By air
Fès–Saïss (FEZ), ~15 km
Africa · Morocco
Fes, Morocco
A medieval medina of a thousand lanes
Getting there
Best time to visit
March to May and September to November — mild
Don't miss
The Fes el-Bali medina
The Chouara Tannery
The Bou Inania Madrasa
Bab Bou Jeloud
Things to do
The Chouara tannery
The Al-Qarawiyyin
The Bou Inania madrasa
The souks
Where to eat
What to pack
Comfortable shoes; a guide helps in the medina
A quieter corner
The Borj Nord, for the view over the medina
Questions travellers ask
Do I need a guide in the Fes medina?
It helps: this medieval medina has a thousand lanes. Wear comfortable shoes too.
When should I go to Fes, and where do I fly in?
March to May or September to November, when it's mild. Fly into Fès–Saïss (FEZ), about 15 km away.
What should a first visit to Fes include?
The Fes el-Bali medina, the Chouara Tannery, the Bou Inania Madrasa, the Al-Qarawiyyin and Bab Bou Jeloud, plus the souks. For the view over the medina, head to the Borj Nord.
What should I order in Fes?
Pastilla and harira are the dishes to try.
About Fes
- Inland
Where it is
Fes is a city of northern inland Morocco and the capital of the Fès-Meknès region, set in the valley of the Fes river between the Middle Atlas and the foothills of the Rif.
History
Fes was founded by the Idrisid dynasty at the end of the 8th century and grew into a great centre of learning, where Fatima al-Fihri founded the al-Qarawiyyin mosque in the 850s. The Marinids made it their capital in the 13th century and built Fes el-Jdid and many madrasas, and the medina of Fes el-Bali became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981.
People
Fassis speak Moroccan Arabic, with French widely used, and the medina is still organised by craft, with quarters of tanners, coppersmiths, weavers and potters. Fes is known for refined cooking such as pastilla, a sweet and savoury pie, for Andalusian classical music, and for its Festival of World Sacred Music.
Known for
- The medina of Fes el-Bali
- The Chouara Tannery
- The Bou Inania Madrasa
- The al-Qarawiyyin mosque and university
- Blue and white Fes pottery
Did you know?
Al-Qarawiyyin in Fes, founded as a mosque in the 850s, is recognised by Guinness World Records as the oldest continually operating educational institution in the world.
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