16 Best things to do in Fes
In November 2022, we made a 16-day Road trip in Morocco going all around and driving over 2 500 km (in a Fiat 500! What an adventure).
Our trip started and ended in Fes, and we made a loop in order to visit this magnificent country. Our itinerary went through the main cities, the Sahara Desert, the seaside and the mountains of Morocco.
We personally rented a car at the airport and did the following: Fes, Chefchaouen, Rabat, Casablanca, Essaouira, Marrakesh, Imlil, Telouet, Ait Ben Haddou, Ouarzazate, Tinghir, Merzouga, Ifrane. However, you don’t need to follow it by the dot, you can use it to make your own plan.
Fes was our first stop as it was convenient for us to reach, and we managed to find a direct flight from our place. Fes was a real introduction of Morocco and what it would be. Beautiful building made of colourful tiles, small street within the old city center (Medina), lots of places to visit around and tons to learn about this city.
Fes isn’t that big of a city. Especially the old city where all attractions are located. We stayed 2 nights there in order to have 1 full day to explore this city. For us it was enough as in the end, the beauty of Morocco is more in the smaller place for us. Yet Fes provided a culture shock 😊
In this article, we will tell our story going around all the best things to do in Fes. So, if you too are planning a trip to Morocco and to Fes, then let ‘s dive in these best things to do in Fes.
Table of Contents
Here is our complete video from this trip :
Map of Fes
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Getting there
Getting to Fes is quite easy, you can fly directly to its international import. Most of the main European cities have direct connection to Fes. We personally arrived from Baden-Airpark directly to Fes.
If you are coming from outside the EU, you can fly to one of EU’s main airports and connect to Fes. Or fly to Rabat or Casablanca where most of the international flights arrived and then connect to a local flight to Fes.
From the airport, you can either rent a car (which we would recommend to explore Morocco) or take a taxi, it cost 200 Dirham (dh) (approx. 20€) to get to the old city center and 150 dh (approx. 15€) to the train station and new city center.
There is also apparently a bus going from the airport to the train station, but we didn’t see it. It is supposed to be the line 16 that takes 40min and cost 4 dh.
The final option is to get a organise ahead a transfer service.
Moving Around
Once you are in the old city center, everything can be reach by walking. As mentioned earlier, it is a small city.
If you want to avoid the hassle of travelling alone through the old medina, a great option would be the Fes Free Tour or the guided tour (to avoid the awkwardness of the tip at the end of the free tour) and if you need to go somewhere and want to be at peace, here is a great transfer service.
When to Visit
You can visit Fes all year round but be aware that temperature varies from the extreme 36°C in summer to fresh 4°C in winter.
The touristic season runs from May until October usually, yet since covid-19, November is also more and more visited. That’s when we were there, and the weather was quite pleasant. In beginning of November, it was still warm to be in short and end of November was colder, especially at night.
The best time then to visit Fes is then from May to June and then September to November. July and August being super-hot as well as the peak season for local.
Where to Stay
- (€): Riad Farah
- (€€): Riad Dar Borj
- (€€€): Riad Laaroussa
Where you will actually stay is called Fes El Bali, which is the old city center.
What to Eat
Morocco has lots of traditional dishes and quite the tasteful cuisine. Our go-to dishes are:
- Tajine: Named after the earthenware pot in which it is cooked. This dish is basically mixed vegetables cooked for 1h or more inside the tajine pot. It can be only vegetable or with meat.
- Couscous: Made with a base of steamed wheat semolina, topped with vegetables, chickpeas, dry fruits and sauce. Plus, in option meat.
- Harira: soup of tomato, lentils, and chickpeas
- Moroccan Salad: There are lots of recipes. But it mostly includes rice, tomatoes, carrots, green peas…
Those can be found anywhere. So, be ready to go for them for the whole trip 😊
Alcohol cannot be found easily in Morocco, and it can only be drunken in a licensed restaurant or bar (which isn’t many). But you will be able to enjoy the most traditional drink of all: Teas. Mostly Mint tea mixed with green tea. Moroccans drink it at any time and everywhere. It is even for some a real ritual.
We mostly took breakfast and dinner in our accommodations. This was the easiest especially that in November, night would come early. But a good place we would recommend is: Fez & Friends
Best things to do in Fes
Introduction
We arrived the night before quite late (so we couldn’t get our rental car).
Once we landed, it took a while to past the border, which is often the case with Tina and her Serbian passport. Even though we made her a visa prior to our arrival, there the custom agent copied it all handwriting. Once out, we withdrew money from an ATM (500 dh, 35 dh fee). Went out of the airport and took a taxi in front which cost 200 dh. The taxi was a regular car without taxi sign, yet it was an official taxi.
There are 2 different types of taxi in Fes (Petit taxi and Grand taxi which have limited range in the city) and other taxi (for airport). Our taxi driver got a bit lost as our accommodation was in the medina, so it can only be reach on foot. He stopped and asked someone in the Medina. Then, some guy jumped in the car, and told the driver where to stop. He even took us on foot to our accommodation.
For an easier arrival, easier get your rental car if you arrive not too late or ask a transfer from your accommodation.
Our first night was short as we went to bed around 2am. Plus, our mind couldn’t sleep as we were existed about discovering this new country. And we got to learn about the morning prayer call.
Place Seffarine
After breakfast, we went on to explore Fes walking. From the gate Bab Rcif to the medersa attarine where we first passed the Place Seffarine, a small square in the medina that dates back to the Middle Ages but has also undergone renovations in modern times
Al Attarine Madrasa
A bit further, we arrived at the Al Attarine Madrasa, a former Koranic school which cost 20 dh per person to enter. It is a beautiful place built by the Marinid sultan Uthman II Abu Said in 1323-5 and is considered one of the highest achievements of Marinid architecture due to its rich and harmonious decoration and its efficient use of limited space
Don’t miss the second floor where you can visit the original sleeping quarters for the students.
Mosque and University Kairaouine
We then wanted to visit the Mosque and University Kairaouine. Founded as a mosque by Fatima al-Fihri in 857–859, it subsequently became one of the leading spiritual and educational centers of the Islamic Golden Age. But it unfortunately was closed, and we could not visit it.
That’s where our first meeting with a local happened. Some guy on the street approached us and he wanted to show us the university from a rooftop. So, we followed him all the way to this rofftop. Which was nice. It was pretending to want to practice his French. And at the end, he brought us his store where the rooftop was located, and he tried selling us some local fabrics.
Henna Souk
Then someone else came to us from the store and brought us a spice store in a super small and empty street. It felt weird but ultimately it was quite safe. We asked a few questions but didn’t want to buy anything, so, we kept on through the souk. One of the oldest of the medina, historically it was linked to the maristaine (hospital specialized in the care of the mentally ill). For centuries it sells henna but also other traditional cosmetic and pharmaceutical products such as rassoul, black soap, kohl, rose water
Tanneries de fes
To follow, we headed to tanneries. The most convenient way to see them is also from a rooftop. Only this time we went through a huge leather store and then to its rooftop. Once there, the sight is stunning but boy it smells terrible. That bad that Tina almost puke and that’s coming from the tanneries. But we will talk more about it later.
On our way out, a guy also brought us to an even smaller store underground to sell us clothes. It was quite an experience and made a nice video but after a while we left.
Bou Inania Madrasa
On our way to the blue gate, we popped by the Bou Inania Madrasa, another school built in 1350–55 CE by Abu Inan Faris. It is the only madrasa in Morocco which also functioned as a congregational mosque. It is widely acknowledged as a high point of Marinid architecture and of historic Moroccan architecture generally.
We personally didn’t visit it as we already had visited the Al Attarine Madrasa but you could consider it.
Bab Boujloud
Next was the walk toward the blue gate, one of the main entrances of the medina. And also, quite a sight to see. Out of the gate we found a bank and exchange money before heading to the garden.
Jnan sbil
The garden of Jnan sbil is beautiful place but was really dry (it is a dry year). It was created in the 19th century and offers ponds & lush green areas with 3,000 species of plants. It was nice anyway to make a small break and enjoy some greeneries.
The Royal Palace in Fez
From there we walked to the royal palace. Unfortunately, you cannot visit it and can only see its main gate. Also called Dar al-Makhzen.
We then stroll around the smaller street of the Jewish quarter going slowing back to the Medina.
Lunch
Where we made a stop for lunch at Fez and friend. A super nice restaurant with vegan and vegetarian options just outside the Medina. We tried different type of teas with lunch. It cost 180 and we left 20 tips.
Fes El Bali
We then strolled some more, the best way of visiting the medina is by getting lost. Fes El Bali is the real name of the old city center. Did you know that it is an ancient walled medina with narrow, car-free streets and ornamented entryways.
We also found one amazing shop called “medin’art” with handmade and unique stuff. But it was more expensive but so worth it. Everything in there was unique.
One thing you may consider to enjoy your tour in Fes and learn more about its medina is the local Free walking tour or for more privacy and an enhanced visit a private tour.
Chouara Tanneries
Next, we visited another Tanneries. Again, here to see it, the best is to go in the shops and onto their terrace. We did 2 of them at this location. The second had the best view. It was call n10.
The super bad smell is coming from pigeon poops that they use at the 3rd stage of treatment of the leather. But before that it spent 5 days in a mix of water and cow urine for removing the hair and then is washed using a bug wooden wheel
Marinid Tombs
From there we found our way through the Medina to the north to see the viewpoint. To get there we had to pass on a cemetery. The view was nice of the city, but the best was the other side with beautiful hills.
To finish the day, we walked back to our accommodation. It was enough for the day. Time for a shower and some rest.
Meknes
Meknes was our next stop after Fes, if you only stay in Fes, you can consider visiting. It’s known for its imperial past, with remnants including Bab Mansour, a huge gate with arches and mosaic tiling. The gate leads into the former imperial city. The Mausoleum of Sultan Moulay Ismail, who made the city his capital in the 17th century, has courtyards and fountains
Volubilis
Volubilis is a partly excavated Roman city and may have been the capital of the kingdom of Mauretania, at least from the time of King Juba II. If you do not have a rental car, you can still do it. For that the best would be with the Volubilis, Mulay Idris and Meknes Tour
Chefchaouen
Checfchaouen will in the end be one of our favorite places in Morocco and definitely one if not the best things to do in Fes. Located north in the Rif Mountains. It’s known for the striking, blue-washed buildings of its old town. Leather and weaving workshops line its steep cobbled lanes. In the shady main square of Place Outa el Hammam is the red-walled Kasbah, a 15th-century fortress and dungeon, and Chefchouen Ethnographic Museum. The octagonal minaret of the Great Mosque rises nearby.
If you do not have a rental car and want to avoid public transportation, here is a wonderful Chefchaouen Private Trip
Merzouga
Merzouga is actually the direction of the Sahara. For us it was on our way back to fes that we got to enjoy it, but depending on your itinerary, it could be your next direction. Merzouga is the place to go to enjoy the desert and do the best-known things: camp in the dunes.
To be able to do this without a rental car and depending on the time you have, you can consider the
- Fes: 2-Day Merzouga Desert Trip w/Luxury Tent & Dinner
- From Fes to Marrakech: 3-Day Sahara Desert Discovery Tour
- 4 Days Sahara Desert Tour from Fez to Marrakech
More things to do in Fès
If you want more things to do in Fes, you can consider:
- Nejjarine Museum of Wooden Arts & Crafts
- Borj Nord
- EL palace MOKRI
- El Glaoui Palace
- Middle Atlas and Monkey Forest Day Trip
3-day Fes Itinerary
Day 0: Arrive in Fes
Day 1:
- Head out to the old city
- Past by the Place Seffarine
- Visit the Al Attarine Madrasa
- Go on a rooftop to see the Mosque and University Kairaouine
- Stroll to the Henna Souk
- Another rooftop at the Tanneries de fes
- Pass by the Bou Inania Madrasa
- And then the Bab Boujloud
- Visist the Jnan sbil
- See the gate of The Royal Palace in Fez
- Lunch
- Hang around Fes El Bali
- Discover the Chouara Tanneries
- Hike to the Marinid Tombs
Day 2
- Meknes
- Volubilis
Day 3
- Head to Chefchaouen
ضرب الحديد ماحدو سخون Strike the iron while it’s still hot. (Take advantage of the opportunity before it passes you by)
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Why pin one by one when you can get them all at once? With this map, you get all our pins, destinations, things to see, where to eat and sleep, and so much more in one time.
