Inside the medina you walk; the lanes are a maze and phone maps often fail, so note the gate nearest your riad (Bab Bou Jeloud, Bab Guissa, Bab R'cif). Red petit taxis connect the gates with the Ville Nouvelle and the station.
Fes
The oldest medina, all lanes and craft
Fes el-Bali is one of the largest car-free urban areas in the world and has been a centre of learning since the 9th century. Tanners, coppersmiths and weavers still work in the lanes, and it feels less staged than anywhere else in Morocco.
Getting there
Plane
Fes–Saïss airport is about 15 km south of the city, with flights from Europe; a grand taxi or the airport bus takes you in.
Train
ONCF trains link Fes to Meknes, Rabat, Casablanca and Marrakech, and to Tangier with a change to Al Boraq at Kenitra.
Bus
CTM and Supratours coaches go to Chefchaouen, Tangier and, overnight, to Merzouga.
Getting around
Where to stay
Fes el-Bali
Riads inside the old medina: the reason to come. Near Bab Bou Jeloud is easiest for arrivals.
Fes el-Jdid
The 13th-century royal town with the Mellah, quieter and a short walk from the old medina.
Ville Nouvelle
Modern hotels near the station, wide avenues and taxis; good for a late arrival or a car.
What to do
- Bab Bou JeloudThe blue-tiled gate most visitors enter by.
- Bou Inania MadrasaA 14th-century school with a working minaret, open to visitors.
- Al-Attarine MadrasaSmall and finely carved, next to the Qarawiyyin.
- Al-QarawiyyinTraditionally founded in 859 by Fatima al-Fihri; non-Muslims look in from the doorways.
- Chouara tanneryDye pits seen from the leather shops' terraces; mornings are best.
- Nejjarine fountain and museumA restored inn with a museum of woodwork.
- The Mellah and the Royal Palace gatesThe old Jewish quarter and the brass doors of Dar el-Makhzen.
- Merenid tombs at sunsetThe ruins on the hill above the medina, with the whole city below.
Day trips
Meknes
The imperial city of Moulay Ismail, under an hour by train.
Volubilis and Moulay Idriss
Roman ruins and the holy town beside them, a half or full day.
Ifrane and the cedar forest
The Middle Atlas, with Barbary macaques in the cedars.
Chefchaouen
Possible in a long day, better as a night or two.
When to go
Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November). Summers are hot inland; winters are cool and wet, with cold nights.
Quick answers
How do I see the tanneries without being scammed? The Chouara dye pits are seen from the terraces of the leather shops around them, so you'll be shown leather afterwards; you don't have to buy. Go in the morning. Men in the lanes who say the tannery is closed, or offer to lead you there, usually take you to a shop on commission. If someone shows you around, agree any tip before you start.
How do I find a licensed medina guide? Ask your riad to book an official guide, and ask to see the guide's licence card when you meet. Agree the price, the hours and whether shops are included (say “no shops” if you don't want them) before you start. Never take a guide who approaches you in the street or at a gate.
Do I need a guide in the medina? Not to walk, but a licensed guide for the first half day helps you find your way and the workshops. Only take an official guide, never someone who offers in the street.
Fes or Marrakech? Marrakech is livelier and easier; Fes is older, quieter at night and more about craft. Many trips do both, with the desert between.
How long? Two full days, plus a day for Meknes and Volubilis.
Travel times are rounded; check the day's timetable with the operator before you go. Last reviewed 2026-11-14.
Sources
- UK travel advice: safety · gov.uk
- UNESCO: Medina of Fez · whc.unesco.org
- UNESCO: Volubilis · whc.unesco.org
- UNESCO: Meknes · whc.unesco.org
- Wikipedia: University of al-Qarawiyyin · en.wikipedia.org
- ONCF trains · oncf.ma
- ONDA airports · onda.ma
- CTM · ctm.ma
- Wikivoyage: Fez · en.wikivoyage.org
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