Top 15 Things to Do in Fes

Last updated: April 2026

Fes rewards patience and time in a way that few other Moroccan destinations do. The medina is the largest car-free urban area in the world and getting properly lost in it, in the good sense, is part of the point. A list of fifteen things to do here is almost a contradiction: the real value of Fes is time without an agenda, following lanes and sounds and smells rather than a route.

That said, specific things are worth seeking out deliberately. The tanneries require approaching from the right terrace. The Bou Inania Madrasa requires arriving before the tour groups. The mechoui market works best in the first hour after it opens. What follows is the selective list.

1. Bab Boujloud: The Blue Gate and First Steps

The blue-and-green Almohad gate at the western entrance to Fes el-Bali is the standard starting point. The mosaic tiles show green on the city-facing side (green is the colour of Islam) and blue on the outside. From here the main medina artery, Tala’a Kebira, descends east into the heart of the old city. Walk down it slowly for the first time without any specific destination.

2. The Chouara Tannery

The best-known image of Fes and one of the defining images of Morocco. The stone vats of the working tannery are visible from the terraces of the leather shops above. Morning visits are best for activity and light. The leather shops will let you onto the terrace expecting a purchase; you are not obligated to buy but the viewing access is genuinely worth 15 minutes of browsing leather goods.

3. Bou Inania Madrasa

The 14th-century Merinid theological college near the blue gate is the finest piece of Islamic architecture open to non-Muslim visitors in Fes. The courtyard, carved plaster, geometric tilework, and carved cedarwood are at the level of the Alhambra in technical achievement. Arrive at opening time to see it in quiet; by 10am tour groups make a meditative experience impossible.

4. Al Qarawiyyin Mosque Complex

Founded in 859 AD and one of the world’s oldest continuously operating universities, the Qarawiyyin complex is not accessible to non-Muslims but the exterior and the surrounding lanes are remarkable. The scale of the mosque footprint visible from the surrounding streets gives some sense of the institution’s historical significance.

5. The Mechoui Market

A lane near Rcif Square has a row of mechoui shops where whole slow-roasted lamb is served by weight, eaten with bread and cumin salt at small communal tables. This is where Fes residents eat mechoui, not the tourist restaurants. Arrive shortly after the shops open, around 11am, when the lamb is fresh.

6. The Nejjarine Fountain and Fondouk

The 18th-century caravanserai at Place Nejjarine, near the wood-carvers’ souk, has been restored into a small museum of wooden craft and artisanal tools. The building itself, three stories of carved cedarwood galleries around a central courtyard, is worth the admission. The fountain in the square outside is one of the finest in the medina.

7. Pastilla at a Traditional Restaurant

Fes is the home of pastilla and eating a proper pigeon or chicken pastilla in one of the riad restaurants is an experience that justifies a dedicated dinner reservation. The combination of flaky warka pastry, meat, egg, and almond filling finished with powdered sugar is unlike anything else in Moroccan cuisine. Call ahead; most places require advance orders for the full version.

8. Fes el-Jdid and the Royal Palace Gates

The ceremonial gold-and-green brass doors of the Royal Palace in Fes el-Jdid are among the most photographed in Morocco. The palace is not open to visitors but the plaza in front of the gates is grand and spacious. The Jewish mellah adjacent to the palace has some of the best-preserved historic architecture in the medina.

9. The Dyers’ Souk (Souk Sabbaghin)

The dyers’ quarter near the tanneries shows skeins of freshly dyed wool in vivid colors hung to dry across the lane overhead. It is a working craft area rather than a display. The color combinations and the physical contrast with the stone walls around them make it one of the most visually striking parts of the medina.

10. Harira and Bissara for Breakfast

The street food breakfast in Fes is one of the best in Morocco. Small vendors near the Rcif area serve harira (the tomato and lamb soup), bissara (fava bean soup with olive oil), and sfenj (fried dough rings) from before 8am. The entire breakfast costs under 20 MAD and is more useful energy than any riad’s continental spread.

11. A Riad for the Architecture

Even if you are not staying in a riad in Fes, visiting one that opens to guests for tea gives access to the architectural logic of how these houses work: blank exterior, courtyard interior, fountain at the centre, galleries above. Some of the best-restored riads in Fes offer afternoon tea visits. Ask your guide or hotel for a recommendation.

12. The Ville Nouvelle

The French-built modern town outside the medina walls is where you go for a proper sit-down dinner with wine, a consistent espresso, and a walk under tree-lined boulevards. Avenue Hassan II and the surrounding streets have a relaxed café and restaurant scene that provides a useful palate cleanser after the intensity of the medina.

13. Pottery Workshop in Ain Khail

The pottery district of Fes, on the road toward the Sahara, has workshops where you can watch the full production process from wheel to kiln. The distinctive blue-and-white Fes pottery (using cobalt from the region) is available at the workshop directly, often at lower prices than the medina shops. Take a petit taxi.

14. Merenid Tombs View at Sunset

The Merinid Tombs on the hill above the medina are themselves modest ruins but the panoramic view of Fes el-Bali below, with the minarets and the sea of terracotta rooftops, is the best elevated view of the medina available. Worth the 20-minute walk uphill for the golden hour light.

15. A Day Trip to Meknes and Volubilis

Meknes, 60 kilometres west of Fes, is a quieter imperial city with Bou Inania Madrasa, a Royal Granary, and a medina that is almost entirely tourist-free compared to Fes. Combining it with a visit to the nearby Roman ruins of Volubilis, the best-preserved Roman site in Morocco, makes an excellent day trip. Grand taxis from Fes to Meknes take about 45 minutes.

Planning Your Fes Medina Visit

The Fes medina rewards slow exploration over a minimum of two days. On day one, enter through Bab Boujloud and follow the main route (Talaa Kebira) downhill, stopping at Bou Inania Madrasa, the dyers’ souk, and the Chouara Tannery. End at the Nejjarine Fountain and the woodworking museum. This covers the main sights and gives you a mental map of the medina’s structure.

Day two is for getting lost on purpose. Turn off the main arteries into residential neighborhoods where the tourists thin out and the real life of the medina reveals itself: children playing in alleyways, bread being delivered on wooden trays to communal ovens, artisans hammering copper in tiny workshops. Carry water, a charged phone, and a sense of humor. You will be lost. That is the point.

The tannery viewing terraces are accessed through leather shops, and the shopkeepers will offer you a sprig of mint to hold under your nose against the smell. They will also expect you to look at their goods afterward. You are not obligated to buy, but browsing politely for a few minutes is the unspoken exchange for access to the terrace and the photos.

Accuracy note: Regulations, procedures, and practical information in Morocco can change. This article is a general guide only. Verify current requirements with the relevant authorities or institutions before making decisions.