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Photo Guide
12 Best Instagram Spots in Fes
The most photogenic places in Fes — tanneries, madrasas, medieval lanes, and rooftop views — with exact timing and photography tips.
Photography Tips for Fes
Best light: 7–9am (empty lanes), 10–11am (tanneries), sunset (panoramas)
Medina advantage: Narrow lanes create soft, even light all day
Etiquette: Always ask before photographing individuals
Gear: Wide-angle for architecture, standard for street scenes
1
Chouara Tanneries from Above
ViewpointFree (buy small item) 10–11am Ain Azliten quarter, eastern Fes el-Bali
The Chouara Tanneries — dating to the 11th century — are the most photographed site in Fes and one of the most iconic images from Morocco. Viewed from the rooftop terraces of the surrounding leather shops, the circular stone vats create a vivid patchwork of colour: saffron yellow, indigo blue, poppy red, white lime, and brown cedar bark. Workers knee-deep in the vats, stretching hides and stirring dyes, add human scale and narrative. The best viewing terraces are free to access — shopkeepers invite you up (they offer a sprig of mint for the smell) hoping you'll buy leather goods. A small purchase (wallet 50–80 MAD, coin purse 20–30 MAD) is fair exchange. The tanneries are most photogenic mid-morning when the dyes are freshly applied and workers are active. The overhead angle from the highest terraces gives the most dramatic composition.
Photo tip: Go to the Terrasse de Tanneurs — the highest vantage point gives the most dramatic overhead composition of the vats
2
Bou Inania Madrasa
Historic20 MAD 9am opening Talaa Kebira, upper medina
The Bou Inania Madrasa (built 1351–1356) is a masterpiece of Merinid architecture and Fes's most photogenic interior. The central courtyard features a marble floor with a ablution fountain, walls of intricate zellige tilework in geometric patterns, carved stucco panels above, and a crown of carved cedarwood muqarnas. The symmetry is perfect — position yourself at the courtyard entrance and shoot straight ahead for the classic symmetrical frame. The upper gallery has carved cedarwood balconies overlooking the courtyard. The prayer hall has a soaring dome of muqarnas (honeycomb vaulting). The entry fee is just 20 MAD — exceptional value for photography of this calibre. Morning light entering from the open courtyard creates beautiful contrasts between illuminated zellige and shadowed alcoves. Arrive at opening for an uncrowded courtyard.
Photo tip: Stand centered at the courtyard entrance and shoot the full symmetrical frame — the reflection pool, the zellige walls, the cedar gallery above
3
Merinid Tombs Panoramic View
ViewpointFree Sunset Hill above Bab Guissa, north of the medina
The Merinid Tombs — ruined 14th-century royal tombs on the hill above Fes — offer the most dramatic panoramic view of the medina. From this vantage point, the entire city spreads below: a sea of white buildings, green-tiled mosque roofs, and minarets filling the river valley, with the Rif Mountains behind. At sunset, the medina transforms — the white buildings turn gold, then pink, then the lights begin to flicker on and the call to prayer echoes from dozens of minarets simultaneously. The composition is epic: foreground of ruined tombs, midground of the vast medina, background of mountains and sky. The walk up from Bab Guissa takes 20 minutes and is free. Bring a tripod for long-exposure shots of the city lights at blue hour. The site is also beautiful at sunrise when mist often fills the valley.
Photo tip: Arrive 45 minutes before sunset — the light changes continuously and the best shots come in the 20 minutes after the sun drops below the mountains
4
Bab Bou Jeloud (Blue Gate)
LandmarkFree Morning or evening Entrance to Fes el-Bali, Place Boujloud
Bab Bou Jeloud — the ornate gateway to the Fes medina — is one of Morocco's most photogenic landmarks. The gate has two faces: the outer face is decorated in blue zellige (the colour of Fes), while the inner face is green zellige (the colour of Islam). The three horseshoe arches frame views of the medina's main street (Talaa Kebira) and the minaret of the Bou Inania Madrasa behind. The classic shot: stand outside the gate and photograph the blue arches framing the street and minaret beyond. For a different perspective, shoot from inside the medina looking back through the gate towards the Ville Nouvelle. The gate is best photographed in the morning (9–11am) when the sun illuminates the blue tile on the outer face, or in the evening when the gate is lit by warm artificial light and the street activity below adds life.
Photo tip: Frame the shot through the central arch with the Bou Inania minaret visible beyond — the blue tiles, the archway, and the minaret create a layered composition
5
Ceramic Workshops and Blue Pottery
ArtisanFree to visit 10am–4pm Pottery Quarter, near Bab el-Amer
Fes is the ceramics capital of Morocco — the blue-and-white Fassi pottery is iconic and incredibly photogenic. The pottery cooperatives on the outskirts of Fes el-Bali allow free visits to the workshops where you can photograph every stage: potters throwing clay, painters applying intricate geometric patterns by hand, kilns firing, and finished pieces displayed in kaleidoscopic arrangements. The rows of painted bowls, plates, and tagines — in blues, whites, greens, and yellows — create stunning patterns when photographed from above or at eye level. The detail shots of artisans' hands painting geometric patterns are powerful content. The cooperatives are free to visit (they hope you'll buy, but there's no obligation). The Art Naji cooperative and the Pottery Quarter near Bab el-Amer are the most photogenic. Bring a macro lens or use your phone's close-up mode for the hand-painting details.
Photo tip: Photograph the artisan's hands painting a bowl from above — the concentration, the brush strokes, and the emerging pattern tell a story
6
Medina Lanes with Light and Shadow
StreetFree 8–10am Throughout Fes el-Bali, especially Kairaouine area
Fes el-Bali's 9,400 lanes create some of the most atmospheric street photography in the world. The narrow alleys (some barely shoulder-width) have medieval walls that block direct sunlight, creating dramatic light-and-shadow effects when shafts of sun pierce through gaps above. The covered souk roofs create parallel lines of light and dark that photograph beautifully. Key compositions: a figure walking away down a long, narrow lane (shot from behind for anonymity); light falling through a souk roof onto brass lanterns; a laden donkey turning a corner; a carved door in a wall of crumbling plaster. Early morning (8–10am) is best — the lanes are empty, the light is directional, and the atmosphere is peaceful. The streets around the Kairaouine Mosque and the Andalous Quarter are the most atmospheric. Shoot in black and white for a timeless quality.
Photo tip: Shoot down the narrow lanes with a figure walking away from you — the converging walls and directional light create instant depth and atmosphere
7
Nejjarine Square and Fountain
ArchitectureFree (museum 20 MAD) 9–11am Nejjarine Square, near the Henna Souk
Nejjarine Square — a tiny, perfect square deep in the medina — centres on one of the most beautiful fountains in Morocco: a masterpiece of carved and painted zellige, cedarwood, and stucco. The fountain fills one wall, with intricate blue-and-white tilework, carved wooden eaves, and a brass water spout. The square is surrounded by the restored Fondouk Nejjarine (now a woodwork museum, 20 MAD entry) with carved cedar balconies overlooking the fountain. The composition: shoot the fountain straight-on to capture the full symmetrical facade, or include the fondouk balconies above for depth. The square is small and intimate — it photographs best when empty (early morning) or with a single figure (a local woman in traditional dress, a craftsman carrying wood). The zellige colours — deep blue, white, green — are vivid and photograph beautifully.
Photo tip: The fountain straight-on is the hero shot — centre it perfectly in the frame and include the carved cedarwood eaves above
8
Fondouks (Ancient Merchant Inns)
ArchitectureFree 10am–3pm Throughout Fes el-Bali
Fes has dozens of fondouks — medieval merchant inns built around central courtyards with galleries above — that are photography gold. Many are still in use as workshops (metalworkers, dyers, weavers), which means the architecture is animated by working life. The courtyards have ornate doorways, carved plaster, zellige tilework (often crumbling with age), and dramatic light from the open sky above. The most photogenic: Fondouk el-Nejjarine (restored, museum-quality), Fondouk Kaat Smen (working metalworkers in a medieval courtyard), and Fondouk Sbitriyine (ceramic traders under carved arches). The beauty of fondouks is the contrast between ornate architecture and everyday craft — a metalworker hammering brass in a courtyard that hasn't changed in 500 years. Most fondouks are freely accessible — just walk through the open doorway. Be respectful of the craftsmen working inside.
Photo tip: Fondouk Kaat Smen has working metalworkers in a stunning medieval courtyard — the combination of craft and architecture is deeply photogenic
9
Café Clock Rooftop
Café15–25 MAD (tea/juice) 5–7pm Derb el-Magana, near Talaa Kebira
Café Clock — set in a restored medina house — has a multi-level rooftop terrace that offers one of the best elevated views in the medina. The view from the top level encompasses rooftops, minarets, satellite dishes, and the surrounding hills. The café itself is photogenic — colourful cushions, traditional tables, and the building's restored architecture (zellige, carved plaster, painted ceilings). The compositions available: the panoramic medina view (especially beautiful at sunset), the "candid café moment" with medina backdrop, and the food photography (Café Clock's camel burger and creative Moroccan dishes are plated beautifully). Late afternoon (5–7pm) is the golden hour — warm light, the city starting to glow, and the call to prayer providing an atmospheric soundtrack. A mint tea or fresh juice (15–25 MAD) is all you need to spend.
Photo tip: Go to the highest terrace level for the widest view — the panoramic sweep of rooftops and minarets is the best elevated medina shot in Fes
10
Kairaouine Mosque Doors
LandmarkFree Morning Kairaouine quarter, heart of Fes el-Bali
The Kairaouine Mosque — the world's oldest continuously operating university (founded 859 AD) — is closed to non-Muslims, but its exterior is magnificent and free to photograph. The massive carved wooden doors, the elaborately tiled entrance portals, and the glimpses of the courtyard through open doorways are deeply photogenic. The main entrance doors are enormous — carved cedar studded with iron nails, set in arched doorways with zellige tilework surrounds. Peek through the open doors (don't enter) to see the vast courtyard with its fountain, marble floor, and rows of horseshoe arches — this "through the door" composition is one of the most compelling shots in Fes. The doors and portals are scattered around the mosque's perimeter — walk the full circuit for different angles. Early morning is best when the light is warm and the doors are most likely to be open.
Photo tip: When the main doors are open, photograph through them into the courtyard — the frame of the doorway with the vast interior beyond is an extraordinary composition
11
Rcif Square Market Life
StreetFree 8–10am Rcif Square, lower medina
Rcif Square — the bustling commercial heart of the lower medina — is the best spot for authentic street photography in Fes. The square is a junction of several major medina streets where daily life converges: vegetable sellers spreading their produce on the ground, donkeys carrying building materials, women carrying bread to the communal oven, craftsmen heading to workshops, and children running to school. The light in the square is excellent — the buildings create a natural amphitheatre with soft reflected light. The compositions are documentary: overhead shots of market produce arranged in geometric patterns, candid portraits (ask permission), the blur of a loaded donkey passing, and the interplay of traditional clothing against medieval architecture. This is not tourist Fes — this is working Fes, and the authenticity is what makes the photography powerful. Respect the people — always ask before photographing individuals.
Photo tip: Stand at the top of the stairs overlooking the square — the overhead angle captures the market geometry and the human flow
12
Blue Ceramics Display Walls
ArtisanFree Any time Pottery cooperatives, medina ceramic shops
Throughout the Fes medina and at the pottery cooperatives, you'll find walls and displays covered entirely in blue-and-white Fassi ceramics — bowls, plates, tagines, and tiles arranged in kaleidoscopic patterns. These display walls are an Instagram classic: the repetitive geometric patterns, the blue-and-white colour palette, and the handmade imperfections create images that are simultaneously ordered and organic. The best displays are at the pottery cooperatives (massive walls of plates and bowls), at the ceramic shops in the medina (smaller but more curated), and at the Nejjarine Museum (museum-quality displays). For the flatlay composition, look down at a table of plates arranged in a grid. For the wall composition, stand back and include yourself (or a friend) as a small figure against the vast ceramic wall. The blue and white photographs beautifully against skin tones of any shade.
Photo tip: At the pottery cooperative, stand in front of the massive ceramic wall for a scale shot — the pattern of hundreds of plates behind you creates a stunning backdrop
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most Instagrammable place in Fes?
The Chouara Tanneries viewed from above are the single most iconic Instagram image from Fes — the circular stone vats filled with vivid dyes (saffron yellow, indigo blue, poppy red, white lime) create a stunning patchwork of colour, with workers moving between the vats adding scale and human interest. The view is free from the leather shop terraces surrounding the tanneries. Visit mid-morning (10–11am) when the dyes are fresh and the workers are most active. The Bou Inania Madrasa is a close second — its courtyard of carved stucco, zellige tilework, and carved cedarwood is a masterpiece of Islamic geometric art.
What is the best time of day for photos in Fes?
Early morning (7–9am) is the best time for Fes photography. The medina lanes are empty, the light is warm and directional (casting beautiful shadows through the slatted souk roofs), and the atmosphere is peaceful. The tanneries are best at 10–11am when the vats are full of fresh dye. Sunset (5–7pm) is perfect for the panoramic views from the Merinid Tombs or Borj Nord — the entire medina turns gold. The medina's narrow lanes mean midday sun rarely reaches the ground, creating an even, flattering light — so unlike open cities, Fes actually photographs well all day within the medina.
Is Fes more photogenic than Marrakech?
Fes and Marrakech offer different photographic experiences. Fes is rawer and more authentic — the world's largest medieval city, with minimal tourist overlay. The tanneries, the medina's 9,400 lanes, the ancient fondouks, and the craftsmen at work provide documentary-style content. Marrakech is more polished and colourful — the curated riads, Jardin Majorelle's cobalt blue, and the theatrical Jemaa el-Fnaa are designed for the camera. Fes rewards the photographer who explores deeper; Marrakech delivers instant iconic shots. For Instagram, Marrakech is easier (every angle is photogenic); Fes is more rewarding (the shots feel more earned and authentic).