Fes el-Bali Medina Guided Walk
The great walled medina of Fes el-Bali is among the largest car-free urban areas in the world, a maze of lanes, souks, fountains and workshops. A licensed local guide is the single best investment you can make here.
Morocco
Fes
Fes is Morocco's oldest imperial city and its most intact medieval one, a place where the walled medina of Fes el-Bali, founded in the ninth century, is still a working city of tanners, coppersmiths, students and bakers.
This guide books Fes properly: a licensed guide for the car-free medina, the Chouara tannery from its leather-shop terraces, the carved cedar of Bou Inania Madrasa, the Blue Gate of Bab Bou Jeloud, the brass doors of the Royal Palace and the Mellah in Fes el-Jdid, and the sunset view from Borj Nord and the Merenid Tombs. Beyond the walls, we pick the strongest day trips, from the Roman ruins of Volubilis to blue Chefchaouen and a night in the Sahara dunes, plus five places to stay, from a palatial Relais and Chateaux riad to a budget hostel.
Don't miss
Chouara Tannery
The famous leather tannery of Fes, where honeycomb stone vats of colour are worked by hand much as they have been for centuries. You watch from the terraces of the leather shops above, with a sprig of mint for the smell.
Bab Bou Jeloud (the Blue Gate)
The blue-and-green gate that opens the western side of Fes el-Bali. It is the most famous entrance to the medina, with cafes, a square and a lively evening scene right at its foot.
Fes el-Bali Medina Guided Walk
The great walled medina of Fes el-Bali is among the largest car-free urban areas in the world, a maze of lanes, souks, fountains and workshops. A licensed local guide is the single best investment you can make here.
Cooking Class at Palais Amani
A hands-on Moroccan cooking class at Palais Amani, a restored palace-riad in the medina. You cook, then eat what you make in one of the loveliest courtyards in Fes.
Things to do in Fes
Hand-picked: every experience here has strong traveler reviews and a verified booking link.
Chouara Tannery
The famous leather tannery of Fes, where honeycomb stone vats of colour are worked by hand much as they have been for centuries. You watch from the terraces of the leather shops above, with a sprig of mint for the smell.
Bou Inania Madrasa
The finest Marinid madrasa in Morocco and one of the few religious buildings in Fes that non-Muslims may enter. Carved cedar, stucco, zellige and a marble courtyard make it the best place to see the craft of the old city.
FreeBab Bou Jeloud (the Blue Gate)
The blue-and-green gate that opens the western side of Fes el-Bali. It is the most famous entrance to the medina, with cafes, a square and a lively evening scene right at its foot.
30-60 minutesDetails →
Fes el-Jdid, Royal Palace Gates and the Mellah
The royal quarter of Fes: the gleaming brass doors of the Royal Palace, the old Jewish Mellah with its overhanging balconies, and the wide Grand Rue of the Marinid new town. Most of it is free and easy to enjoy on foot.
1.5-2 hoursDetails →
Borj Nord and the Merenid Tombs
The best views over Fes el-Bali, from the Saadian fortress of Borj Nord with its arms museum and from the ruined Marinid tombs on the hill nearby. Come in late afternoon for the light on the medina.
Cooking Class at Palais Amani
A hands-on Moroccan cooking class at Palais Amani, a restored palace-riad in the medina. You cook, then eat what you make in one of the loveliest courtyards in Fes.
Volubilis, Moulay Idriss and Meknes Day Trip
A full-day excursion to the best Roman ruins in Morocco at Volubilis, the holy hill town of Moulay Idriss and the imperial city of Meknes. It is the most popular history day trip from Fes.
Chefchaouen Blue City Day Trip
A long but rewarding day trip to the blue-washed mountain town of Chefchaouen in the Rif. Expect winding lanes, craft shops, mountain scenery and some of the most photogenic streets in Morocco.
Sahara Overnight from Fes: Merzouga Dunes and Desert Camp
A two-day overnight trip from Fes across the Middle Atlas to the Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga, with a camel trek and a night in a desert camp. It is a big adventure and a lot of driving, so go in with realistic expectations.
Where to stay
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
Riad Fès - Relais & Châteaux
Batha Quarter, Fes el-Bali
The splurge address in Fes: a palatial Hispano-Moorish riad in the Batha quarter of the medina, with four patios, a pool, a spa with hammams, the Gayza restaurant and a rooftop looking over the old city.
Check rates →Hotel Sahrai
Hillside above the medina
A contemporary design hotel on a hillside above Fes, with sweeping views over the medina, a spa, a pool and a calm that the old city rarely offers. It suits travellers who want modern comfort and an easy taxi ride to the sights.
Check rates →Palais Amani
Fes el-Bali Medina
A restored palace-riad in the medina with tiled courtyards, a garden and its own cooking school. It combines historic character with a calm, well-run feel that suits couples and food lovers.
Check rates →Riad Idrissy
Fes el-Bali Medina
A traditional medina riad with courtyard rooms and a rooftop terrace, a good-value mid-range base for walking to the madrasas, souks and tannery.
Check rates →Riad Chao Mama Guesthouse - Hostel
Fes el-Bali Medina
A budget guesthouse and hostel in a medina riad, the sociable and inexpensive way to sleep in Fes el-Bali. It suits backpackers and solo travellers who want to meet people and walk to the sights.
Check rates →Fes guides
First-Timer’s Guide to Fes: Medina, Tanneries, Madrasas and Day Trips
What to book ahead, how to get around, how many days to allow and where the headline sights fit, for a first visit to Morocco’s oldest imperial city.
Where to Stay in Fes: Inside the Medina or on the Hill
A neighbourhood guide to Fes hotels, from palace riads in the medina to a modern hillside hotel and a budget hostel, tied to five places we recommend.
