Is Fes Worth Visiting?

Fes el-Bali is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the world’s largest car-free urban area — thousands of alleys, the famous Chouara tanneries, the Al-Qarawiyyin (one of the oldest universities in the world), ornate medersas, fondouks and artisan workshops where crafts are made as they have been for centuries.

It’s less touristy-slick than Marrakech and feels more like a living, working medieval city than a stage set — a major draw for history and culture lovers.

The medina is genuinely disorienting — far harder to navigate than Marrakech’s — and faux guides and overcharging happen. A good registered guide for your first half-day transforms the experience and is money well spent. The tanneries are spectacular but pungent (you’ll be handed mint).

Fes is also more conservative, so dress modestly, and nightlife is limited compared with Marrakech or the coast.

Two days is the sweet spot: one for a guided deep-dive of the medina (tanneries, medersas, souks) and one to wander at your own pace or day-trip to the Roman ruins of Volubilis and the holy town of Moulay Idriss.

Fes also makes a natural start or end point for a desert tour — Merzouga is closer to Fes than to Marrakech, so many travellers do a one-way Fes-to-Marrakech route via the Sahara.