Fes, Morocco

Morocco's oldest imperial city — a car-free medieval medina, and the deep-inland contrast to the coast.

Plan a Fes trip See all tours

Best time

April–May and September–October

Recommended

2–3 days

Airport

Fès-Saïs (FEZ)

Region

Imperial city · Northern Morocco

Why Fes

Fes sits far inland in the north, and for a coastal traveller it is the fullest possible contrast to Essaouira: where our town is a small, breezy eighteenth-century grid, Fes is a thousand-year-old labyrinth. Founded in 789 AD, it is the oldest of Morocco's four imperial cities, and Fes el-Bali — its UNESCO-listed medina of more than 9,000 lanes — is among the largest car-free urban areas on earth. This is where Morocco's craft traditions still work daily: the Chouara tanneries, the brass-beaters, the weavers and the bookbinders around the Karaouine, founded in 859 as the world's oldest continuously running university. It is a long haul from the coast — best reached by air or built into a wider loop — and best done slowly, with a historian, from a riad inside the walls.

What to see

Highlights of Fes.

Fes el-Bali medina

Walk the Talaa Kebira from Bab Boujloud down through the souks to the Karaouine — the world's oldest continuously operating university (859 AD).

Chouara tanneries

The famous pigment vats viewed from a leather shop terrace. Best in the morning when the light hits the pits.

Medersa Bou Inania & el-Attarine

Two 14th-century Marinid madrasas with carved cedar, stucco and zellige at its finest.

Volubilis & Meknes

A perfect day trip: Roman mosaics at Volubilis, then lunch and the imperial gates of Meknes.

Pottery quarter & blue gates

Watch the cobalt-and-white Fassi ceramics being thrown, glazed and fired across the river from the medina.

Itineraries

Our Fes tours.

Every itinerary below is privately operated, fully customisable, and includes a deep stop in Fes. Click any tour for the day-by-day plan, the map, dates and pricing.

3 days

Fes, slowly

Three nights inside the medina with a private medieval-history guide: the tanneries, the kissaria textile market and dinner with a Fassi family.

from $980Enquire →

8 days

Coast to imperial cities

Eight nights linking Essaouira and Marrakech with the imperial north — Meknes, Volubilis, Fes and Chefchaouen — with private historians.

from $2,450Enquire →

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Before you go

Practical notes.

Getting there: Fly into FEZ; or by road 4h from Tangier, 7h from Marrakech, around 9h from Essaouira
Where to stay: Inside the medina in a restored dar or riad
Dress code: Respectful — shoulders and knees covered near religious sites

Concierge

Have your Fes trip designed by a local

Tell us your dates, group size and pace. We'll send back a written proposal within 24 hours — private guides, transfers, riads, the lot.

Request a proposal

FAQ

Fes — common questions.

Is Fes worth the long trip from the coast?+

Yes — it is the single most atmospheric medieval city in Morocco and unlike anywhere else in the country. Coming from breezy, open Essaouira, the density and age of Fes are a genuine shock; the two together show the full range of Moroccan urban life.

Do I need a guide for the Fes medina?+

Strongly recommended for at least the first day. Without one you will get lost — that is part of its charm, but it also costs you the context that makes the place legible.

How do I reach Fes from Essaouira?+

Most guests fly: a short hop via Casablanca puts Fes around 3–4 hours from the coast door-to-door. By road it is a long day (roughly 9 hours), better split with a night in Marrakech or the Middle Atlas.

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