you have to take a little detour as Cherratine Madrasa is point F on the map. But, if you decided to stay on the souk road, it’s just at a few turns away from the Nejjarine Funduk (5 mins walk more or less). Cherratine Madrasa (or medersa) was one of my favourites I visited in Fes. I loved its architecture and also that it was better preserved than other madrasa I visited in Fes.

The building itself dates back to 1670 and built over a previous madrasa. The name refers to the “rope-makers” souk that was in the area. The madrasa used to host students of the nearby Qarawiyyin University. It was classified as a national heritage site in 1917. When visiting, I found out that this is one of those places largely affected by the light. Indeed, the colours of the walls are almost white in full daylight early in the morning and become more of a pink tone after midday. I liked more the pink tone!

Mausoleum of Moulay Idriss II

Heading to the Cherratine Madrasa, you will probably pass by the Mausoleum of Moulay Idriss II. This is a stunningly decorated mausoleum that is part the complex of the Qarawiyyin University and considered one of the most sacred places in Fes. Honestly not sure about its opening hours as both times I passed through it was closed. Therefore, it’s on the itinerary route for the afternoon but you’ll need to check when is best to go! Whether you will visit this before or after the madrasa, it doesn’t matter as the return way is the same (unless your hotel is completely on the opposite side).

From the mausoleum, I recommend getting back on the main street again passing throughout the pottery souq known as Henna Souq. While there, I warmly recommend also a stop in the beautiful Maristan of Sidi Frej. A maristan is an ancient or medieval Islamic hospital. There are only a bunch of them still existing worldwide and this is the only one surviving in Morocco and dating 13th century. Nowadays is being converted into a funduq following a partial destruction in 1944. Henna Souk occupies its western side.

Well done! You survived your first day in Fez! You got a very good taste of the Medina and visited some of its most amazing sights! For dinner, I recommend having this at your hotel/riad unless you feel very confident in going back at night or you have someone with you that knows Fes very well.

Day 2 in Fes Morning – Chouara Tannery and Qarawiyyin University area

Don’t panic when you look at the map for your second morning! These places (except the Chouara Tannery) are all very close to each other and some of them are just a photo stop.

Introduction to your Chouara tannery visit

Start your morning from the Chouara Tannery. There are two good reasons for putting this tannery as first thing in the morning. First, despite the smell, is probably one of the most visited sites in Fes. You want to experience this with its real workers dyeing the leather not with wanna-be-influencers that pose literally in the middle of the sh***. Indeed, if you arrive past midday, the place will be very crowded with people crowding not only all the balconies available, but also the vats.

Second, it’s the location of the tannery. Despite located inside the medina, the Chouara Tannery is located in a quite distant location from the rest of the densely populated area. I actually remained surprised of how this very old tannery is now in a quite “new” neighbourhood of the medina! The problem with this is that there isn’t much around it. Therefore you go there only for the tannery. Considering these reasons, is better to hit this landmark as a first thing in the morning of your itinerary.

The Chouara Tannery is considered the oldest in Fes with its operations starting as soon as the 9th century. One of the peculiarities of this tannery, (and other in Fes), is that the production of leather isn’t changed since its introduction in the middle ages. Therefore, witnessing the tanning in Fes is a bit like travelling back in time.

What is a tannery?

Now, if you don’t know what a tannery is, is better for you to know before your visit. A tannery is is the place where the skins of animals are processed. Tanning, is the process of treating skins and hides of animals to produce leather for leather-made products. Nowadays, tanning methods use chemicals and automated systems. Fes is probably one of the few places in the world where tanning operations are the same since a thousands of years. Just so you know, I am not a fan of leather products and I don’t buy them. Nevertheless, this process is old as civilisation itself and as a historian it was very interesting to see in person and learn about it. Despite I don’t share the love for leather products myself, I do appreciate knowing about without prejudice.

Things to know before going

A few things you need to know before your visit. First. Because in Fes the tanning method is still the one used in medieval times, various mixtures of cow urine, pigeon feces, quicklime, salt, and water are used in order to clean and soften the tough skins. This creates a very, very smelly environment. You will eventually get used to it after a few minutes, but if you are sensitive to smells you might get a bit sick. Some owners of the shops can give you mint or lavender to smell while going around and this helps a little.

Second. You can photograph the tanneries only from the private balconies with a view on it. These balconies might belong to the leather shop owners or some residents. Therefore, it’s at entirely their discretion to let you go up and give a look. They might ask you a small fee or simply to have a tour of the shop. Don’t complaint about it or be rude to them. If there is not too much crowd, they might even come with you and explain the processes used in the tannery. We met a very nice guy who’s father owned the shop where we took our pictures. He explained us loads of things and he we had a very nice chat with him. We now also follow each other on instagram!

Al-Attarine Madrasa

Now that you have checked off one of Fes’ most visited sites, it’s time to head again in the heart of the medina. This time, your visit will be focused on the University quarter. Indeed, the Al-Qarawiyyin neighbourhood has some beautiful architecture but also nice souqs to explore. Your next stop will be the Al-Attarine Madrasa. This is just at 6 minute walk from the Chouara Tannery and will pass through some lovely souks in the same area. This madrasa was built between 1323 and 1325 and got its name from the Souk Al-Attarine selling perfumes and spices. It’s a much smaller madrasa compared to the two previously visited.

Nevertheless, the architectural details are really impressive and the state of preservation is still good. You can also visit the upper floor and have a sneak view of the souk and the university. If you are lucky, you maybe have a view also of the nearby madrasa called Mesbahiyya Madrasa. It was lately renewed in 2017 but it was in terrible conditions so it’s not always accessible. If found it closed. I really wished to see it!

Mosque and University Kairaouine

Almost in front of the Al-Attarine Madrasa you can find the imposing Mosque and University Kairaouine (or Al-Qarawiyyin). When arriving in Fes, one of the first things you’ll probably spot are the green tiles of the University Kairaouine. I felt a bit emotional when I first spotted it! As an academic, it was a privilege to step inside this place in person, even for a very brief moment.

University Kairaouine is not an average educational institution as many other around the world. It’s the oldest university or oldest continually operating higher learning institution in the world. According to one of the major early sources on this period, al-Qarawiyyin was founded as a mosque in 857 or 859 by Fatima al-Fihri, the daughter of a wealthy merchant named Mohammed al-Fihri. It seems that teaching and educational functions were operative in the mosque since its foundation. I feel very proud that the oldest university in the world was founded by a woman!

Anyway, my visit to Al-Qarawiyyin was very VERY short. In fact, non-Muslims are not allowed to step inside. When there is less crowd or if you have a very good guide with you, you might be allowed into the main courtyard of the mosque, but a guardian will follow you very closely. I didn’t get to enter even in the courtyard. However, the guard allowed me to snap a few pictures from where he was seated. Vain was also my attempt to visit the library on the other side of the complex (F on the map). I hope that one day the university will allow some small groups to visit its marvels and I will probably be the first in line!

Place Seffarine and its madrasa

After circling the University Kairaouine, you will find yourself in a little square named as Place Seffarine. This is a little jewel of Fes and somehow reminded me of Khan el-Khalili at Cairo. The square is quite small but it has many historical sites. Place Seffarine itself is a historical location, indeed it used to be the main souk of the city’s coppersmiths. Still today has many shops are still producing and selling intricate copper items. If you want a unique souvenir, this is probably one of the best places where to buy it! While there, is worth a try visiting (or have a sneak peak) of the square’s historical landmarks. Among these:

• Bibliothèque Karaouine. This is the main library of the nearby university. I wasn’t allowed to enter. I suspect for the same reasons that restricts visitors to the main university.
• Seffarine Madrasa. This is the oldest and still functioning madrasa in the whole Morocco. It was built in 1271 and still houses the students of the nearby university. In theory visitors can step into the main courtyards but only when there are no prayers closure days (i.e. Friday). I was allowed to see it from the bent entrance but I they didn’t allow me to take pictures.
• Hammam Saffarin. Is one of the few surviving Marinid hammams in the city. It dates back to the 14th century and served as a local hammam for the coppersmith community. The hammam was recently renovated but is not yet open for public visit. Its entrance it’s well hidden behind one of the copper shops! If you want to read more about the historical hammams of Fes I do recommend reading this article.

Souk Sabbaghine and Bab Rcif

The last stretch of your morning walk will take to the colourful Souk Sabbaghine. This is home for both leather products and also dyed textiles. You will pass through this souk on your way to the final stop of your morning that is Bab Rcif.

UPDATE: Sadly in March 2024, Fez authorities demolished the iconic second blue gate of Fez, Bab Rcif in order to build a parking lot of 50 spaces. I was utterly shocked when reading the news. Despite the gate dated back to 19th century, it was still an iconic symbol of the city. Authorities should have done a better job in preserving and revitalising the area, instead of demolishing everything for just 50 extra parking space that won’t be of any improvement for the city.

ANYWAY. Not sure how this area is at the moment, but there are quite a few good restaurants in the nearby of the defunct gate. One is Darori, famous for its chicken pastilla its located also in a beautiful building! Another one is Restaurant Ouliya that have also a beautiful terrace with a view!

Day 2 in Fes Afternoon – The Andalusian quarter

After your well deserved lunch, your second afternoon in Fes will be more relaxed as you will explore the Andalusian quarter of Fes. For many centuries, the known Quartier Andalous was the rival place “on the other side of the river”. Centuries of fights between, at the time, Al-‘Aliya and Madinat Fas, made the two walled cities two independent entities well-separated by the River Oued. Despite the reunification of the city with wall demolished and bridges built, the contrast between the Andalusian quarter and the Karaouine one is still very strong.

Indeed, the Andalusian quarter is very quiet, there are almost no tourists or hasslers and even vendors look at the few visitors with a curious look. I remained surprised of the stark difference as the scenario changes pretty quickly.

Mosque of the Andalusians

Indeed, it takes only 10 minutes walk on a quite steep road to cross the river from Rcif square and arrive to the staircase of the stunning Mosque of the Andalusians. Built around 859-860 By Maryam bint Mohammed bin Abdullah al-Fihri (sister of Fatima al-Fihri, who founded the Qarawiyyin Mosque) this is one of the few remaining Idrisid architectural examples. As well as one of the oldest mosques in Morocco. As you can expect, if you are not Muslim also this mosque is off limits. However, part of its marvel can be seen from the outside. In fact, its monumental north entrance gate is a masterpiece of the Almohad architecture dating to the 13th century.

The twin madrasas

Not many tourists are aware of this, but the Andalusian quarter keeps a beautiful architectural secret that only recently has been opened to the public. I am talking about the twin Sahrij Madrasa and Sba’iyyin Madrasa. These commissioned both in 1321 and 1323 are regarded as two jewels of the Marinid architecture. Standing next to each other are currently used as locations for some of the main University courses. Sahrij Madrasa, that looks like a small version of the Ben Youssef Madrasa in Marrakech, used to be called l-Madrasa al-Kubra (the “Greater Madrasa”) because it was bigger than other madrasa of the same period. The zellij tiles, carved wood and stucco work of Sahrij Madrasa are very similar to the ones of the Alhambra palaces in Andalusia.

Sba’iyyin Madrasa is smaller and less decorated than her twin sister. Both suffered severe damages from vandalism that deprived them of a few stunning decorations and architectural elements. Both renovated in 2017, they are now open to the public (except on Friday and during the university lessons). To note that Sba’iyyin Madrasa doesn’t appear on any map but it’s located just next to Sahrij Madrasa. There is a tourist sign just next to its main gate.

I have to say that despite being all very close to the Andalusian mosque, we got lost a couple of times to find their gate. Sba’iyyin Madrasa was closed during our visit.

Conclude your afternoon

After two intense days in the medina, I would recommend breaking down your stay with some relax. Maybe you can get a hammam with massage and then a lovely dinner? You have the option also to visit the external walls of Fes by exiting the Andalusian Quarter from the famous Bab Ftou (point D). Touring the medina can be very intense and having some time to get some shopping or just relaxing without a bucket list to follow can be only but beneficial! We did a spa afternoon with hammam experience in Marrakech and honestly it was a great decision!

Day 3 in Fes – Palaces, Mellah and incredible views

On your last day in Fes, you will explore Fes’ sumptuous palaces, the Jewish quarter Mellah and will end your tour with a spectacular bird view of the city from the Marinid Tombs.

The sumptuous palaces of Fes

19th-century golden age in Fes, translated into the construction of opulent palaces in the outskirts of the medina. These belonged to wealthy families of Fes often linked to the higher ranked politicians or the well-known Pasha El-Gloui. The best of Moroccan craftsmanship was used to lavishly decorate these places and I was really enchanted by their beauty. Most wealthy families of Fes built their palaces in a area known today as  Ziat. At that time the name was al-‘Uyun. It was a large green area with only a few houses and with several mansions belonging to Fes’ aristocracy.

With the expansion of the medina and the construction of new neighbourhoods, the surviving mansions are now surrounded by a dense network of alleys and houses.

Unfortunately, after the Thami El-Glaoui was stripped of his status, most these palaces fell in decline and largely abandoned to their destiny. Some of them were demolished, some other still survive surrounded now by the expanding medina.

There are about 10 big sumptuous residences around Fes. They usually go with the name “Dar” or “Palais”. Unfortunately not all of them are visitable. Some because they belong to the Royal Palace, some other because privately owned or in terrible state of conservation. Therefore, I’ve added to the list only the ones you can pop for a visit.

Palais El-Mokri

Better known as Dar El-Mokri, this is actually an entire site occupied by two large mansions. Dar Moqri is the largest and oldest of the two residences while Riad Driss Moqri is the annex and smaller residence of the two. Built around 1880 by the wealthy family Mokri it’s now converted into a hotel. Honestly, finding this palace was a bit of adventure because it has multiple entrances but only one is open to the public.

Dar El-Glaoui

Dar El-Glaoui is a real hidden gem. First, I didn’t know of its existence until I planned my trip to Fes. Second, no tourist go there. Third, the history of the current caretaker is absolutely mind-blowing. But let’s start from the beginning. Dar Glaoui was built during the late 19th century by the powerful Gloaoui family famous for its Grand Vizier Madani and the Pasha of Marrakech Thami. The family was one of the most powerful clans in Morocco during the 19th-20th centuries controlling all the routes from Marrakech to the Atlas Mountains and many of the Kasbah along the way.

Dar Glaoui was one of the numerous properties belonging to the family. It seems that it was seized by the Glaouis from another owner, then renovated with the most lavish decorations. This thesis is still debated. Dar Glaoui was massive, it included at least 12 houses, annexes, hammams, Qur’anic schools, stables, a cemetery, and large gardens. Today, a large part of these structures is lost or in terrible preservation status but visitors can access the central complex.

Have a chat with Abdou

An integral part of the palace visit is Abdou. Abdelkhalek Boukhars, better known as “Abdou” is the caretaker of the palace. He is the first person you will meet at the entrance and the one who will decide if you are trusted enough to visit his house. Yes, you heard well. We had a lovely chat with him and he told us that he lives in the palace since “he remembers”. He is a old man now, but pictures of his days as a celebrated artist fill the walls of the palace. “This is my work” he tells me while showing me a series of abstract canvases with some intriguing designs.

Newspapers citing his name are displayed on the walls as a memento of his artistic career. Le Figaro, Lonely Planet, Conde Nast. I look at him wondering who is this unexpected person. He doesn’t seem too talkative so I refrain my curiosity. Later, doing some research, I discovered that rumours circulated around his person. Some say he was the grandson of the last Glaoui living in the property, some other say his family worked as guardian of the palace since the beginning and he remained there even after the palace fell in disgrace. He never confirmed or denied any of these rumours but he clearly love that palace.

He told me that the palace requires an extensive amount of money to be maintained and the government doesn’t fund any part of it (shame!). That’s why he charges a minimum amount to enter. He partially use this to keep the palace on. Then he told me to not stop just in the courtyard and explore as much as I wished until I found the “surprise”. Thanks Abdou we found it!! I’ll let you discover what it is when visiting 😉

Lunch at the Ruined Garden

After your visit to the palaces of Ziat, I do recommend recharging for lunch at the lovely Ruined Garden. I particularly recommend the cheese trio and the kofta tagine! They were so good! If you are staying in this riad and want to try a different restaurant, why don’t you opt for the not far Jardin de Biehn?

Dar Batha Museum

As point C on them map, there is Dar Batha Museum. This is an additional sumptuous palace in Fes. To note the palace is closed since 2017 for renovation. It is expected to be opening soon under the name “Museum of Islamic Art”. Therefore, keep an eye on this page for further updates.

For the next part of the Fes 3 days itinerary, is recommended getting a taxi from your location because the Mellah quarter is completely detached from Fes el-Bali. If you are in the Ruined Garden, go towards Fountain Batha (7 mins walk) and take a taxi from there. A walk from the restaurant takes 27 mins. If you are nearby Dar Batha (in case this opens) it’s a 20 mins walk or a 4 mins taxi.

Mellah Quarter and The Royal Palace of Fes

For those unfamiliar with Morocco history, the Mellah is the Jewish quarter of Fes. The city hosts the oldest and largest Jewish community in Morocco. Jewish used to live in Fes el-Bali but in the 15th century they moved in a bigger neighbourhood named as Mellah (meaning “saline” due to its location). As the Mellah identified with Jewish people, other Mellah were created around Morocco with a famous one in Marrakesh too.

Start you walk of the Mellah quarter from the Semmarine Gate, here you can reach the Mellah entrance gate, Bab El-Magana going towards its main street. This has a few remarkable sites (in addition to the historical gate). Including the Synagogue Al Fassiyine and Aben Danan Synagogue. If you walk straight until the end of the road you’ll reach the famous Rue Boulkhsissat. Here you will see a slightly different architecture that the one seen in Fes el-Bali but what will catch your eyes will likely be the monumental doors of the Royal Palace of Fes in Place des Alaouites.

Dar al-Makhzen

Dar al-Makhzen, better known as “The Royal Palace of Fes” is one of the most secretive places in the whole Morocco. Indeed, it’s monumental doors are the only part visitors (and citizen) can see. Only a bunch of old 19th-century photos are available on what it looks like inside. Dar al-Makhzen was built in 1276 together with Fes el-Jdid. Since then, it served as royal residence and center of government for Morocco. It is known that the original construction of the palace had extensive gardens similar to the Generalife of Granada.

During the following centuries, the palace expanded several times and occupied new areas of the city. Despite Fes no longer being the capital of Morocco, the King is still using this residence when travelling around this area of the country. This is one of the reasons why the palace is strictly off limits. I am not sure about the conservation status of the many structures because very little is known about it. However, I hope that one day visitors will be allowed to admire its grounds.

To reach the next, and final, point of this itinerary, I do recommend taking a taxi. You can potentially walk too but it’s a 40 mins walk uphill (9 mins by taxi). If you have additional time, I do recommend also a stop to Borj Nord Museum.

End your Fes visit at the Marinid Tombs

There is a last place you need to check before leaving Fes for your next destination. This is where the Marinid Tombs are located. These tombs are dated to 14th century and built on the site of a former Marinid citadel. It is reported that no real archaeological excavations have been done on the now crumbling site and their history has been somehow neglected.

I warmly recommend you to leave this place as a last check point for your visit. Indeed, from the Marinid Tombs you can admire the real scale of Fes and understand how much you have accomplished (and walked!) in the past few days. It is a very satisfied feeling that of knowing that you have survived the Fes medina!

Fes 3 days itinerary – Tourist Map

As discussing above, Fes is a place that you can get easily lost. Having a map ready with all the places you want to visit is a great aid to plan your trip and navigate the maze of the Fes el-Bali medina! For this reason I created a map called Fez like a PRO that includes all the amazing sights discussed in this blog plus the locations of all the landmarks in Fes, services, recommended restaurants and stays and much more.

You can buy this map here. Thanks for supporting my blog!

Plan your Trip to Morocco

If you are planning a longer trip to Morocco, I recommend reading my other guides linked below.

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