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Live artisan workshops — not a museum
Fes Brass & Copper Craft Workshop Tour
Seffarine Square in the Fes medina is where metalwork still happens the way it has for eight centuries. Here is how to visit the workshops, watch the craftsmen, and buy direct — without a commission detour.
Leila Tazi· Fes, Culture & Cuisine Editor
Fes-based journalist with a food and crafts obsession, Leila spends her weeks between the tanneries, the Qarawiyyin quarter and the kitchens of the old city. She covers Fes, Meknes, food and Moroccan culture. Fes · 11+ years covering Morocco
Published 25 March 2025 Last updated 24 March 2026
Everyone who visits Fes hears about the Chouara tannery. Far fewer make it to Seffarine Square — which is a shame, because the metalwork quarter is arguably more absorbing. There are no viewing platforms, no overpriced rosewater to hold under your nose, and no queue of tour coaches outside. Just an open square ringed by workshops where craftsmen sit at low benches hammering raw sheets of brass and copper into trays, lanterns and tea service sets, the same way the guild has done it since the Marinid era.
A Fes brass and copper craft tour takes about three hours and covers the main metalwork district — Seffarine Square, the lantern workshops near Cherratine, and usually a copper-seller where you can handle pieces and buy direct. The medina is genuinely confusing to navigate alone, so this is one of the activities where a licensed guide earns their fee many times over: they know which alleys lead to working craftsmen rather than tourist shops, and they can broker a direct conversation in Darija.
What you will not find here is mass-produced metal. Everything in the artisan quarter is hand-worked. The designs are geometric, the patina is real, and the men doing the work have typically been apprenticed since their early teens. That backstory is worth paying attention to when you are negotiating a price on a hammered tray.
Duration
2.5–3 hrs (half-day with extras)
Guide cost (indicative)
400–700 MAD / ~$40–70
Best for
Craft lovers, curious travellers, shoppers
What the Tour Looks Like, Hour by Hour
A typical morning private tour starting at Bab Bou Jeloud. Timings are approximate — a good guide moves at your pace, not a coach schedule.
1
08:30
Meet your guide at Bab Bou Jeloud
The Blue Gate is the easiest landmark to find. A knowledgeable guide collects you here and navigates the warren of derbs (alleys) you would almost certainly get lost in alone — the Fes medina has more than 9,000 streets.
2
09:00
Walk through the Tala'a Kbira artisan corridor
The main artery passes wood-carvers, leather stitchers and zellige tilers before you branch off into the quieter workshop quarter. Your guide explains the guild system that has structured Fassi craftsmanship for eight centuries.
3
09:45
Arrive at Seffarine Square (Place Seffarine)
This is the beating heart of the tour. A small, unpretentious square ringed by open workshops where men sit cross-legged hammering brass trays, copper kettles and decorative platters. The sound is extraordinary — a constant, layered percussion of metal on metal.
4
10:15
Workshop visit and demonstration
Most workshops welcome visitors. You watch the whole process: cutting sheets of raw brass, annealing in charcoal fires, then the painstaking repoussé (hammering from behind) that raises geometric patterns. Artisans typically work in family groups, with skills inherited across generations.
5
11:00
The copper and lantern quarter near Cherratine
A short walk leads to a secondary zone where copper is the dominant material — kettles for hammams, serving pitchers and the iconic pierced-metal lanterns. Prices here are set by the kilo for raw copper items, which means you can haggle with a sensible reference point.
6
11:45
Browse, buy, and exit via Nejjarine Square
If you want to purchase, your guide can introduce you directly to a craftsman rather than a middleman shop, which nearly always produces a better price and a more honest conversation about what you are buying. The tour winds up near Nejjarine, where you can stop for mint tea in the beautiful 18th-century funduq.
“The sound of Seffarine Square carries three streets away — a rolling percussion that has not changed since the 14th century.”
How to Buy Smart in the Metalwork Quarter
Buying directly from craftsmen in Fes is one of the most satisfying shopping experiences in Morocco — if you know what you are looking at. These four rules help.
Weight is the honest price signal
Raw brass and copper items sold in the artisan quarter are often priced by the kilo. Ask before you start admiring something — it sets a fair baseline for any negotiation.
Finished vs. unfinished patina
New brass is bright gold; aged brass has a darker, greenish-brown patina that many buyers prefer. Artisans can treat pieces with chemicals to accelerate ageing, or you can let time do it. Ask which you are buying.
Small items travel better than large ones
A large hammered tray is spectacular but awkward in a suitcase and may attract customs duty. Small candleholders, tea glasses with brass filigree, or a single copper ladle are easier to carry and just as characterful.
Engraving is done on the spot
Several workshops offer custom engraving — initials, a date, an arabesque pattern — while you wait. It adds 30–60 minutes but results in something genuinely unique.
Indicative Costs
Prices for guides and souvenirs vary by season, group size, and your negotiating position. The figures below are indicative ranges based on typical market conditions — treat them as orientation, not quotes.
| Item | Indicative cost |
|---|---|
| Private guided metalwork tour (half-day, ~3 hrs) | 400–700 MAD / ~$40–70 per group |
| Small hammered brass item (bowl, candleholder) | 80–250 MAD indicative |
| Medium copper serving tray (30–40 cm) | 300–600 MAD indicative |
| Large decorative brass tray (50+ cm) | 600–1,500 MAD indicative |
| Pierced-metal lantern (small) | 150–400 MAD indicative |
| Custom engraving | 50–150 MAD extra, depending on complexity |
Guide fees above are for a private group (1–6 people). Shared group tours can be cheaper per head but fix the itinerary. Tipping your guide 50–100 MAD is standard and appreciated.
Fes Brass & Copper Workshop FAQs
Where is the brass and copper souk in Fes medina?
The main metalwork quarter clusters around Place Seffarine (Seffarine Square), roughly in the centre of the old medina not far from the Qarawiyyin mosque. A secondary area near Derb Cherratine focuses more on copper. Neither is especially signposted, and the alleys shift confusingly, so first-time visitors almost always benefit from going with a guide who knows the specific workshops rather than wandering in alone.
Can visitors watch artisans work in the Fes metalwork quarter?
Yes — this is the norm rather than the exception. Seffarine Square workshops are open-fronted by design: the craftsmen work at street level with natural light, and curious visitors are part of daily life. You are welcome to stand and watch, and most artisans are happy to explain their tools and techniques if you ask politely (through your guide). Photography is usually fine but always ask first.
How long does a Fes craft workshop tour take?
A focused metalwork experience — Seffarine Square, the copper quarter, and a browse with buying time — takes around 2.5 to 3 hours at a comfortable pace. If you combine it with adjacent crafts like leather goods at Chorabliyine or zellige tile-making, allow a full half-day (4–5 hours). This tour pairs naturally with the Chouara tannery since both are in the same part of the medina, though tannery visits are usually done separately in the morning light.
Is it possible to buy directly from craftsmen in Fes?
It is, and it is one of the genuine pleasures of a guided visit. Without a guide, shopkeepers near the souks often intercept visitors before they reach the actual workshops, and prices in those shops can be two to three times higher. A good guide introduces you to the artisan directly, cuts out the middleman, and helps negotiate in Darija. You end up paying closer to the local wholesale price, and the craftsman keeps more of the money.
How do I find an authentic artisan experience in Fes without tourist traps?
The golden rule: avoid anyone who approaches you on the street and offers to "show you the tannery" or "take you to their cousin's workshop" — this is nearly always a commission route ending at an overpriced shop. Instead, book a licensed guide through your riad or a reputable tour operator before you arrive. A licensed Fes guide (recognisable by their official badge) has no commission incentive and will take you directly to working artisans. The medina has genuine craft districts — you just need to know which alleys lead there.
What is the difference between brass and copper items in the Fes souk?
Brass (a zinc-copper alloy) is harder, shinier and more golden — it is the dominant material for decorative trays, bowls and ornamental pieces. Copper is softer, warmer in tone and slightly reddish; it is preferred for functional items like hammam kettles, cooking pots and water jugs because it conducts heat well. Many craftsmen work with both. Brass is typically more expensive because working it requires more skill and more labour; copper pieces are often priced by weight and can be excellent value.
When is the best time to visit the metalwork quarter in Fes?
Weekday mornings between 9 and 11 am are ideal. The workshops are in full swing, the light in Seffarine Square is good for photography, and the square has not yet filled with tour groups. Friday is a partial rest day — some workshops close after midday prayers, so avoid Friday afternoons. Summer heat can make the enclosed alleys stifling by midday; if you are visiting July or August, aim to be finished by 11:30 am.
Practical Tips Before You Go
Getting to Seffarine Square
Enter the medina through Bab Bou Jeloud and walk down Talaa Kbira. Do not follow anyone who offers to guide you from the gate — arrange a licensed guide through your riad the evening before.
Best time to go
Weekday mornings 9–11 am. Workshops close or slow down after Friday prayers, and summer afternoons are brutally hot in the enclosed alleys.
Cash only
Almost no craftsmen or souk sellers accept cards. Bring MAD in small denominations — 20s and 50s are useful for tips and small purchases. ATMs are available near Bab Bou Jeloud before you enter.
Carrying purchases home
Flat brass trays slide into luggage easily. Tall lanterns are trickier — ask your guide if the craftsman can arrange basic bubble-wrap packing. Airline carry-on rules on sharp metal objects mean most items go in checked baggage.
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