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Fes — travel, stays & events guide
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Fes city overview
Fes is Morocco's spiritual and intellectual capital, home to Fes el-Bali, the world's largest car-free urban medina and a UNESCO World Heritage site. First-time visitors should enter through Bab Boujloud, watch hides being dyed at the Chouara Tannery, and admire the carved cedar of the Bou Inania Madrasa. Fes-Saiss Airport sits a short drive away, and the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music draws visitors each spring.
City facts
Airport baseFes-Saiss Airport (FEZ)
Known forFes el-Bali, Al Quaraouiyine, Bou Inania Madrasa, Chouara Tannery
RegionMoroccoMorocco
Time zoneAfrica/Casablancalocal time
Founded788historical origin
City history
During the rule of the Idrisid dynasty (788 to 974), Fez consisted of two cities: Fās, founded by Idris I, and al-ʿĀliyá, founded by his son, Idris II.
His son, Idris II, built a settlement called al-ʿĀliyá on the opposing river bank in 809 and moved his capital here from Walili (Volubilis).
The two cities were united in 1070 and the name Fās was used for the combined site. Foundation and the Idrisids The city was first founded in 789 as Madinat Fas on the southeast.
It was only when the founder of the 'Alawi dynasty, Moulay Rashid, took Fez in 1666 that the city saw a revival and became the capital again, albeit briefly.
Towards the end of World War II, Moroccan nationalists gathered in Fez to draft a demand for independence which they submitted to the Allies on 11 January 1944.
In 1963 the University of Al-Qarawiyyin was reorganized as a state university, while a new public university, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, was founded in 1975 in the Ville Nouvelle.
Other structures built in his time included hammams (bathhouses), mosques, and the first bridges over the Oued Bou Khrareb (mostly rebuilt in later eras).
Although the capital was moved to Marrakesh under the Almoravids, Fez acquired a reputation for Maliki legal scholarship and remained an important centre of trade and industry.
Under the Marinids, many of the principal monuments in the medina were built and the city established its reputation as an important intellectual centre.
This led to the Battle of Wadi al-Makhazin (also known as Battle of the Three Kings) in which Abd al-Malik's army defeated an invading Portuguese army, ensuring Moroccan independence.
He also restored or rebuilt what became known as the Kasbah an-Nouar, which became the living quarters of his followers from the Tafilalt region (the 'Alawi dynasty's ancestral home).
He immediately built a separate fortified palace in the countryside, Dar Dbibegh, where he resided instead.
New gardens and summer palaces, used by the royals and the capital's high society, were built within the corridor, such as the Jnan Sbil Gardens and the Dar Batha palace.
The Ville Nouvelle also became known as Dar Dbibegh by Moroccans, as the former palace of Moulay Abdallah was located in the same area.
Worth seeing
Fes el-Bali
Fes el-Bali is a named stop in Fes worth keeping on the route when it fits the day's transport, timing and neighborhood plan.
Al Quaraouiyine
Al Quaraouiyine is a named stop in Fes worth keeping on the route when it fits the day's transport, timing and neighborhood plan.
Bou Inania Madrasa
Bou Inania Madrasa is a named stop in Fes worth keeping on the route when it fits the day's transport, timing and neighborhood plan.
Chouara Tannery
Chouara Tannery is a named stop in Fes worth keeping on the route when it fits the day's transport, timing and neighborhood plan.
Bab Bou Jeloud
Bab Bou Jeloud is a named stop in Fes worth keeping on the route when it fits the day's transport, timing and neighborhood plan.
Nejjarine Museum
Nejjarine Museum is a key Fes culture stop, useful for understanding local history, collections and rainy-day planning near the main sightseeing route.
Stay overview
Stay inside Fes el-Bali in a converted riad for the most atmospheric first visit, close to Bab Boujloud and the Chouara Tannery, or choose Ville Nouvelle for modern hotels and easier road access. Batha offers a useful middle ground near the gardens and museums.
Hotels & areas
Riads inside Fes el-Bali offer the most memorable stays, steps from the tannery and madrasas, while Ville Nouvelle's hotels suit travelers wanting modern comforts, parking and a wider dining scene beyond the medina walls.
Fes el-Bali
Fes el-Bali is the ancient walled medina, a UNESCO-listed maze of souks, mosques and workshops best explored on foot or with a guide.
Best for: history, souks, walkingCompare staysFes el-Jdid
Fes el-Jdid is the 13th-century royal quarter next to the old medina, home to the Royal Palace gates and the historic Jewish Mellah.
Best for: history, palace viewsCompare staysVille Nouvelle
Ville Nouvelle is the French-built new town, with modern hotels, restaurants and wider streets away from the medina's crowds.
Best for: modern hotels, dining, easy parkingCompare staysBatha
Batha sits at the medina's edge near the Dar Batha museum and Jnan Sbil Gardens, a convenient base close to both old and new town.
Best for: convenience, gardens, museumsCompare staysFlights & airports
Fes-Saiss Airport (FEZ) arrival plan
- Fes-Saiss Airport (FEZ)Fes-Saiss Airport, Fes, Morocco
Fes-Saiss Airport lies about 15 kilometres south of the city; taxis and hotel transfers cover the short ride into the medina or Ville Nouvelle.
Rental cars
Fes day-trip car use
A rental car is unnecessary and impractical inside the medina's narrow lanes, though useful for day trips into the Middle Atlas once parked outside the old city.
Compare rental carsTravel tips
Hire a medina guide
Fes el-Bali's medina has thousands of winding lanes, so a licensed guide saves time and helps avoid unofficial 'guides' near the gates.
Visit the tannery mid-morning
See the Chouara Tannery from a surrounding leather shop's terrace mid-morning, when the dye pits are most active and the light is best.
Book a riad early
Reserve a riad inside the medina well ahead during the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music, when accommodation fills quickly.
Comfortable shoes matter
Keep the Fes plan compact: group nearby sights together and leave enough time for transfers, meals and weather changes.
Nearby ideas
Ruins
Volubilis
Volubilis, a well-preserved Roman archaeological site, makes a rewarding half-day trip from Fes through the surrounding countryside.
Nature
Ifrane
Ifrane, a cedar-forested Middle Atlas town nicknamed 'Morocco's Switzerland', is a cool-climate day trip from Fes.
Upcoming events
No upcoming Fes events in the shared event index yet.