The Moroccan Jewish community had initially consisted of indigenous local Jews (known as the Toshavim) but these were joined by Western Sephardic Jews fleeing from the Iberian Peninsula (known as the Megorashim) in subsequent generations, especially after the 1492 expulsion of Jews from Spain and 1496 expulsion of Jews from Portugal. The exact date and circumstances of its formation are not firmly established, but many scholars date the transfer of the Jewish population from Fes el-Bali to the new Mellah to the 15th century, a period of political tension and instability. The Jewish quarter of Fez, the Mellah, was created in Fes Jdid at some point during the Marinid period. Following the revolt, Abu Yusuf Yaqub founded Fes Jdid as the new administrative and military centre. 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. The city, along with much of northern Morocco, continued to change hands between the proxies of Córdoba and the proxies of the Fatimids for many decades.
Visit early or late in the day to see this beautiful space at its quietest. It’s also one of the few religious sites in Fes that can be entered by non-Muslim people. Because of its location, it’s easy to visit while wandering through the medina. Continuing the color theme is the adjoining mosque, with its breathtaking green minaret that is visible across the medina. The Bou Inania Madrasa is an iconic religious building in the center of the medina.
The entrance of the former Royal Palace of Fez
This mosque, up steps from the tanneries, goes back to the very birth of the city in the 9th century, which puts it among the oldest mosques in the world. Borj Sud was constructed in the same period, but unlike its sibling it retains its simple square silhouette, without corner bastions. The alleys in Fez are as tangled as the centuries-old calligraphy, tilework and stucco that adorns the city’s palaces, mosques, madrasas and shrines. The outdoor parking lot opposite Bab Chorfa and the one behind Bab Boujloud are the most convenient options for visiting the historic center. Discover Meknes by including it in a guided day tour with a local guide.
We have seen people also doing Fez in a day, or using it as a base for visiting orls around. Two days in Fez are perfect, did four nights split between two riads within the medina. We tracked every dirham across Morocco; Fez sat in the middle for costs and was great for everyday eats.
Climb to the Merinid tombs for a breathtaking view of Fez
- Set in a relaxed, authentic atmosphere, it’s an immersion into the flavors and rhythms of Moroccan home cooking.
- 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.
- The big lesson—sleep just outside the chaos, park once, and walk around.
- Relax, cool down, and watch the Fes locals enjoying the park too.
- In the same vein as other Marinid religious schools in Fez, the Al-Attarine Madrasa has sophisticated decoration on its rectangular courtyard.
- Discover Al Quaraouiyine University and its mosque, a world heritage site and center of knowledge
Traditionally these would contain turmeric (yellow), indigo (blue), mint (green), henna (orange) and crushed poppy (red), although chemical dyes tend to be used today. This is beautiful on its own terms, but also gives you a better view of the mosque’s courtyard and stone minarets. The 9th century mosque went through two expansions in the 12th century and the 18th century and is stunning for its endless arcades, marble fountains, blue and white zellige and delicate stucco work. University of al-Qarawiyyin is still highly regarded in the Muslim world, and while the modern university has been relocated to a newer part of the city, the library and mosque are still couched in the Medina. Fez grew up around the oldest continually operating institution of higher education in the world, founded in 859.
Immerse yourself in the colors of Tanneries Chouara, ancestral know-how
We enjoyed this season for long strolls through the medina and cultural visits without the heavy summer heat. You can expect rainy days and lower temperatures between 15°C (59°F) and 18°C (64.4°F). Fès abounds in excellent restaurants, from popular gargotes to gourmet eateries set in historic riads.
Further south is the town of Sefrou, while the city of Meknes, the next largest city in the region, is located to the southwest. The city is divided between its historic medina (the two walled districts of Fes el-Bali and Fes Jdid) and the now much larger Ville Nouvelle (New City) along with several outlying modern neighbourhoods. Austerity measures led to several riots and uprisings across other cities during the 1980s.
Experience the peace of a riad courtyard
The festival offers exceptional concerts, intercultural encounters and magical atmospheres that resonate throughout the medina. Although the mechanism no longer works today, it remains a rare testimony to the scientific ingenuity of the Merinid era. In Fez, the hammam is an integral part of local daily life. Fondouk Barka also offers an immersion in the commercial history of Fès. The site houses a weapons museum, which was being restored at the time of our visit, and is now a cultural attraction open to the public.
Don’t leave without having tasted the city’s gastronomy, reputed to be one of the best in the world. Along the way, he shares stories of the landscape, pausing for views and small touches that make the day memorable, such as tea brewed on the spot and a hammock slung between trees. Famille Berrada and Salah Canteen, in the Achabine Souks, are local lunchtime favorites and still draw the crowds who want to sit down in comfort, but you’ll have the most fun hopping from stall to stall sampling different foods. The Attarine, near the Karaouiyine Mosque, dazzles with intricate zellige, stucco and Kufic calligraphy, while the Cherratine, built later, is austere and contemplative, its narrow cells once housing theology students. Set in a relaxed, authentic atmosphere, it’s an immersion into the flavors and rhythms of Moroccan home cooking.
Iraqi-born architect Alaa Said, who studied at the Oslo School of Architecture (AHO), has spent more than two decades restoring Fez’s historic houses. Below, in a centuries-old courtyard, visitors work on small looms under the patient guidance of an artisan. At Riad Laaroussa or Dar Bensouda, hammams fill with orange blossom-scented steam offering a soothing pause after a day fez bet in the medina.
Discover Al Quaraouiyine University and its mosque, a world heritage site and center of knowledge
When in Fez, we adjusted to the city within two to three days. Attractions in Fez are cheaper than in Marrakech, but there is much more hassle from the local vendors. Most first-timers walk all day on these two streets; we did too, and crossed between them via the rainbow-painted lane and side passages that feel like time tunnels.
Still, it’s one of the top-rated options, offering private rooms with an en-suite bathroom. The night’s sleep was great, breakfast was included, and it’s suitable for mid-budget travellers. The big lesson—sleep just outside the chaos, park once, and walk around. This is a quick one and two day itinerary in Fez, highlighting the best things to do. Meknes, Ifrane, and Chefchaouen are popular day trips.
- Under Almoravid rule, the city gained a reputation for religious scholarship and mercantile activity.
- The tanneries are undoubtedly our highlight from Fez.
- The tanneries are a unique part of the Fes culture and are one of the best things to do on any trip to Morocco.
- Now meticulously tended, the park has a large pond and water gardens where geometric fountains are festooned with zellige tiles, all bordered by geometric beds of roses, cactuses and low boxwood hedges.
- The alleys in Fez are as tangled as the centuries-old calligraphy, tilework and stucco that adorns the city’s palaces, mosques, madrasas and shrines.
- Online reviews were somewhat vague, but we found a great, guarded lot near Al Oud café for 40 MAD per 24 hours—slept fine, car parked fine.
While new colonial policies preserved historic monuments, they stalled urban development in heritage areas. The creation of the separate French Ville Nouvelle to the west had a wider impact on the entire city’s development. This was part of a larger “policy of association” adopted by Lyautey which favoured various forms of indirect colonial rule by preserving local institutions and elites, in contrast with other French colonial policies that had favoured “assimilation”. A number of social and physical changes took place during this period and across the 20th century. The expansion separated the Moulay Abdallah neighbourhood to the northwest from the rest of Fes Jdid. Both cities changed hands multiple times until the internecine conflict finally ended in 1627.