The old walled Fes medina is a labyrinth of narrow streets and dead ends like nowhere else. The former capital of modern Morocco, Fes is the country’s second-largest city. As one of the world’s largest pedestrian zones, the Fes medina is one of those places that people either love or hate. Its a place to wander, to get lost, and to discover. It’s an overload of colours, patterns, sounds, and unknown aromas creating endless things to do in Fes.
Then there is modern Fes, outside the old medina offering a completely different feel and list of things to do in Fes. We liked Fes so much, we went back for a second visit.
Things to Do in Fes: Explore the Old Medina
Let me take you on a photo exploration of the 1300-year-old Fes Medina, a UNESCO world heritage site.
• Chouara Tannery
Chouara Tannery was built in the 11th century and is the largest of three tanneries in Fes. Here, the leather processing techniques are unchanged for a thousand years and utilise pigeon droppings, limestone, and other natural materials. It is best seen from above, as at ground level the stench is overwhelming. If you hold a mint leaf under your nose, it will help dissipate the smell.
• Looking Closely at the Detail in Craft and Architecture is one of the Fascinating Things to Do in Fes
• Shopping or just looking is one of the main things to do in Fes Medina
• Trying New Flavours
The aromas attracted us, but it was trying the new flavours that is one of my favourite things to do in Fes. Whether it be barbeque or sweets, we bravely tried most of it. We even had a camel burger in Marrakech.
Our favourite place for dinner was Chez Rashid’s (not pictured here), a restaurant near the blue gate that was recommended to us. Learn from our mistake, even though the tables are out, if their metal shutters are down, the restaurant is not open, regardless of what a server tells you. I am not sure who served us our dinner that night, but it wasn’t up to standard.
• Gather with Friends
• Animals work too
More Things to Do in Fes Medina
- Visit the Palace Nejjarine, its beautiful fountain, and the Nejjarine Museum of Wood.
- Take a local’s hammam bath. We opted to do this rather than the tourist hammam, and it was quite the experience.
- Also in the medina is the University of Al Quaraouiyine. Founded in 859AD, it is the oldest continuously functioning university in the world.
- We were lucky enough to arrive for the huge Moussem Moulay Idriss festival.
- If you don’t want to miss anything, take a tour.
Things to Do in Fes Outside of the Old Medina
More Things to Do in Fes Outside the Medina:
- Visit the district of the potters, Ain Nokbi.
- Take a walk through the narrow streets of the Mellah, the old Jewish Quarter.
- Stroll through the 14th-century Merenid Tombs (we didn’t go here).
Things to do in Fes: Day Trips
Three popular day trips from Fes are Meknes, Volubilis, and Moulay Idriss Each has their own distinctive personality. We opted to stay in Meknes for a couple of nights and visit the other two destinations from there.
Where to Stay in Fes
We stayed at Riad Al Atik in the old medina both time we visited Fes. The attention to every detail, exotic and delicious food (be sure to try the homemade ice cream), and a friendly atmosphere make this traditional riad the ideal place to stay on any visit to Fes. And in traditional style, it’s not much until you enter. Then it opens with a beautiful courtyard, Moroccan doors, and Moorish archways.
⇒ Click here to check availability at Riad Al Atik
General Tips and Practical Information on Visiting Fes
- Many visitors get lost in the old medina. Before you hire a guide to find the exit, try walking uphill. Most of the medina alleyways head downhill to the centre.
- Take caution when drinking water. Always ask if it is safe for you to drink (the Moroccan’s grew up on it, and they can drink it without a problem). Also, if you buy bottled water, be sure you receive unopened bottles, rather than refilled.
- Carry toilet paper with you.
- If you are outside of the medina, ask at your hotel or Riad how much the taxi should cost and don’t pay more – negotiate before you get in.
Have you been to Fes? Does the contrast between the old Fes Medina, and the new sections surprise you?
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Trisha Velarmino
I was just in Morocco last May! It was nice to be back and I will always love this place.
Rhonda Albom
Me too, I loved Fes, and would love to go back myself.
maadziak
I love Morocco! So beautiful country, great food and interesting people. I enjoyed my time in Rabat and Marrakech. I think the next destination will be Fes 🙂
Rhonda Albom
I enjoyed Marrakech and Rabat also, but Fes is my favourite of the three.
Rob+Ann
Rhonda, we always enjoy your photos, but never more than when you’re someplace we’ve been dreaming of visiting. These are fantastic pictures, and makes us want to speed up our timeline to Morocco!
Rhonda Albom
Morocco is a fascinating place to visit, one of my favourite countries. I would encourage you to go, especially if it’s already on the bucket list.
Reshma
I love love checking out your photo stories. It’s a visual treat every time, and this is no different! Fes looks amazing. I love markets and would want to head there for sure.
Rhonda Albom
Thanks Reshma. I am blushing from your compliment. Fes is amazing, a city that makes it easy to get interesting photos if you just keep your eyes open.
Vicky and Buddy
Some friends of mine visited Fes and they really loved it, so I’ve been wanting to visit it since then. I think I’d spend the whole time staring at the walls and carvings. The detail is so amazing!
Rhonda Albom
I don’t know there is so much to do and eat. I am think you should allocate extra time for staring.
Megan Jerrard
I would love to visit Fes – it seems like it’s one of the last really authentic, exotic places left in the world – your girls look so great with their Henna! I’ve seen photos of Chouara Tannery and it looks really interesting, though thanks for the tip on looking down from above! And for the tip to look up as you’re wandering around the medina’s – some of those buildings are so beautiful and intricate!
Rhonda Albom
We were really lucky to have that women do their henna. She normally does it for weddings. And it is true, the buildings are all lovely.
Rachel Elizabeth
Wow. I love the photo of the birds flying into the evening sky. So beautiful. I also love the home where you had the mint tea! It looks so peaceful.
Rhonda Albom
Thanks. I almost wish I had a video of it. Every night all the birds take off at once and circle. It is mesmerising.
Scarlett Begonias
Fes always looked so fascinating to me, and after seeing your beautiful pictures I’m drawn to go explore! Great, inspirational post 🙂
Rhonda Albom
Thanks. Enjoy Fes. Stay in the old Medina if you can.
stacey veikalas
What a beautiful place I have never been to Morocco but it sure is on my list of places I want to go! I love the pictures and the tannery looks like a really
great place to see in person.
Rhonda Albom
The tannery is fascinating and stinky. Best to view it from above, mint leaf in hand.
sallie rainville
Like something out of a movie to me! Beautiful travelogue … thanks for taking us along.
Rhonda Albom
LOL – it’s not a movie, but rather everyday life.
Rebecca
Wonderful wonderful photos! I really love the one of the barbeque with the light filtering though the smoke. I’ve saved this post because I am dying to go to Morocco and need lots of tips!
Rhonda Albom
That is my favourite of the photos also. I hope you to experience Morocco, it is like nowhere else.
Baron Corbinn
Your blog is very impressive and i like you pictures collection your blog is to good there is no doubt
budget jan
How exciting. I would like to visit Fes. The blue house of your new friend looks gorgeous. My favourite photo is of the birds swarming at night in the medina.
Rhonda Albom
The house was gorgeous. Many of the local homes there are like that, plain on the exterior, with a beautiful courtyard in the centre.
Bilyana - Owl Over The World
Nice photos! I hope I can visit Marocco soon.
Rhonda Albom
I hope you can too. Morocco is such a fascinating place to visit.
sara | bellyrumbles
What an amazing adventure, experiencing all those alley ways and dead ends. The sights, the sounds and the smells? Such a wonderful adventure around every turn.
Rhonda Albom
We enjoy the adventure of stepping off the main road and exploring the back roads and side alleyways. Fes is the ideal place to do this.
Lexa Cain
Very close to how Egypt is. Funny story about why the roosters sit on the tops of the cages, basically free to fly away. Their hens are kept inside the cages and the roosters won’t leave them. It’s their harem and they stay close to protect them from other roosters. They aren’t very successful at protecting them from being eaten for dinner though!
Rhonda Albom
That is a fantastic story about the roosters.
Kathy Marris
No I haven’t been to Morocco but my husband was there in the late 1970s. Aah I could see myself sipping mint tea in your friend’s home in Fes. There is always a huge contrast between old and new, but I always find the old has much more character.
Rhonda Albom
I love the contrast between the old and new in Morocco, and yes the home’s courtyard was a lovely place to enjoy some mint tea.
beatravelling
Never been to Morocco. Looks like I should get a move on 🙂
Rhonda Albom
There are so many places to see in this world. Personally, Morocco was one of my favourites.
Joyce Lansky
Very cool photos. You and your family are truly fortunate to have seen so much of the world.
Rhonda Albom
It was a long time in the making.
Vanessa Brune
I would love to visit Morocco one day! The architecture just seems stunning and there seems to always be something going on in the markets!
Rhonda Albom
Morocco is so interesting, the architecture, the culture, the food. We loved it all.
Anete
Aww I love the photos in this post. I was in Fes and other parts of Morocco 2 years ago. This brings me right back. And I suddenly remembered the smell of Chouara Tannery hahaa. That was something! 🙂
Rhonda Albom
The tannery smell was pretty overpowering.
Jim ~ Reflections Enroute
Your photos are beautiful Rhonda! I really like the atmosphere you’ve captured int he shot of the barbecue in the archway. I’m also pretty sure I have a photo of that same copper worker, beating on his copper bowls! #wkendtravelinspiration
Rhonda Albom
That BBQ archway shot is my favourite from Fes. As for the artisans, they are so talented, and I imagine they sit there day after day working their craft. Cool that we both chose the same guy to photograph.
Carmen Edelson
Your photos are really stunning, you’re very talented. I feel like I was there! I actually love the contrast and it’s one of the reasons Morocco is so high on my list! Thanks for sharing and happy travels 🙂
Rhonda Albom
Thanks Carmen, that is the goal of my photos, to bring you along with me.
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Hi Rhonda – what a fascinating journey – the different souks, the smen … I’d never heard of – even though I used to make couscous… is a fascinating ‘butter’ to learn about … and how amazing to be able to look down on the tannery … they do smell … we’re lucky that we live in such sanitized places … but I’d love to visit there – and stay in your ‘hotel’ that I can’t find now … but it looked stunning … and to experience the hamman … such a great place to see … and to have some rooftop views … glorious … cheers Hilary
Rhonda Albom
Click on the link above, it will take you to the booking.com link to the hotel as it has so many photos.
Anda
It must have been interesting visiting the tannery. Did it smell bad? I’ve heard the smell is unbearable around the tanneries. Morocco surely looks like a great place to visit. Your photos prove that.
Rhonda Albom
Yes, it was shockingly stinky. The mint leaves help, a bit. However, it is so fascinating, that I could ignore the stench. My vegetarian daughter didn’t do so well here.
Shere
I love the picture of the bbq vendor. The smoke makes is so intriguing.
I would also take a real hamman ☺
Rhonda Albom
That BBQ photo is my favourite as well. The hammam was an experience.
Jill
Wow! How very exotic and different than anyplace I’ve been. It looks like it was an amazing trip!
Rhonda Albom
The Fes Medina was different than anyplace I had been. Being a pedestrian only area, there is a relaxed feel to it that I can’t capture in the photos.
Merlinda Little
Such an amazing trip. I am loving the colours of this place and I wish I can visit it too!
Rhonda Albom
Morocco is a photographers paradise, loaded with interesting colours, textures, carvings and history.
Trekking with Becky
Incredible! Going inside is a totally different world.
Rhonda Albom
A fascinating world. I hope I get back there some day.
Ruth | Tanama Tales
Rhonda, I am blown away by your pictures! The devil is in the details and I love all those details you have capture. I would like to get lost on that medina and discover at my own pace. And, I would like to get my henna tattoos too!. #TPThursday
Rhonda Albom
Thanks. As for the Henna, take caution as to where you get it done. I can’t remember the details, but we were warned that some of the street vendor henna artists don’t use the same standard of henna.
Sandee
Great shots as always. I’m sure your girls will travel with their kids one day as you did with them.
Have a fabulous day. ☺
Rhonda Albom
One will, the other doesn’t even like to leave Auckland very much.
Hilary Melton-Butcher
How interesting to find they are so different – looks like NZ will home for a while … ! I guess it happens to many of us … can’t be bothered to pack up and start off again … I get both points of view … cheers Hilary
Rhonda Albom
It’s not out of laziness in her case, she just doesn’t like the travel and would rather stay home. Will see what happens on our next trip.
Paul F. Pietrangelo
I think I may have mentioned before when you showed photos of these type places, I can’t seem to even think about going into countries and places like theses. I just feel scared even thinking about it. I give you a lot of power going there. I guess I’m just frightened. Thanks to you, a scared person like me can see places like this by a strong person like you Rhonda. Thanks for allowing me to see Morocco from your eyes.
Cruisin Paul
Rhonda Albom
Glad I can share this with you. You got me curious, so I looked it up. For violent crimes, you are 29 times more likely to get murdered in the USA and similarly 6 times more likely to get raped than in Morocco. However, the overall crime rate is higher in Morocco.
Karen
Wow! What interesting and amazing photos, like the one where one building was holding up another. EEEK! You must have had a difficult time narrowing down what photos you would use for this blog but you did well and gave a real feel for the place. What a wonderful experience for your children.
Rhonda Albom
You have no idea. There were over 200 photos that I liked. There were so many I even mad collages on this page.
Tracy @ Ascending Butterfly
Many moons ago I worked for a boss who was from Morocco I liked to look at his pictures! Great shots of the animals! (And thanks for the tips regarding the TP!) 🙂
Sofia
Oh, I’ve been to places where cats, roosters, and donkeys are always roaming…and it is so cool!
Sukhmandir Kaur
Animal in foreign countires work hard right along side hardworking people.
Ai Sakura
Such an exciting trip you are on!
steve
Wow! animals everywhere.
Hope the toilet roll is quilted LOL 🙂