TailoredLuxury Tours
Aerial view of the leather tanneries and dye pits of Fez

The medieval heart

Fez

One of the world's largest car-free medinas, and Morocco's centre of craft, scholarship and tradition.

Fes el-Bali, the old medina, is a maze of thousands of lanes where traditional crafts are still practised. It rewards patience and a good guide more than almost anywhere else in Morocco.

Travellers who value history, architecture and craft often give Fez more time than they first planned. A tailored itinerary can pace it so the medina feels absorbing rather than overwhelming.

Best for

  • History and architecture
  • Craft and cooking
  • Slow cultural travel

Highlights

Fes el-Bali

A UNESCO-listed medina of workshops, fountains, madrasas and markets, largely unchanged in layout for centuries.

Madrasas and religious architecture

Carved cedar, zellige tilework and stucco, seen at places such as the Bou Inania Madrasa.

Traditional crafts

Metalwork, ceramics, weaving and leatherwork, including the well-known tanneries viewed from above.

Food

Fez has a celebrated culinary tradition, from street snacks to home-style cooking.

Fez in pictures

See all 93 photos
  • Aerial view of the leather tanneries and dye pits of Fez
  • Colourful dye and lime pits of the Fez tanneries seen from above
  • Green-tiled rooftops of the Fez medina under a bright sky
  • Sunlit madrasa courtyard in Fez with a black and white tiled floor
  • Bab Bou Jeloud, the blue gate of the Fez medina
  • Baskets of spices and rugs inside a Fez medina shop

Practical information

  • The medina is steep and crowded in places; a licensed local guide is strongly recommended on a first visit.
  • Tannery viewpoints can be strongly scented. Sprigs of mint are traditionally offered.
  • Some religious buildings are not open to non-Muslim visitors; plans are made around current access rules.

Itineraries that include Fez

Useful reading

Thinking of Fez?

Tell us when you’d like to go and what you’d love to do, and we’ll shape the journey around it.

Design Your JourneyChat on WhatsApp