Yasmine El Idrissi · 12 min · City Guide
Step into the world’s largest car-free medieval city — a complete guide to Fes, its labyrinthine medina, legendary tanneries and living cultural heritage.
Founded in the 9th century, Fes is Morocco’s oldest imperial city and its spiritual and cultural heart. Its ancient medina, Fes el-Bali, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the largest car-free urban area in the world — a bewildering, exhilarating labyrinth of some 9,000 alleys crammed with mosques, madrasas, workshops, souks and the legendary tanneries. To walk through Fes is to step back into the Middle Ages, into a city that still lives and works much as it has for a thousand years.
This guide covers everything you need to explore Fes: an overview of the city, the history of the medina, the famous tanneries, souks and shopping, palaces and mosques, food and dining, how to get around, the best time to visit, where to stay, and how to make the most of guided tours.
Fes is divided into three parts: Fes el-Bali, the ancient walled medina and the main attraction; Fes el-Jdid, the “new” 13th-century district containing the royal palace and the old Jewish quarter (mellah); and the Ville Nouvelle, the modern French-built city. Almost everything a visitor comes to see lies within or beside Fes el-Bali.
Compared with Marrakech, Fes feels more traditional, more scholarly and less geared to tourism, which is precisely its appeal. It is home to the University of al-Qarawiyyin, founded in 859 and considered by many the oldest continually operating university in the world.
Fes el-Bali grew from the 9th century, boosted by waves of Andalusian and Tunisian refugees who gave the city its distinct quarters and craftsmanship. Over the centuries it became a centre of learning, religion and trade, and its medieval fabric — fountains, fondouks (merchant inns), hammams and mosques — remains remarkably intact. Wandering its lanes, you pass donkeys laden with goods, artisans at ancient trades, and grand gateways such as the blue-tiled Bab Bou Jeloud.
No visit to Fes is complete without the Chouara tannery, one of the oldest in the world and an unforgettable sight. Here, hides are soaked, treated and dyed by hand in a honeycomb of stone vats filled with natural dyes — saffron for yellow, poppy for red, indigo for blue, mint for green. The work continues almost exactly as it did centuries ago.
The best views are from the terraces of the surrounding leather shops, which usually offer a sprig of mint to soften the pungent smell. There is no obligation to buy, though the leather goods — bags, babouches, jackets — are of high quality if you do.
The Fes medina is a treasure trove of traditional crafts, often still organised by trade into distinct souks. Fes is especially renowned for:
As elsewhere in Morocco, haggling is expected. Visiting an artisan cooperative or a ceramics workshop is a great way to see the crafts made and buy quality pieces at fair prices.
The mosque and university complex at the heart of the medina, a spiritual and intellectual landmark whose courtyard can be glimpsed by non-Muslims from the doorways.
Exquisite 14th-century religious schools open to visitors, showcasing the finest Marinid craftsmanship in carved cedar, stucco and zellij.
In Fes el-Jdid, its dazzling golden doors and tilework make one of the city’s most photographed sights, though the palace itself is closed to the public.
Fes has a rich culinary tradition, often considered among the most refined in Morocco. Look out for pastilla (a sweet-savoury pigeon or chicken pie dusted with cinnamon and sugar), rich lamb and prune tagines, harira soup, and an array of Moroccan pastries. Dining in a restored riad restaurant, sometimes with traditional music, is a memorable experience, while the medina’s food stalls offer authentic, inexpensive bites.
The medina is entirely car-free, so you explore on foot; goods still move by handcart and mule. Its maze-like layout is famously confusing, which is why a guide is invaluable on your first day. Beyond the medina, petit taxis are cheap and plentiful for reaching Fes el-Jdid, the Ville Nouvelle, the train station or the Merenid Tombs viewpoint above the city, which offers a superb panorama at sunset.
Spring and autumn offer the most comfortable weather for exploring the medina on foot. Summer can be very hot, so plan for early starts and midday rests, while winter is cool and can be wet but keeps the crowds away and the medina atmospheric.
For the full experience, stay in a riad or dar within the medina — a traditional courtyard house, often beautifully restored with tilework, a plunge pool and a rooftop terrace overlooking the old city. Arrange for your riad to meet you at the nearest medina gate, as finding an address in the alleys is nearly impossible on your own. The Ville Nouvelle offers more conventional hotels if you prefer.
A guided medina tour is the best way to experience Fes, unlocking its history, accessing key monuments and cooperatives, and saving you from getting hopelessly lost. Cultural tours often include the tanneries, madrasas, souks and artisan workshops, and can be combined with a cooking class or a day trip to the Roman ruins of Volubilis and the imperial city of Meknes. Ancient, atmospheric and utterly absorbing, Fes rewards curious travellers with one of the most authentic urban experiences anywhere in the world.
Absolutely. Fes is Morocco’s spiritual and cultural capital, home to the world’s largest car-free urban area and a UNESCO-listed medieval medina packed with historic mosques, madrasas, souks and the famous tanneries. It offers a more traditional, less touristy atmosphere than Marrakech.
A local guide is highly recommended, at least for your first day. The medina’s thousands of alleys are famously disorienting, and a guide helps you navigate, access key sites, understand the history and avoid aggressive touts, all while supporting the local economy.
The Chouara tannery is a centuries-old leather-working site where hides are still treated and dyed by hand in stone vats of natural dyes, exactly as they were in medieval times. You can view the colourful process from surrounding leather-shop terraces.
Two days is ideal to explore the medina, tanneries and main monuments at a reasonable pace and perhaps take a half-day trip to nearby Meknes or Volubilis. One full day covers the essentials if time is tight.
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