Fès's medina is sensory overload at its finest. Enter through the cobalt blue gates of the Bab Boujeloud and marhaba, and submerge yourself in an eighth-century medieval maze that is as complex as it is spectacular. Donkeys rush by with refrigerators on their backs, old men weave carpets and dance around dye pits with huge stacks of leather, children lead bewildered tourists out of alleyways, and everyone is selling something.
Of course, the medina isn't the only reason to visit Fès, although it's definitely the best one. Known historically as the spiritual, artistic, and intellectual capital of Morocco, Fès is an imperial city that boasts a massive royal palace, world-renowned music festivals, and a growing ville nouvelle that combines cosmopolitan boulevards, ancient ruins and gorgeous public gardens. Whether you are looking for chaotic or peaceful, medieval or modern, Fès packs it all into what is certainly one of Morocco's most enjoyable and least navigable cities.
Fès is divided into three main areas: the French-built ville nouvelle, the Arab-built Fez al-Jdid (New Fès) with the royal palace of King Hassan II and the old Jewish quarter, and the medina of Fez al-Bali ...more
Accommodations in the ville nouvelle tend to offer more cleanliness and comfort for your money, but are also a hike or petit taxi ride away from the medina's excitement. Auberge des Jeunes, 18 rue de ...more
No one ever said that conquering Fès al-Bali's famed medina would be easy. In this nest of 9000 unmarked streets, many of them more like alleys, the ordinary and extraordinary sights are only half the ...more
Yummy and low-cost food is plentiful in the ville nouvelle, especially along Blvd. Mohammed V. You'll find pastry and sandwich shops, as well as the occasional Italian joint. To buy your own food there ...more
Khayar Driss's Bronzes, 30 Souiket Dehbane (☎ 06 62 48 18 35), If you manage to find it, this shop in the middle of the medina is nothing short of extraordinary. Cross the threshold and you'll find local ...more
As anyone hawking goods in the medina will tell you, Fès is the artisanal capital of Morocco, and the city is especially famous for cobalt blue pottery, Berber rugs and carpets, intricate metalwork, and ...more
You'll have no trouble finding essentials in Fès, since even the medieval medina is fully wired with ATMs and internet cafes. For late-night practical needs (not those romantic ones), the ville nouvelle ...more
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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