12 Romantic Things to Do in Fes

Fes is the capital of Andalusian music in Morocco — the refined classical tradition brought by Muslim refugees from Spain over 500 years ago. The music is melodic and deeply emotional: oud, violin, rabab, drums, and vocal harmonies performing compositions from the medieval courts of Córdoba and Granada. The most romantic settings include Dar Adiyel (a restored riad hosting regular concerts), the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music (held annually in June), and private performances arranged through riads. The combination of live music in an intimate riad courtyard — surrounded by carved stucco and candlelight — creates an intensely romantic atmosphere. The music tradition has been preserved in Fes more faithfully than anywhere else in the world.

The Merenid Tombs — ruined 14th-century royal tombs on the hillside above Fes — offer the definitive panoramic view of the medina at sunset. The entire walled city spreads below: thousands of buildings, dozens of minarets, the green-tiled domes of zaouias, and the surrounding hills. At sunset, the city turns golden and the call to prayer rises from the medina — the voices overlapping from mosque after mosque in a cascade of sound that is one of Morocco's most moving experiences. The tombs themselves are atmospheric ruins — arched doorways against the sky, crumbling walls, and wildflowers. The site is popular with locals and couples at sunset. A taxi from the medina costs about 30 MAD. The view is one of the great panoramas of the Islamic world.

Café Clock — one of the most beloved cultural institutions in Fes — hosts regular evening events: storytelling sessions, Andalusian music concerts, Gnaoua performances, and calligraphy workshops. The café is housed in a restored fondouk with multiple levels, a rooftop terrace, and a warm, creative atmosphere. The famous camel burger (ground camel meat in a brioche bun) is on the menu. The cultural programme attracts both locals and visitors, creating a genuinely mixed atmosphere. The storytelling evenings (where a traditional hikayat storyteller performs) are particularly magical — the ancient art of oral storytelling performed in an intimate setting. The café is a social hub: the kind of place where conversations start naturally and the evening extends.