The notebook of Fès
See further than the postcard.
Fes is read in the streets of Fez el-Bali, around merinid medersas, fonduks and workshops. The Chouara tannery reveals an ever-active production district, while museums provide context for objects and decors. Qarawiyyin retains a religious and scholarly function that an external discovery must respect.
At your own pace
Identity summary
3 to 5 days
Spring · Autumn
Possible without car depending on area
City · Heritage
Variable accessibility
Sweet rhythm
General presentation
Fès
Fes is read in the streets of Fez el-Bali, around merinid medersas, fonduks and workshops. The Chouara tannery reveals an ever-active production district, while museums provide context for objects and decors. Qarawiyyin retains a religious and scholarly function that an external discovery must respect.
Fez el-Bali, Médessa Attarina and Médessa Bou Inania of Fez give the most telling landmarks of Fez. Together, they form a destination where urban life and heritage meet, with atmospheres that change over the stages rather than just one uniform decor.
See all
For a stay of 3 to 5 days, a quiet rhythm works well. Also to be anticipated: to distinguish the areas accessible to visitors from places of worship; access to the terraces of tanneries to be agreed on the spot. The trip can be organised without a car if the drop point and local connections are selected in advance. Accessibility varies from site to site and deserves to be verified step by step.
Strengths and constraints
Strengths
- Fès el-Bali
- Médersa Attarine
- Médersa Bou Inania de Fès
- Tannerie Chouara
- Al Batha Museum of the Arts of Islam
- Fondouk et musée Nejjarine
- Bab Boujloud
- Mosquée et ensemble historique de la Qarawiyyin
- Fès el-Jdid et les abords du palais royal
Before you choose
- Distinguish the areas accessible to visitors from places of worship; access to terraces of tanneries to be arranged on site.
Places worth visiting
A selection to start dreaming and organizing the stay — not an exhaustive list of everything there is to see.
Heritage
Fès el-Bali
Fez el-Bali is the oldest nucleus of Fez, founded in the idrisside era. With Fez el-Jdid, it belongs to the medina registered as a world heritage, remarkable for the preservation of its urban fabric and many monuments.
Heritage
Médersa Attarine
Built between 1323 and 1325 under the Mérinides, the Medessa Attarine is named after the nearby perfume market. Its courtyard, its decor and compact organization of spaces show how a study place is inserted into the medina.
Heritage
Médersa Bou Inania de Fès
Founded in the mid-14th century by Abu Inan, this madrasa combines teaching and Friday mosque function. Its minaret and its decorations of carved wood, stucco and zellige distinguish it in the landscape of Fez.
Heritage
Tannerie Chouara
In Fez el-Bali, the Chouara tannery is a place of production of leather organized around processing and dyeing tanks. The visit is about real work: the observation terraces are not a uniform public museum.
Practical tips
This information helps know if the destination matches the planned trip before starting a fuller search.
To go further
More activities
Restaurants, walks, culture, leisure and outings to search without leaving the destination card.
The nearest destinations
The closest ideas on the map, to extend your trip.
Escaped to discover
Chefchaouen et Talassemtane
Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceïma, 🇲🇦 Morocco
Discover this ideaSimilar destinations
Same landscapes and the same pace of travel, elsewhere in the world.
