Fez itinerary: 1 to 2 days
Plans for one and two days in Fez, day by day: the medina of Fes el-Bali from Bab Bou Jeloud, the Bou Inania and Al-Attarine madrasas, the Chouara Tannery and the al-Qarawiyyin, with street food on Talaa Kebira and the coppersmiths of Place Seffarine, then the Royal Palace gates and the Mellah, the Jnan Sbil Gardens, Dar Batha, Borj Nord and the Marinid Tombs above the city as you add a day. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 2 days
Fez in 1 day
Day 1
Bab Bou Jeloud
The blue-tiled main gate into Fes el-Bali, green on the inside, with cafes around it and the start of both main streets.
Bou Inania Madrasa
Marinid college of the 1350s with a carved cedar and stucco courtyard and a minaret, one of the few religious buildings open to visitors.
Talaa Kebira
The main street of Fes el-Bali, running downhill from Bab Bou Jeloud past stalls, workshops and snacks like msemen, harira and fresh juice.
Nejjarine Fountain and Museum
A tiled public fountain and a restored eighteenth-century caravanserai beside it, now a museum of wooden crafts with a rooftop terrace.
Souk el-Henna
Small tree-shaded square of henna, herbs, pottery and cosmetics stalls, one of the medina's oldest markets and a calm corner.
Zawiya of Moulay Idris II
One of Morocco's holiest shrines, with the tomb of the city's founder; non-Muslims can look in from the doorway only.
Al-Attarine Madrasa
Small Marinid college of the 1320s beside the spice market, with some of the finest zellige tilework, carved stucco and cedar in Fez.
University of al-Qarawiyyin
Mosque and university founded in 859, often called the world's oldest working university; non-Muslims see its courtyard from the doorways.
Place Seffarine
Small square of the coppersmiths, where craftsmen still hammer pots and cauldrons by hand, beside the Qarawiyyin library.
Chouara Tannery
The largest and oldest of the city's tanneries, where hides are soaked and dyed in rows of stone vats as for centuries.
Royal Palace gates (Dar al-Makhzen)
The huge brass doors and tiled gateway of the king's palace in Fes el-Jdid; the palace itself is closed, the gates are the sight.
Mellah of Fez
The old Jewish quarter in Fes el-Jdid, with houses with wooden balconies, the Ibn Danan synagogue and a large Jewish cemetery.
Fez in 2 days
Day 1
Dar Batha
Nineteenth-century royal palace near Bab Bou Jeloud, now a museum of Moroccan arts and crafts with an Andalusian-style garden.
Bab Bou Jeloud
The blue-tiled main gate into Fes el-Bali, green on the inside, with cafes around it and the start of both main streets.
Talaa Kebira
The main street of Fes el-Bali, running downhill from Bab Bou Jeloud past stalls, workshops and snacks like msemen, harira and fresh juice.
Souk el-Henna
Small tree-shaded square of henna, herbs, pottery and cosmetics stalls, one of the medina's oldest markets and a calm corner.
Zawiya of Moulay Idris II
One of Morocco's holiest shrines, with the tomb of the city's founder; non-Muslims can look in from the doorway only.
Al-Attarine Madrasa
Small Marinid college of the 1320s beside the spice market, with some of the finest zellige tilework, carved stucco and cedar in Fez.
University of al-Qarawiyyin
Mosque and university founded in 859, often called the world's oldest working university; non-Muslims see its courtyard from the doorways.
Place Seffarine
Small square of the coppersmiths, where craftsmen still hammer pots and cauldrons by hand, beside the Qarawiyyin library.
Chouara Tannery
The largest and oldest of the city's tanneries, where hides are soaked and dyed in rows of stone vats as for centuries.
Mosque of the Andalusians
Historic mosque in the Andalusian quarter of Fes el-Bali, founded in the ninth century, with a grand carved and tiled portal seen from outside.
Day 2
Royal Palace gates (Dar al-Makhzen)
The huge brass doors and tiled gateway of the king's palace in Fes el-Jdid; the palace itself is closed, the gates are the sight.
Mellah of Fez
The old Jewish quarter in Fes el-Jdid, with houses with wooden balconies, the Ibn Danan synagogue and a large Jewish cemetery.
Jnan Sbil Gardens
Large public garden between Fes el-Jdid and Fes el-Bali, with palm-lined paths, a pond and shade for a break from the medina.
Bou Inania Madrasa
Marinid college of the 1350s with a carved cedar and stucco courtyard and a minaret, one of the few religious buildings open to visitors.
Nejjarine Fountain and Museum
A tiled public fountain and a restored eighteenth-century caravanserai beside it, now a museum of wooden crafts with a rooftop terrace.
Borj Nord
Sixteenth-century Saadian fort on the hill north of the medina, home to an arms museum, with wide views over the old city.
Marinid Tombs
Ruined fourteenth-century royal tombs on a hill above the medina, the favourite place in Fez to watch the sunset over the old city.
Watch: Fez
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Fez
Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the best times, warm and dry enough for long medina walks. Summer is very hot inland, often well above 35°C, and winter is cool and wet with cold nights. The Fes Festival of World Sacred Music usually takes place in late May or June.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Fez on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Fez on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Fez on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Morocco from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Fez
- Hire a licensed guide for the first walk through Fes el-Bali: its lanes are a maze, many sights are unsigned, and a guide keeps unofficial ones away.
- Non-Muslims cannot enter the Qarawiyyin, the Zawiya of Moulay Idris II or the Mosque of the Andalusians; their doorways and courtyards can be glimpsed from the lane.
- The Chouara Tannery is seen from the terraces of the leather shops around it; work at the dyeing vats is busiest in the morning, and expect a sales pitch.
- Dress modestly in the medina, ask before photographing people, and carry cash in small notes for food stalls, taxis and shop purchases.
- Many medina shops close on Friday around midday prayers, and during Ramadan opening times change; the red petits taxis link Fes el-Bali, Fes el-Jdid and the new town.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Al-Attarine Madrasa: Robert Prazeres, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bab Bou Jeloud: Petar Milošević, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Borj Nord: Jerzystrzelecki, CC BY 3.0
- Bou Inania Madrasa: This Photo was taken by Timothy A. Gonsalves. Feel free to use my photos, but please mention me as the author. I would much appreciate if you send me an email tagooty@yahoo.com or write on my talk page, for my information. Please contact me before commercial use. Please do not upload an edited image here without consulting me. I would like to make corrections only at my own source to ensure that the changes improve the image and are preserved.Otherwise you may upload an edited image with a new name. Please use one of the templates derivative or extract., CC BY-SA 4.0
- Chouara Tannery: Uwe Brodrecht, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Dar Batha: R Prazeres, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Jnan Sbil Gardens: Robert Prazeres, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Marinid Tombs: Mx. Granger, CC0
- Mellah of Fez: Robert Prazeres, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mosque of the Andalusians: Robert Prazeres, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Nejjarine Fountain and Museum: Josep Renalias, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Place Seffarine: Mike Prince from Bangalore, India, CC BY 2.0
- Royal Palace gates (Dar al-Makhzen): Michal Osmenda from Brussels, Belgium, Public domain
- University of al-Qarawiyyin: Abdel Hassouni, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Zawiya of Moulay Idris II: Casual Builder, CC BY-SA 4.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
