Discover the roots of Fes by wandering the thousands of alleys here and enjoy the largest car-free urban area in the world! The medina of Fes (Fes el Bali) is the oldest and largest in North Africa and dates back to the 9th century! The past is alive here, so take one or two days to enjoy all the best things to do in Fes! The city was once the capital of Morocco and is still widely viewed as the cultural epicenter of the country. Afterwards you’ll see Meknes, founded as an Almoravid military settlement in the 11th century, and feted for its medina and Museum of Moroccan Art. For a glimpse of the city’s Jewish history in the Mellah there’s a non-functioning but preserved synagogue dating back to the 17th century.
#MarocVuDuCiel, Extraits: Ifrane, Fès, Meknès, Moulay Idriss, Volubilis
During this period the Jewish population of the city grew and the Mellah (Jewish quarter) was formed on the south side of this new district. Fez reached its zenith in the Marinid era (13th–15th centuries), regaining its status as political capital. Under Almoravid rule, the city gained a reputation for religious scholarship and mercantile activity. After the downfall of the Idrisid dynasty, other empires came and went until the 11th century when the Almoravid Sultan Yusuf ibn Tashfin united the two settlements into what is today’s Fes el-Bali (lit. ‘Old Fes’) quarter, a.k.a. Medina of Fez. Located to the northwest of the Atlas Mountains, it is surrounded by hills and the old city is centered around the Fez River (Oued Fes) flowing from west to east. Fez (/fɛz/) or Fesa (/fɛs/) is a city in northern inland Morocco and the capital of the Fez-Meknes administrative region.
As the medina is car-free, we recommend parking in the official parking lots near the main gates, or choosing accommodation with a parking option. Take a day trip to the Middle Atlas and explore the monkey forest! Opt for a half-day excursion to the thermal village of Moulay Yacoub, where you’ll be fully catered for. Looking to relax in the thermal waters of northern Maroc? Known for centuries for the virtues of its hot sulfurous waters, it attracts curists and travelers alike in search of relaxation. The peaceful atmosphere of this spiritual place makes it an excellent starting point for sampling local produce such as olive oil and Saïs wines.
According to some traditions, the city’s name comes from the Arabic word فأس Faʾs, meaning pickaxe. It also contains the Chouara Tannery from the 11th century, one of the oldest tanneries in the world. It contains the University of al-Qarawiyyin which was founded in 857 and is the oldest continuously functioning institute of higher education in the world. The Medina of Fez is listed as a World Heritage Site and is one of the world’s largest and oldest urban pedestrian zones (car-free areas). The city consists of two old medina quarters, Fes el-Bali and Fes Jdid, and the much larger modern urban Ville Nouvelle area founded during the French colonial era. After the overthrow of the Marinid dynasty, the growth of Fez stalled and the city subsequently competed with Marrakesh for political and cultural influence.
Beautiful viewpoints for free
Discover Al Quaraouiyine University and its mosque, a world heritage site and center of knowledge Get instant shipping options for packages and pallets, locally and globally. Every day, we commit to providing our customers with peace of mind, and this commitment extends to our pricing strategy. We connect Nigeria to over 200+ cities worldwide, offering competitive rates and ensuring each item is delivered with the utmost care. Enjoy reliable and efficient shipping solutions for local and global delivery needs. We absolutely loved our stay in Fez, but it’s not a destination we would dare go back to.
In 1915 it was turned into a museum of historical art and artifacts, containing around 6,000 pieces. Many old private residences have also survived to this day, in various states of conservation. The tanneries are packed with the round stone wells filled with dye or white liquids for softening the hides. Since the city’s foundation, the tanning industry has been continually operating in Fez and is considered one of the main tourist attractions. Several forts were constructed along the defensive perimeters of the medina during different time periods.
- The city is also one of the historical centers of Moroccan Sufism and a significant body of written works were devoted to its many Sufi walis (“saints” or teachers).
- Latin American Park is a park opened in the summer of 2015 that sits in the middle of Fez.
- Following another successful invasion by Buluggin ibn Ziri in 979 and a brief period of Fatimid control, the forces of Al-Mansur of Cordoba managed to retake the region again, expelling the Fatimids permanently.
- As we visited in the summer, the heat was unbearable on some days.
- After the overthrow of the Marinid dynasty, the growth of Fez stalled and the city subsequently competed with Marrakesh for political and cultural influence.
- Along the narrow streets, you’ll discover such wonders as the 13-window hydraulic clock facing the Médersa Bouanania, the interconnecting terraces and the historic fondouks.
Climb to the Merinid tombs for a breathtaking view of Fez
The tanning industry, for example, still embodied by tanneries of Fes el-Bali today, was a major source of exports and economic sustenance since the city’s early history. It was in this period that Fez reached its cultural peak, becoming a capital and giving rise to madrasas, mosques and some of the city defences that stand today. Not far northeast of the Mosque of al-Qarawiyyin is the largest of the city’s three tanneries going about its business in almost the same way for more than 800 years. But it’s the sounds, as much as the sights, that make Place Seffarine special, as the rest of square is given over to copperware, a craft that goes back many centuries in Fez. The university was first founded as a mosque by Fatima al-Fihri in 859 which subsequently became one of the leading spiritual and educational centers of the historic Muslim world. Multiple moussems (Sufi religious festivals) have traditionally taken place every year in honour of local Muslim saints and are typically sponsored by one or more of the city’s guilds.
- Discover Meknes by including it in a guided day tour with a local guide.
- We were on a grand tour of Morocco and always looked for a secure parking spot.
- Although its educational activities have disappeared, the Médersa Attarine remains a living testimony to the artistic and intellectual heyday of medieval Fez.
- A number of social and physical changes took place during this period and across the 20th century.
- The past is alive here, so take one or two days to enjoy all the best things to do in Fes!
- The medina of Fes (Fes el Bali) is the oldest and largest in North Africa and dates back to the 9th century!
It is one of the largest cities in Morocco, with a population of 1.256 million, according to the 2024 census. They’re a great place to stay to find some calm at the end of your busy days in Fes. Marvel at the majestic Royal Palace during this historical tour of Fes.
It is the site of the famous Qarawiyyin University and the Zawiya of Moulay Idris II, the most important religious and cultural sites, while Fez el-Jdid is the site of the 195 acre Royal Palace, still used by the King of Morocco today. Today, the city’s surrounding countryside, the fertile Saïss plains, is an important source of agricultural activity producing primarily cereals, beans, olives, and grapes, as well as raising livestock. Starting under Lyautey, one important policy with long-term consequences was the decision to largely forego redevelopment of existing historic walled cities in Morocco and to intentionally preserve them as sites of historic heritage, still known today as “medinas”.
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The historic city of Fez consists of Fes el-Bali, the original city on both shores of the Oued Fes (River of Fez), and the smaller Fez Jdid, founded on higher ground to the west in the 13th century. Religious tourism is also present due to the old city’s many major zawiyas (Islamic shrines), such as the Zawiya of Moulay Idris II and the Zawiya of Sidi Ahmed al-Tijani, which attract both Moroccan and international (especially West African) pilgrims. Instead, the French administration built new modern cities (the Villes Nouvelles) just outside the old cities, where European settlers largely resided with modern Western-style amenities. The walls dividing them were destroyed, bridges connecting them were built or renovated, and a new circuit of walls was constructed that encompassed both cities. In 1276 the Marinid sultan Abu Yusuf Yaqub also founded the royal administrative district of Fes Jdid (lit. ‘New Fez’), where the Royal Palace (Dar al-Makhzen) is still located today, to which extensive gardens were later added. Numerous new madrasas and mosques were constructed, many of which survive today, while other structures were restored.
Visit the Attarine and Bou Inania medersas, masterpieces of Merinid architecture
The availability of green spaces in Fez is limited and significantly deviates from the international standard, which calls for a minimum of ten square meters of green space per resident. Fez is one of the cities expected to host matches during the 2030 FIFA World Cup and there are plans to upgrade its sports stadium before this date. The festival occurs in May or June and concerts take place at multiple venues across the city, including at historic sites such as Bab Makina (the New Mechouar) in Fes Jdid. Fez hosts the annual World Sacred Music Festival, which started in 1994 and showcases religious music from around the world.
The madrassa is open from 8 AM – 6 PM (always check for religious holidays and events, as this can alter times). The Kairaouine Mosque is known to fez bet be the world’s oldest university and is the second-largest mosque in Morocco. The park is open Tuesday – Sunday between 8 AM – 7.30 PM.
Apart from that, Fez has a lot more to offer, and you can concentrate on some of the best highlights in one day if you’re rushing out. The visit to the tanneries is brief if you’re sensitive to the smell, so keep this in mind. The tanneries are undoubtedly our highlight from Fez.
If you find yourself here while poking around the city you’ll be confronted by a row of three heavy wooden doors in horseshoe arches and flanked by high square towers topped with pointed merlons. In the middle of the Medina you’ll happen upon a tight passageway beckoning you onto a square in the shade of large old plane trees and the high minaret of the Zaouia Moulay Idriss II. This functioning royal palace in the Fes Jdid quarter is on more than 80 hectares and has been here since the 13th century.