12 Free Things to Do in Fes
The world's largest car-free medina is free to explore: 9,400 lanes of medieval architecture, artisan workshops, tannery views, and the Merenid Tombs at sunset.
Get Lost in Fes el-Bali Medina
FREEFes el-Bali is the world's largest car-free urban area — 9,400 lanes, 250,000 residents, and a medieval labyrinth unchanged for centuries. Walking it is free and is the single best thing to do in Fes. Donkeys carry goods through lanes too narrow for vehicles. Craftsmen work as they have for 1,000 years. The sound of hammering brass, the smell of leather and spices, and the maze of covered and open lanes create an experience unlike anywhere else on Earth. Getting lost is inevitable and part of the magic.
Chouara Tannery Viewpoint
FREEThe Chouara Tannery — with its iconic honeycomb of stone vats filled with coloured dyes — is Fes's most photographed sight. Viewing it from the rooftop terraces of the surrounding leather shops is free. Shop owners guide you up to the terrace (expecting you to browse their leather goods — no obligation to buy). Accept the mint sprig offered at the entrance — the smell is intense. The vats have been in use since the 11th century. The colours are most vivid in the morning when the dyes are freshly mixed.
Merenid Tombs at Sunset
FREEThe ruined Merenid Tombs on the hill above Fes el-Bali offer the best panoramic view of the medina — free entry, spectacular at sunset. The 14th-century tombs are atmospheric ruins surrounded by grass and wildflowers. Below you, the entire medina spreads out — thousands of flat rooftops, satellite dishes, minarets, and the green-tiled roofs of mosques and madrasas. The call to prayer echoing from dozens of minarets at sunset is unforgettable. Accessible by foot (steep 20-minute climb) or petit taxi (10 MAD).
Watch Master Artisans Work
FREEFes is Morocco's craft capital — the medina is a living museum of traditional craftsmanship. Free to watch: brass workers engraving intricate geometric patterns, leather workers stitching and embossing, ceramicists painting zellige tiles by hand, weavers operating traditional looms, and woodworkers carving cedarwood. The artisans are concentrated in the souk districts (each craft has its own area). Many artisans welcome respectful observers and will explain their techniques. The fondouks (old caravansaries) often house artisan workshops.
Bou Inania Madrasa Exterior
FREEThe Bou Inania Madrasa (14th century) has one of the most ornate facades in Morocco — layers of carved stucco, cedarwood, and zellige tilework visible from the street. While the interior requires a ticket (30 MAD), the exterior facade, the massive bronze doors, and the water clock mechanism (the only medieval water clock in Morocco, visible from outside) are free to admire. The craftsmanship is extraordinary — every surface is covered with geometric patterns, calligraphy, and floral motifs.
Andalousian Quarter Walk
FREEThe Andalousian Quarter (Fes el-Bali's eastern half, across the Fes River from the main tourist areas) is quieter, more residential, and largely tourist-free. The architecture is beautiful — ornate doorways, fountains, and the Andalousian Mosque (exterior only). Walking here gives a more authentic sense of daily medina life than the busy western souks. The Seffarine Square (coppersmiths) connects the two halves — the sound of hammers on copper is the soundtrack of this area.
Seffarine Square (Coppersmiths)
FREEPlace Seffarine — the coppersmiths' square — is one of the most atmospheric spots in the medina. Free to visit. Craftsmen hammer, shape, and engrave copper and brass pots, trays, and vessels in open workshops around the square. The rhythmic hammering has been continuous here for centuries. The Kairaouine Library (the oldest in the world, recently restored) faces the square. Sit on the steps and absorb the sound and rhythm of a craft that has defined this corner of Fes for a millennium.
Rcif Square & Local Life
FREERcif Square and the surrounding streets are the commercial heart of local Fes — where Fassis (Fes locals) shop for daily needs. Free to explore. The atmosphere is authentic: vegetable markets, bakeries, butchers, haberdashers, and household goods stalls. No tourist markup, no hassle, and a genuine slice of medina commercial life. The area around the Rcif bus station has the cheapest street food in Fes. Walking through Rcif gives you a perspective on the medina as a living city, not just a tourist attraction.
Ville Nouvelle Architecture Walk
FREEThe Ville Nouvelle (French colonial new city) has beautiful Art Deco architecture from the 1910s–1930s — all free to admire from the street. Boulevard Mohammed V has the most concentrated examples: the central post office, the old French embassy, and the residential buildings with their wrought-iron balconies and geometric facades. The Ville Nouvelle offers a complete contrast to the medieval medina — it's spacious, tree-lined, and European in feel. The walk from the medina to the Ville Nouvelle takes 15 minutes.
Blue Gate (Bab Boujloud) Photography
FREEThe Bab Boujloud — Fes's most iconic gate — is free to photograph and is the classic Fes image. Blue zellige tilework on the exterior, green on the interior (facing the medina), with the Bou Inania minaret framed perfectly through the arch. The gate is the main entrance to Fes el-Bali and the natural starting point for any medina exploration. The surrounding area (Place Boujloud) has cheap cafés, street food stalls, and is a natural gathering point for locals and visitors.
Jnan Sbil Gardens
FREEThe Jnan Sbil Royal Gardens — a 7-hectare public park adjacent to the Royal Palace — are free to enter and are the most beautiful green space in Fes. Ancient trees, water channels, flower beds, and shaded paths provide a peaceful escape from the medina intensity. The gardens were originally a private royal garden (18th century) and opened to the public in 2010 after restoration. The bamboo grove, the ornamental lake, and the rose gardens are highlights. Popular with local families for morning walks.
Neighbourhood Bread Ovens
FREEThroughout the medina, neighbourhood communal ovens (ferrans) bake bread and other dishes for local families — watching is free. Families bring trays of dough to be baked, collect them an hour later, and the baker marks each tray to identify owners. The ovens burn olive wood and the smell is extraordinary. Some bakers welcome visitors and will show you the oven interior. This is one of Fes's most authentic and overlooked free experiences — a medieval system still functioning daily.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can you visit Fes for free?
Many of Fes's best experiences are free. The Fes el-Bali medina — the world's largest car-free urban area with 9,400 lanes — is free to walk and is the main attraction. The Chouara Tannery can be viewed from rooftop terraces for free (shop owners expect you to browse but not buy). The Merenid Tombs have free entry and the best panoramic views. Artisan workshops throughout the medina welcome free observers. Several mosques have stunning exteriors viewable from the street. The medina itself IS the attraction, and walking it costs nothing.
What are the best free things to do in Fes?
Top free activities in Fes: getting lost in the Fes el-Bali medina (9,400 lanes of medieval architecture), the Chouara Tannery viewpoint (the colourful dye vats viewed from the leather shops above), the Merenid Tombs at sunset (panoramic views over the entire medina), watching artisan craftsmen at work (brass, leather, ceramics, weaving), the Bou Inania Madrasa exterior (one of the most ornate facades in Morocco), the Andalousian Quarter (quieter and less touristy), and the Ville Nouvelle Art Deco architecture walk.
Is Fes cheaper than Marrakech?
Yes — Fes is 15–25% cheaper than Marrakech for most things. Street food is slightly cheaper, riad accommodation costs less, and the souks have lower prices (less tourist markup). The main paid attractions are comparable: Bou Inania Madrasa (30 MAD), Dar Batha Museum (20 MAD), and Fes Tanneries (free from rooftop viewpoints). A budget day in Fes: free medina walking, 15–30 MAD for street food meals, and optional 20–70 MAD for a museum. Fes is one of Morocco's most affordable major cities.