Fes is one of the oldest and most cultural cities in Morocco. It is a very special place that feels like a different time. I am in Meknes right now so Fes is my neighbor city, and I always tell people they must go there.
Fes is very famous for its giant old medina where cars cannot go. It is also famous for the beautiful historic architecture and the traditional crafts made by local people. Many travelers come here just to see how real Moroccan life happens every day.
In this complete travel guide I will show you the 15 best things to do in Fes. We will cover the top attractions like the old gates and the tanneries, and also nice experiences like eating traditional food and taking a day trip. This guide will help you plan a very good and easy holiday.
Quick List: Best Things to Do in Fes
If you are in a hurry and want to know the best places quickly, here is a fast list. These are the most important activities you should not miss.
Here is a quick list of the best things to do in Fes:
- Explore the giant Fes el-Bali medina
- Visit the famous Chouara Tannery
- See the beautiful Bou Inania Madrasa
- Walk through Bab Bou Jeloud (The Blue Gate)
- Visit the University of al-Qarawiyyin
- Shop for crafts in the traditional souks
- Visit the golden Royal Palace gates
- Explore the old Jewish Quarter (Mellah)
- See the sunset from the Marinid Tombs
- Try a traditional Moroccan cooking class
- Eat the famous Fes pastilla
Explore the Historic Medina of Fes
The most important thing to do in Fes is to walk inside the old city. The historic medina is called Fes el-Bali. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site because it is very old and it shows the history of human building.
Fes el-Bali is one of the biggest car-free areas in the whole world. It has thousands of narrow streets and small alleys. It is like a giant maze. You will definitely get lost when you walk here, but that is the best way to see the city. You just follow the streets and see what you can find.
Inside the medina you will see many artisan workshops and markets. The people here work very hard making things by hand. You will smell spices, fresh bread, and sometimes the donkeys that carry the goods.
What to See Inside the Medina
When you walk inside, you will see many different things. You will see old mosques where people go to pray five times a day. You will pass by busy souks where people sell meat, vegetables, and clothes. You will also see traditional houses. The houses look very simple from the outside street, but inside they have beautiful big courtyards with fountains. You just need to walk slowly and look at everything.
Visit the Famous Tanneries
One of the most unique things in Fes is the leather tanneries. You cannot visit Fes without seeing this place. The most famous one is the Chouara Tannery. It is very big and very old.
They use centuries-old leather dyeing methods here. They do not use modern machines. The workers put the animal skins in big round stone pools to clean them and put color on them. They use natural things like saffron for yellow and poppy flowers for red. The workers stand inside the water under the hot sun. It is a very hard job but they make very beautiful leather.
To see the tannery, you have to go up to the viewing terraces. These terraces belong to the leather shops around the pools. The shop owners will invite you up. The smell is very strong from the natural liquids they use, so they give you some fresh mint to hold under your nose. The view of all the colored pools is very nice for photos.
Discover Historic Madrasas
A madrasa is an old school for Islamic education. Fes has some of the most beautiful madrasas in the country. Because Fes was a center for learning, many students came here to study the Quran and science.
The two best ones to see are the Bou Inania Madrasa and the Al-Attarine Madrasa. The architecture inside these schools is amazing. When you walk in, you see a quiet courtyard open to the sky. The walls are covered in zellige. Zellige is the traditional Moroccan mosaic made of small colorful tiles cut by hand.
Above the tiles, the walls have carved white plaster with beautiful Arabic writing. The doors and the top roofs are made of dark cedar wood. The wood comes from the Atlas mountains and it has very nice details carved into it. You can pay a small ticket to go inside these madrasas and take your time to look at the beautiful art. It is very quiet inside compared to the busy street outside.
Visit the University of Al-Qarawiyyin
You might not know this, but Fes has the oldest university in the world. It is the University of al-Qarawiyyin. It is a very important place for the history of education.
The university was founded in the year 859 by a woman named Fatima al-Fihri. She used her money to build a mosque and a place for learning. For many hundreds of years, it was a very important center of learning for students from Africa and Europe. They studied religion, mathematics, and astronomy here.
The university is still working today. It is located deep inside the Fes el-Bali medina. Because it is also a holy mosque, tourists who are not Muslim cannot go inside the prayer halls. But you can stand at the big open doors and look inside. You will see the beautiful floors, the old arches, and the people reading quietly. It is a very proud symbol of the city.
Walk Through the Famous Blue Gate
When you want to enter the old medina, the best place to start is Bab Bou Jeloud. This is the main entrance to the medina and people usually call it the Blue Gate.
It is a very big and beautiful gate with three arches. The outside part that faces the new city is covered in blue tiles. Blue is the color of Fes. The inside part that faces the old city is covered in green tiles, because green is the traditional color of Islam.
It is one of the most photographed landmarks in the city. There are many small cafes right next to the gate. It is very nice to sit there, drink a mint tea, and watch the people and the donkeys walk through the big arches.
Visit the Royal Palace Gates
The King of Morocco has a very big palace in Fes. It is called Dar al-Makhzen. It is located in the area called Fes el-Jdid, which is a little bit newer than the old medina.
You cannot go inside the palace gardens or rooms, but it is still one of the best things to do in Fes because of the outside walls. The Royal Palace gates are very famous. There are seven giant golden doors made of brass. The impressive architecture around the doors has very beautiful green and blue mosaic tiles and carved wood.
It is a very popular place for tourists to take photos. The brass doors are cleaned often so they always look very shiny in the sun. You only need about 20 minutes to see this place.
Explore the Jewish Quarter (Mellah)
Very close to the Royal Palace is the old Jewish Quarter. In Morocco, the historic Jewish neighborhood is called the Mellah. Fes has the first Mellah ever built in Morocco, dating back to the 15th century.
The history of the Jewish community in Fes is very long. They lived here and worked as jewelers and traders. When you walk in the Mellah, you will notice the architecture is different from the Muslim medina. The houses here have open balconies and big windows that look out to the street. In the Muslim medina, the houses are closed to the street and open to an inside garden.
You can visit the old Ibn Danan Synagogue which is restored and very quiet. You can also see the Jewish cemetery which has white stone graves on a small hill. It is a very interesting part of the city’s history.
See the Marinid Tombs
If you want to see the whole city of Fes from above, you must go to the Marinid Tombs. These are the ruins of old graves from a long time ago.
They are located on a high hill just outside the old medina walls. You can take a small red taxi up the hill or you can walk if you have good shoes. The tombs themselves are just old stone walls now, but the reason you go there is for the great panoramic view of the city.
From the hill you can see the thousands of flat roofs in the medina and the green minarets of the mosques. It is the best place to go in the late afternoon. You can sit on the grass and watch the sunset over Fes.
Experience the Souks and Traditional Crafts
Fes is the best city in Morocco for buying traditional things. The artisan culture here is very strong and the quality is very high. People come from other cities just to buy things in Fes.
You need to experience the different souks. A souk is a traditional market street. There is a souk for everything. The leather goods are very famous because of the tanneries. You can find very nice bags, belts, and slippers called babouches.
The ceramics are also very famous. Fes pottery is usually painted with dark blue and white colors. The metalwork is another big craft. You can hear the men hitting the copper and brass to make big lamps and tea trays. They also have places where women make traditional carpets from sheep wool. Walking in the souks and watching the people work is a very good cultural experience.
Try Traditional Moroccan Food in Fes
Fes is not just about old buildings, it is also famous for its food. The food here is very rich and has many flavors. You must try traditional Moroccan food in Fes.
The most famous dish from this city is the pastilla. It is a very special pie made with thin crispy pastry, chicken (or pigeon), almonds, and eggs. The outside is covered in sweet sugar and cinnamon. It is sweet and salty at the same time and it is delicious.
You also have to eat a traditional tagine, which is meat and vegetables cooked slowly in a clay pot. Everywhere you go, you will drink sweet Moroccan mint tea. It is the symbol of hospitality. For a quick snack, you can try the street food in the medina. They have nice fresh bread, olives, and small bowls of snail soup if you are brave.
Take a Cooking Class
If you like the food, a very fun thing to do is to take a cooking class. This is a very good hands-on cultural experience.
Usually, the class starts with a walk in the souk. The teacher will show you how to buy fresh vegetables, meat, and the right spices. Then you go back to a traditional kitchen in a riad. You learn how to cut the food and cook the tagine on the fire.
While the food is cooking, they teach you how to make the traditional mint tea correctly. At the end, you sit down and eat the food you made. It is very fun and you learn a lot about the culture.
Best Day Trips From Fes
Fes is in a very good location in the middle of the country. If you stay for a few days, you can take some very nice day trips from Fes to see other places.
The most famous day trip is to the blue city of Chefchaouen. It takes about 3.5 hours to drive there. You can walk in the quiet blue streets and take beautiful photos. If you want to know more, you can read our guide on things to do in Chefchaouen.
Another very easy day trip is to Meknes. Meknes is my city and it is only one hour away by train. It is another imperial city but it is much smaller and quieter than Fes. You can see the big gates and the old walls.
Right next to Meknes is Volubilis. Volubilis is the ruins of a very old Roman city. It has beautiful mosaic floors still in the ground. You can visit Meknes and Volubilis together in one day. These trips are very easy to organize with a driver or the train.
FAQ About Visiting Fes
Here are some common questions that travelers have when they plan their trip to Fes.
How many days do you need in Fes?
For a good visit, you need 2 or 3 days in Fes. Two days is enough to see the big medina, the tanneries, and the old madrasas. If you have 3 days, you can walk more slowly and take a day trip to Meknes or Volubilis. You can read more about planning your time in how many days do I need in Morocco.
Is Fes worth visiting?
Yes, Fes is very much worth visiting. It is the cultural heart of the country. If you want to see how real traditional Moroccan life is, you must come here. You can read our full article is Fes worth visiting to see all the reasons why.
What is the most famous place in Fes?
The most famous place is the Chouara Tannery. It is the big place where they color the leather in the round stone pools. Pictures of this place are in every travel book about Morocco. The Blue Gate (Bab Bou Jeloud) is also very famous.
Is Fes safe for tourists?
Yes, Fes is generally very safe for tourists. There is no violent crime against visitors. The only thing you need to watch is your pockets in the crowded markets, and say no to young boys offering to guide you. If you want more details about safety, check our guide is Fes Morocco safe.
What is Fes known for?
Fes is known for having the largest car-free medina in the world. It is known for its old history, the oldest university, the beautiful Islamic architecture, and the very high quality of handmade crafts like pottery and leather. It is one of the most beautiful cities in Morocco.
Conclusion
To summarize everything, Fes is a very incredible city. It has so many things to see and do. Walking in the narrow streets of the old medina is an experience you will never forget.
You can see the hard work of the leather tanneries, the beautiful details of the historic madrasas, and eat very delicious traditional food. Fes gives you a real look into the past and the deep culture of Morocco. I really encourage readers to explore this city. Take your time, get lost in the alleys, and enjoy the magic of Fes!