8 best things to do in Fes, Morocco in two days or less

If you can only visit one city in Morocco, I would choose rather than Marrakech each time. In my opinion, this is one of Best places to visit in Morocco. Although Marrakech is a big cosmopolitan city, it can also be a little touristy. While Fes feels much more authentic.

Obviously, there are still tourists, but the cultural heritage of Fes really shows up. It is a place where you want to spend your time at Medina, instead of the new city. This is cultural immersion and the richness of experience.

If you want to see the best in the city, be sure to follow this list of things to do in Fes.

Things to do in fes

Note: This message contains affiliation links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I can receive a small commission.

Taste your way through the souk

We launched our three days in Fes with a Gastronomic visit to the Fes Medina. Since Fes was the second stop of our Moroccan route, it was an ideal way to get an introduction to Moroccan food and explore the souk.

I am sure that we would not have been courageous enough to taste the food for some of the sellers if we had not made this visit. And we certainly do not know which stands are good and safe and which were not.

Our three -hour visit included stops for bread, dates, olives, meat sandwiches, soup, pastries, freshly done cheese and 11 types of honey. We also had the best Moroccan tea in the Mint of the trip to a pretty little tea shop in the souk. The best bite was a crisp donut with potatoes, vegetables and harissa that we obtained from the soup seller.

My only word of warning would be that it is not a good visit to vegetarians, vegans, difficult eaters or those with sensitive stomachs. The germaphobes also be wary. Although our guide provided a disinfectant, wipes and everything we needed, the conditions of some of these food stands are rather the opening of the eyes.

Make your way through the medina

If you like street photographs, the former medina of Fes (Fes El Bali) is a perfect canvas. There are so many ways to capture the culture and essence of the city and its people. Since I have been working on my photography skills, I have reserved a foot visit to photography With Omar through Airbnb experiences.

We started from my hotel to explore the most residential parties of the Medina that I would probably not find by myself (at least without getting seriously lost!) Omar guided me on how to capture people and life in the Medina, while being respect for social and non-invasive standards.

It can help even if you have only one smartphone, but if you are looking for advice on how to use your specific camera, this is probably not the tour for you. This is more about the composition of shots than technical aspects of photography.

Visit historic sites

Fes is the cultural and religious center of Morocco and you really need a full day to explore everything. The Fes Medina was built for the first time in the 9th century and houses more than 150,000 people, making it the largest urban area without a car in the world. The Medina is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

You can visit certain sites in the Medina and the new city, but you will certainly get more with a guide (and a driver if you have one!). We took a Guided tour of a day.

We started by visiting the Bou Inania Madrasawhich was founded in the 1300s. You can only visit the courtyard if you are not a Muslim but the architecture is worth the small entrance fees.

In the medina, we also took a look inside Al Quaraouiyine mosquewhich is on the site of the oldest university in the world (and founded by a woman!)

It was fun to see the different medina markets that specialize in metals, textiles, leather, honey, products and other specialty products.

We came out through the Blue door (Bab Bou Jeloud), which is green inside the medina and jumped into a car to head to the Royal Palace.

After taking photos, we headed for the Mellahor the old Jewish quarter, to visit the Synagogue Ibn Danan. Inside the synagogue, you can also climb to the roof to see the views of the Medina and in the Jewish cemetery.

Because our visit included the use of our car / driver, we were also able to see Fes from above (more about it later.)

Look at potters at work

When you walk in the souk, you will see a lot of pottery, but be careful because part of this could be imported from China. If you want the real business and want to support local craftsmen, plan to visit the Pottery districtOutside the medina.

You will have a visit to the workshop of a local guide and see everything, from the oven to the potter’s wheel to retail artists. It’s amazing to see the skill that goes into each room. We saw a craftsman who built a mosaic, from behind where everything you can see is the back plain and he memorized the placement of all the pieces. Amazing!

Then you will be left in the store, where you will of course be tempted to make purchases. Do not forget to negotiate and do not worry about integrating it into your suitcase, they can also ship.

See the FES from above

There are two superb views of FES, offering different views of the city. We visited the Borj Nord Fortress And Mont Zalagh During our day tour because we had a driver. Both are fun places to climb, enjoy the view and enjoy a breath of fresh air far from the Medina.

Pose

There are royal palates located throughout Morocco. THE Royal palace In Fes is called the Dar El Makhzen. Although you cannot enter inside, you can take photos outside the beautiful golden doors.

Don’t worry if there are people there. Give him a few minutes and you should be able to get the photo to pass without any other tourists.

Visit tanneries

Chouara Tannery is the most famous of Fes tanneries and they offer free visits, of course with a expectation that you buy something, although it is not necessary. When you enter, they give you a source of mint to hold under your nose because of the smell. If it is not too hot, the smell will not be too bad.

Seeing the physical workforce involved makes you appreciate a little more the cost of leather goods. They offer jackets, handbags, belts, wallets, shoes and a house setting. You can certainly negotiate here and the more you buy, the best is the price. Needless to say, we got home with a bag of memories.

Relax to the riad

Staying in a riad in the medina will give you a chance to take out your door and start exploring. We really enjoyed our stay in Riad Fes. Although it is possible to make an excursions of a day of FES, we spent our free time to relax. Riad Fes offers a complete spa, but we spent our day enjoying peace and tranquility at the swimming pool.

Riad Fes was definitely the most luxurious of the Riad where we stayed during our trip. The hall is beautiful, the service was great and the restaurant gave us a good break to eat traditional Moroccan food at La Medine. The high ceilings and the elaborate decoration give the impression that you are staying in a large palace.

Visit Morocco? You may also be interested …

Pin this for later