Things to Do in Fes

Founded in the 9th century, Fes el-Bali is one of the largest car-free urban areas in the world: a dense city of lanes, mosques, madrasas, fondouks, fountains, tanneries and souks that is still lived and worked in.

Tip: Hire a licensed guide for your first visit to learn the layout, then explore on your own. The main lanes run downhill from Bab Bou Jeloud towards the Qarawiyyin quarter; walk downhill to go deeper and uphill to find your way out. Download an offline map first.

Built in the 1350s for the Marinid sultan Abu Inan Faris, the madrasa also served as a Friday mosque. Carved stucco, zellige, carved cedar and a marble courtyard with an ablution basin make it one of the few religious buildings in Fes that non-Muslims can enter. The remains of a water clock face the entrance across the lane.

Tip: Go at opening time to have the courtyard almost to yourself, and look up at the carved cedar eaves.

Founded by Fatima al-Fihri, Al-Qarawiyyin is listed by Guinness World Records as the oldest existing, continually operating university. Non-Muslims cannot enter, but you can see into the courtyard through the open doors.

Tip: The library entrance is on Place Seffarine, the coppersmiths’ square, a few steps away.

The best known of the city’s tanneries, often said to date from the 11th century. Workers treat hides in honeycombs of stone vats of dye and lime, much as they have for centuries; the view from the terraces above is one of the best-known sights in Morocco.

Tip: A shopkeeper will lead you up and hand you a sprig of mint for the smell. You are not obliged to buy; a small tip for the terrace is fair. Late morning, when the vats are busy, is a good time.

The main western gate into Fes el-Bali, tiled in blue on the outside and green on the inside. Through the arch you see the minaret of Bou Inania. It is where most walks into the medina begin.

Tip: Photograph both faces. The cafés on either side are good for watching the traffic of people, donkeys and handcarts.

Built in the 1320s under the Marinid sultan Abu Said Uthman II, beside the spice souk and the Qarawiyyin. It is smaller than Bou Inania, with some of the finest zellige and carved stucco in Fes around a marble-basined courtyard.

Tip: Come in the morning when sunlight reaches the courtyard, and combine it with the spice souk next door.

The ruined Marinid tombs on the hill north of Fes el-Bali are less interesting than the view: the whole medina below, minarets above the rooftops, and hills beyond.

Tip: Take a taxi or walk up from Bab Guissa. Do not linger after dark; the area is poorly lit.

A Saadian fortress on the hills north of the medina, long used as an arms museum. Its terrace gives a view across the medina comparable to the Merenid Tombs.

Tip: The tombs are a short walk along the ridge, so the two make one outing. A petit taxi from the medina is the easy way up.

A Hispano-Moorish palace begun under Sultan Moulay Hassan I, home to a museum of Fassi crafts: the cobalt-blue pottery of Fes, embroidery, carved wood and zellige, around an Andalusian garden.

Tip: See the blue pottery here before you visit the potters at Ain Nokbi. It is close to Bab Bou Jeloud, so it works as a first or last stop.

A restored 18th-century fondouk in the carpenters’ souk, with carved cedar doors, screens, furniture and tools over three floors around a galleried courtyard. The rooftop has a café.

Tip: The tiled Nejjarine fountain in the square outside is one of the most photographed in Fes. Visit before you walk the woodworkers’ souk.

The royal palace is closed to visitors, but its main gates on Place des Alaouites are the attraction: tall brass doors framed by zellige and carved stucco.

Tip: Morning light is best on the brass. The Mellah is next door.

The Mellah of Fes was the city’s Jewish quarter for centuries. Its houses have outward-facing balconies and windows, unlike the inward-looking houses of the medina. The 17th-century Ibn Danan Synagogue has been restored, and the Jewish cemetery lies alongside the quarter.

Tip: The guardian of the synagogue will show you round; a tip is appropriate.

Volubilis is a UNESCO-listed Roman town with arches, basilica, baths, olive presses and houses with floor mosaics. The holy town of Moulay Idriss Zerhoun, burial place of Idris I, sits on two hills nearby.

Tip: Arrive early for the light on the mosaics; the House of Orpheus is a highlight. There is little shade, so bring water and a hat. Have lunch on a terrace in Moulay Idriss.

Moulay Ismail’s 17th-century imperial capital has the monumental Bab Mansour gate, the Heri es-Souani granaries and stables, the underground Qara prison and a calmer medina than Fes.

Tip: Take the ONCF train. Start at Bab Mansour, cross Place el-Hedim, visit the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail, then the granaries.

A small town at the foot of the Middle Atlas, known for its cherries and the Cherry Festival in June. It has a compact medina, a former Mellah and a waterfall just outside town where families picnic.

Tip: Shared grand taxis run from Fes. Spring, when the orchards flower, and June are the best times to go.

Ifrane was built by the French as a mountain resort, with pitched roofs, gardens and a stone lion. Near Azrou, Barbary macaques live in the cedar forest. Michlifen, nearby, has basic skiing in a snowy winter.

Tip: Do not feed the macaques. A private car for the day covers both Ifrane and Azrou.

Lakes south of Fes, set in cedar and oak forest, with good birdlife. The drive passes Amazigh villages and spring wildflowers.

Tip: Combine with Ifrane and Azrou. Dayet Aoua can shrink or dry out in summer. There are few facilities, so bring a picnic, and hire a driver: public transport is limited.