Things to do in Fes

Morocco's spiritual and craft capital rewards slow exploration. From the maze of Fes el-Bali to working tanneries, Merinid medersas and ancient Roman ruins nearby, here are twelve experiences worth your time.

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12 experiences

The best of Fes

01Medina

Fes el-Bali (Old Medina)

Founded in the 9th century and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this walled old town is one of the world's largest car-free urban areas, with thousands of narrow lanes, souks and historic gates such as Bab Boujloud.

02Crafts

Chouara Tanneries

The largest of Fes's traditional leather tanneries, dating to medieval times. View the stone dye vats from the surrounding leather shops' terraces, where hides are still cured and coloured using age-old natural methods.

03Culture

Bou Inania Medersa

A 14th-century Marinid Quranic school renowned for its intricate zellige tilework, carved cedar and stucco. It is one of the few religious buildings in Fes open to non-Muslim visitors.

04Culture

Al-Attarine Medersa

Built in the 1320s near the spice and perfume market, this small Marinid college is celebrated for its exquisitely detailed decoration of carved plaster, cedar woodwork and mosaic tiles around a marble courtyard.

05Culture

Al-Qarawiyyin (Kairaouine)

Founded in 859 by Fatima al-Fihri, this mosque and university is often cited as one of the oldest existing degree-granting institutions in the world. Non-Muslims can admire the courtyard and library exterior.

06Crafts

Nejjarine Fountain & Museum of Wooden Arts

A beautifully restored 18th-century fondouk (caravanserai) on Nejjarine Square, now a museum of woodwork and crafts, set beside an ornately tiled public fountain in the carpenters' quarter.

07Medina

Andalusian Quarter

Settled by refugees from Andalusia, this quieter quarter across the river from the Qarawiyyin district is home to the Andalusian Mosque and a more residential, less touristed slice of medina life.

08Viewpoint

Merinid Tombs Viewpoint

The ruined hilltop tombs of the Marinid dynasty north of the medina offer the best panorama over Fes, especially at sunset when the call to prayer rises across the old city.

09Crafts

Pottery & Zellige Workshops

Fes is famed for its blue ceramics and hand-cut zellige mosaic. Visit a cooperative in the pottery quarter to watch artisans shape, glaze and chisel tiles by hand using techniques passed down for generations.

10Culture

Jnan Sbil Gardens

Historic royal gardens between the old and new medinas, restored and reopened with shaded paths, palms, a central lake and water features, a calm retreat from the intensity of the souks.

11Culture

Mellah & Royal Palace Gates

The historic Jewish quarter (Mellah) sits beside the Royal Palace, whose monumental brass gates set against blue and green zellige in the Place des Alaouites are a striking, much-photographed sight.

12Day trip

Volubilis & Meknes Day Trip

An easy excursion west of Fes pairs the well-preserved Roman ruins and mosaics of Volubilis, a UNESCO site, with the imperial city of Meknes and the pilgrimage town of Moulay Idriss.

Frequently asked

How many days do you need in Fes?

Two to three days lets you explore Fes el-Bali at a relaxed pace, visit the main medersas and tanneries, and still fit a day trip to Volubilis and Meknes.

Can non-Muslims visit the mosques and medersas in Fes?

Non-Muslims cannot enter active mosques such as Al-Qarawiyyin, but several historic medersas, including Bou Inania and Al-Attarine, are open to all visitors for a small entry fee.

Is it worth hiring a guide in Fes?

Yes. The medina's thousands of unmarked lanes are famously easy to get lost in, and a licensed local guide adds context to the crafts, history and architecture while helping you navigate.

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