Do you have plans to visit Fes? In this blog, to help you make the most of your trip, I have put together this explore Fes in 2 Days itinerary, to help you get the best visitor experience from the attractions in this incredible city.
On the north-west coast of Africa lies the Kingdom of Morocco, and its four imperial cities of Fes, Marrakesh, Meknes and Rabat.
With its old town area (the medina) declared a world heritage site, Fes, the oldest and second largest of these imperial cities, is becoming an increasingly popular visitor destination for those wanting to experience the history and culture of this fascinating city.
I have visited Fes several times and know what will make your stay unforgettable.
Although I’m very much a ‘do your own thing’ kind of explorer, for Fes, guided tours are the way to go, to glean a deeper historical insight into many of the sights and attractions.
Related post: Where to stay in Fes
Fes in 2 Days: Day 1
Bab Bou Jeloud (the Blue Gate)
If you plan to visit Fes Medina (who doesn’t), you will likely pass through this arched gate.
Bab Bou Jeloud is located on the western edge of the medina (old town), around a pleasant 1.5km stroll through winding paved streets to Nejjarine Square. It makes for a pleasant way to begin your 2 days in Fes exploration.
Built originally by the Almohad dynasty in the 12th century, it was rebuilt in 1913 by French colonialists, providing a more symmetrical structure. Its three arches are covered with blue and green mosaic tiles, blue on the outside for Fes, and green on the inside for Islam.
Approaching the gate, there are plenty of small cafes where you can stop, do a little people watching and take a few selfies before strolling through the gate to the medina.
Talaa Kebira and Talaa Seghira (The Great Slope and Little Slope)
Walking through Bab Bou Jeloud into the old town area of Fes is like walking back in time to the 8th century.
One of the oldest medinas in the world, the area is a maze of narrow, twisting streets, alleyways, historic Islamic architecture, open-fronted shops and numerous souks (market stalls).
Just a short walk from Bab Bou Jeloud, you will find Talaa Kebira, the main street in the medina. A little further on, running roughly parallel to Talaa Kebira, you will come across the slightly smaller Talaa Seghira Street.
They are the two main market streets in the medina, and Talaa Kebira runs from Bab Bou Jeloud in the west of the medina to al-Attarine Madrasa in the east.
Along both streets are shops and businesses, cafes, restaurants and souks selling everything from souvenirs and trinkets to carpets, Morocco’s famous leather goods, precious metals, jewellery, spices, local vegetables, ceramics, cosmetics, herbal medicines and much more.
Don’t forget during your 2 days in Fes, haggling is expected in the souks, and a fun element can be achieved by trying to buy goods for the cheapest price against your fellow travellers.
Bou Inania Madrasa
Bou Inania Madrasa still operates as a congregational mosque, as well as a centre of learning.
Firstly, what is a madrasa? A madrasa is a school or college of learning. Not just learning the Quran, but also religion-related subjects such as astrology, algebra, calligraphy and Islamic religious law.
What makes Bou Inania Madrasa unique is that its building included the construction of an accompanying mosque. Generally, madrasas were built close to an existing mosque, and the two would interact.
When Bou Inania was built between 1351 and 1357, there was no nearby mosque, so it was decided to include one in the college.
Unfortunately, because Bou Inania Madrasa continues to operate for religious services, access for non-Muslim visitors is restricted to the ground floor courtyard.
However, the elegance of this dramatic building, with its seamless blending of marble, ceramics, timber and stucco, will make your visit worthwhile.
If Bou Inania Madrasa has piqued your interest for more, a few madrasas around the area are fully open to visitors.
Rainbow Street
If you’ve entered the medina via the Bab Bou Jeloud, Rainbow Street is just a short two-minute walk.
More an alleyway than a road, Rainbow Street links the two main market streets of Talaa Kebira and Talaa Seghira.
It is an atmospheric, narrow side street, with walls covered by bright, glazed ceramic tiles and paintings – and traders, artists, craftsmen and visitors jostling to buy and sell their unique wares.
If you’re unsure and have Google Maps, tap in ‘Rainbow Street Fes Medina’ and it will guide you to it.
It is also a popular stop-off with social media gurus, all vying for that unique snap using Rainbow Street as a backdrop.
University of Al-Qarawiyyin
About a 10-minute walk from the medina along the Rue Quetanine, will get you to the University of Al-Qarawiyyin.
A mosque with associated madrasa, the university was founded in 859 by Fatima al-Fihri and became a major education and spiritual centre throughout the Muslim sphere.
It is considered to be the oldest operating educational university in the world.
However, a certain amount of controversy exists around this claim, with the Zaytouna mosque school in Tunis being built in 703.
The mosque has 14 gates, 270 columns and can hold 20,000 students/ worshipers. It also has a minaret dating back to the 10th century.
Courses at Al-Qarawiyyin University include religious Islamism, sciences, classical Arab grammar, linguistics, French, English and IT. It was absorbed into Morocco’s university system in 1963.
Unfortunately, it is another complex closed to non-Muslims.
Al-Attarine Madrasa
In the heart of the Fes medina sits another 14th-century madrasa, this one constructed by Sultan Abu Said Uthman II in 1325.
Located close to, and an annexe of the Al Qarawiyyin Mosque & University, students used both facilities when pursuing their religious studies of the Quran.
The madrasa’s name, Al-Attarine, is taken from the one-time nearby souk Attarine, which specialised in selling spices and perfumes right up to the 20th century.
The central courtyard, with its marble fountain, is famous for its traditional motifs, stuccoes, wood carvings, and mosaics, which were carved by Berber artisans of the time.
The mosque’s mihrab, which indicates the direction of Mecca to the faithful, is flanked by decorative columns of onyx.
As this madrasa no longer houses students, it is open to all visitors who want to explore the upper rooms. Entrance fee to the interior is 20 dirhams in cash.
Al-Attarine Madrasa is one of the most popular attractions in Fes Medina and well worth a visit.
Moulay Idris II Mausoleum
Located on Marche Verte Square, the Moulay Idris II Mausoleum was built between 1717 and 1824, in honour of Moulay Idriss II, whose reign ran from 807 to 828. He was also recognised as the principal founder of Fes in 810 and is the city’s patron saint.
The mausoleum grounds also contain a mosque, which is considered one of the holiest places in Morocco and is used for religious and civic ceremonies.
The area around the mausoleum is known as a ‘Sacred District’, and although it is open 24 hours a day, only Muslims can access the compound beyond the forecourt.
Like many civic and religious buildings of the time, construction featured liberal use of stucco, mosaics and glazed tiles.
Funduq al-Najjariyyin (The Wood Carving Museum)
Built in 1711 as a desert travellers’ rest place (caravanserai), Funduq al-Najjariyyin is located in Fes medina on Nejjarine Square, next to a pretty 19th-century fountain.
In the early 20th century it was commissioned as the district’s central police station until, in 1998, it was fully restored and became the Wood Carving Museum.
The exterior of the building is a remarkable work of art, with carved cedar wood panels, basic geometric shapes, and impressive tiling. Moroccan craftsmen had a countywide reputation for their wood carving, and visiting this museum will highlight some of the best.
The building is split, with the ground floor exhibiting a collection of woodworkers’ tools through the centuries.
And the first floor displaying a collection of traditional furniture and other woodwork, including prayer beads, doors, chests, wooden musical instruments and boards used by students studying the Quran.
To complete your visit, the museum has a pleasant rooftop café where you can enjoy a mint tea and snack as you gaze over the Fes skyline.
Chouara Tannery
If you intend to splash out on any leather goods during your 2 days in Fes, wait until you visit the Chouara Tannery, and you will enjoy considerable savings.
Chouara Tannery is the largest and possibly oldest of tanneries dotted around Fes. Situated in the oldest part of the Fes Medina, near the Saffarin Madrasa at 21 Chouara Street, the tannery dates back to the 13th century.
Leather tanning in Morocco is a labour-intensive industry that has changed little over the last 900-plus years. Even today, the process uses no machinery. It is a real eye-opener and gives you a better idea of why genuine, hand-made Moroccan leather goods are so expensive in your local high street stores.
You will be able to watch the complete tanning process, from the cleaning and purifying of the skins to the colouring and curing of the leather.
Most of the buildings surrounding the tannery are leather-related, from designer studios to manufacturers to retailers, and you can have some fun haggling for the best price for your chosen item.
Probably the first thing you will become aware of as you approach the tannery is the rather pungent smell that gets stronger as you get closer.
It is caused by the numerous different animal skins drying in the sun, as well as some of the various ingredients added to some of the tanning processes. Think quicklime, cow urine, ash, salt, water and pigeon droppings.
To help alleviate the problem, you will be offered a sprig of mint to sniff when you enter the complex. My personal go-to is to suck a couple of strong mints and breathe through my mouth rather than my nose.
Seffarine Square
While the powerful smell might draw you to Chouara Tannery, the rhythmic sound of beating hammers on copper will likely draw you to Seffarine Square.
Constructed in the Middle Ages and located in Fes Medina just south of the Qarawiyyin Mosque, Seffarine Square is the centre of the artisan coppersmiths trade and other crafts in Fes.
As you stroll the craft market (souk), you can watch the copper artisans making and repairing cooking pots, frying pans, teapots, kitchen utensils, and the large cooking cauldrons rented out for large festivals.
Around the square you will also find the library of Al Qaraouiyine University, the Seffarine Madrasa and some popular cafes where you can stop and watch the locals going about their business.
Rcif Square
Place Rcif, or Rcif Square, was built in the mid-20th century to provide easier access to the medina.
The Fes Medina is recognised as the largest pedestrianised area in the world (including donkeys and carts), and the square is the closest you can get by car.
The big attraction for visitors touring Fes in 2 days is the Rcif Mosque and its tall minaret – said to be one of the tallest in Fes.
The mosque was constructed in the 18th century and is on the western edge of the square. Its name translates to ‘Mosque of the Paved Road’.
When unrest over French colonialism erupted in 1937, the Place R’cif became a focal gathering point for protestors, and it is said over 1500 marched from the mosque into the city.
It is also well placed for you to get to the main market areas in the medina.
Al Andalus neighborhood
The Mosque of Andalusia, in the old Fes Medina, was built between 859 and 860 and is one of the most important historical mosques in the old city of Fes. It sits in a neighbourhood once renowned for its high volume of Andalusian immigrants, hence its name.
Although various renovations and expansions have occurred over the centuries, the last being in the 14th century, it remains one of the few buildings surviving from the Idrisid Dynasty (789-926).
Surrounded by shops and artisan businesses, as you approach the entrance, you will find a large marble courtyard. The exterior decoration of whitewashed walls and green roofs resembles other mosques and madrasas of the same period located around the city.
Souks – Moroccan markets or market stalls
If your weekends at home include visiting the local Saturday market or the Sunday car boot sale, you will fall in love with Fes’s old town district.
Souks are one of the best ways to get up close and personal with the local culture. All over the medina, you will find noisy, vibrant and colourful large markets, small markets, specialist markets and general markets where you can buy souvenirs, or seek out that special memento to take home.
The following are a few of the most popular souks and what they sell.
- Attarine Souk: metal goods (pots and pans etc), leather goods, perfumes and spices.
- Henna Souk: At the Talaa Kebira Road, you will find the Henna Souk, selling a range of natural cosmetics, including Henna, a reddish/brown dye which is used by Moroccan women to decorate their hands and hair during traditional celebrations.
- Sekkatine Souk: Famous as the go-to souk for the locals, selling everything required for mules, donkeys and horses, from feed to tack.
- Nejjarine Souk: Close to the Wood Carving Museum, this souk specialises in all aspects of wood carving, from decorative to practical, and you can watch the craftsmen working on their latest pieces. (Nejjarine in Arabic means cabinetmaker).
- Chemainn Souk: Originally a souk of candle makers, many of the stalls today specialise in ingredients used in traditional Moroccan cooking, such as peanuts, walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, dates and spices.
- Achebine Souk: Located by the Blue Gate entrance to the medina, this souk specialises in the sale of poultry and game birds.
So ends a tiring but satisfying day 1 of our 2 days in Fes. Time to relax with a beer in the hotel lounge, and plan tomorrow’s itinerary.
Fes in 2 Days: Day 2
Garden Jnan Sbil
Also known as Bou Jeloud Garden, this welcoming green space offers a pleasant, fresh air break from the often hot and sticky streets and alleys of the medina and allows the kids to burn off that pent-up energy.
Situated on open ground between Fes el-jdid and Fes el-Bali the garden was commissioned by Sultan Moulay Hassan I in the late 1800s, to complement his summer palaces.
Initially a private garden for the Sultan, family and guests, it was accessed via an underground tunnel until 1917, when it was opened to the public.
Jnan Sbil is popular with visitors and locals. It is home to over 3,000 plant species, mature palms and cacti, as well as relaxing, tinkling fountains, ornate pools, ancient water wheels, and several secondary gardens such as the Mexican Garden, the Andalusian Garden and the Bamboo Garden.
The gardens also host the annual World Sacred Music Festival and are open to all.
The Mellah – the old Jewish Quarter of Fes
If you are enjoying a time-out in Jnan Sbil Gardens, you are not that far from the Mellah, the old Jewish Quarter in Fes.
Well worth a visit during your 2 days in Fes, the Mellah was originally a walled area constructed in the 15th century to protect the growing number of Jews fleeing persecution in Europe. Other cities in Morocco, such as Marrakech, were also building similar Mellahs.
Finding it difficult to integrate, the Jews gathered in the one area under the protection of the Sultan, and had their own hierarchy and rules within the protected district.
During your visit to the old Jewish Quarter, be sure to check out the 17th-century Danan Synagogue and the Jewish cemetery, which is the largest in Morocco.
You will also find several small markets, antique shops, a gold market and the Museum of Moroccan Judaism.
The Royal Palace of Fes (Dar el Makhzen)
Originally home to the ruling Sultan, high walls protect the 80-hectare site of The Royal Palace. Built in the Marinid dynasty during the 13th century, the palace is still used by today’s Moroccan royalty whenever they visit Fes.
Although expanded and repaired over the centuries, it remains a symbol of the country’s impressive architectural and decorative style.
Like most royal palaces in Morocco, the interior is closed to the public. Nonetheless, there are numerous vantage points, such as the Place des Alaouites, where you can appreciate the grandeur and beauty of this stunning building.
You can spend some time admiring its massive doors made from bronze with an ornate design and take some photographs.
The Marinid Tombs – and some of the best views of Fes
High on a hill overlooking the busy city of Fes sit the ruins of the Marinid Tombs.
Other than archaeologists calculating that they were built during the Marinid dynasty (hence the name) circa the 14th century, little is known about who was laid to rest here.
The Marinid Sultans ruled over Morocco from the early 13th century to the 15th century, and it is believed that the burial tomb housed deceased Sultans.
Although much of the tomb is in ruins, its location, and the fact it has managed to retain its secrets over the centuries, add an aura of mystery for its visitors.
A plus for visitors is its high elevation above the town, which provides excellent views across the Fes skyline and offers some fantastic photo opportunities.
It is also a popular evening spot with both locals and visitors arriving to film the sun setting as it passes over the medina below.
Borj Nord – Museum of Arms
Borj Nord was built as a fortress in 1582, by the Sultan Ahmed Al Mansour, to overlook and monitor the increasing population of Fes. It was the first of several forts constructed around the Fes perimeter to watch an increasingly hostile populace.
In 1963, the Borj Nord was converted to the Museum of Arms, which displays over 5,000 items from 35 countries stretching from prehistoric times to the 20th century.
A number of the exhibits are of Moroccan origin, with many being made in the arms factory located by the Royal Palace. It also contains a Saadian cannon fired in anger at the Battle of Three Kings in 1578.
Dar Batha Museum
The Dar Batha Museum is housed in a palace once owned by two Sultans, and built at the end of the 19th century.
An outstanding example of Moorish-Hispanic architecture, the palace is located at Place du Batha and the museum is open to the public from Wednesday to Monday, 9.00am to 5.00pm.
One of the most comprehensive collections of Moroccan arts and crafts in one place, the permanent exhibition includes Fassie artwork in the form of embroidery, intricately patterned tilework (zellij), sculptures, ironworks, ceramics, carpets, leatherwork, antiques, astrolabes (used in early astrology) and gold thread (aleju).
The collection dates from the early 14th century to modern day.
The Museum of Moroccan Art is a top-rated visitor attraction, and after your tour, you can walk the gardens and enjoy a mint tea or coffee in the pretty café.
The Glaoui Palace
Located at 1 Rue Hamia Douh, in the Fes Medina, the Glaoui Palace is one of a few remaining that highlights the past wealth of the Moroccan elite.
It was built in the late 19th century by the Glaoui family. After Moroccan independence in 1956, everything fell apart, and today, nobody is really sure who even owns the palace, which probably accounts for its poor state of repair.
Nonetheless, its opulence still shines through with its stucco work, elaborate cedarwood doors and carved balconies.
The surrounding grounds and gardens are extensive, with over a dozen houses, hammams (steam baths), a cemetery and stables. There is also a pool, fountain and religious school on the estate.
The palace is open seven days a week from 09.00am to 05.00pm. There is also a guide at the palace who will offer a guided tour for a small fee.
Best time to visit Fes
If you’ve never visited North Africa, the best time weatherwise is from March through May or September through November. The wet season generally runs from December through March, although nothing as extreme as many Asian countries.