15 Best Things to Do in Fes, Morocco (2026 Local’s Guide)

15 Best Things to Do in Fes, Morocco (2026 Local’s Guide)

Fes is Morocco’s most captivating city and the one that rewards curious travellers most generously. While Marrakech has its spectacle and Chefchaouen its colours, Fes has something rarer: depth. A 1,200-year-old medina where life continues much as it always has, extraordinary Islamic architecture, world-class craftsmanship, and a food scene that is the envy of the entire country.

In this guide, you’ll find the 15 best things to do in Fes from the iconic landmarks every visitor should see, to the hidden experiences only locals know about. Written by a local Morocco travel expert, with real opening hours, entrance fees, and insider tips.

Quick Facts: Visiting Fes Attractions

• Best area for sightseeing: Fes el-Bali (the old medina) UNESCO World Heritage Site
• How to get around: On foot only inside the medina it is entirely car-free
• Best time to sightsee: Morning (8–11 AM) before the heat and crowds arrive
• Licensed guide cost: 200–300 MAD for a half day (~$20–30)
• Most entrance fees: 10–30 MAD ($1–3) very affordable
• Recommended visit length: Minimum full days for the highlights

1. Explore Fes el-Bali – The Ancient Medina

The medina of Fes el-Bali is the single greatest reason to visit this city. Founded in 789 AD, it is the world’s largest car-free urban area and one of the best-preserved medieval cities on earth. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981, it contains over 9,000 narrow alleys, 300 mosques, and a population of several hundred thousand people living and working as they have for centuries.

Simply wandering getting deliberately lost is the best way to experience it. Donkeys carry goods through streets too narrow for any vehicle. Artisans work in open workshops, hammering copper, weaving carpets, and hand-painting ceramics. The sounds, smells, and textures are unlike anything else in the world.

💡 Local Tip: For your first day, hire a licensed guide (ask your riad never accept street offers). After one guided morning, you’ll have the confidence and orientation to explore independently. The two main arteries Talaa Kebira and Talaa Seghira both lead back to Bab Bou Jeloud if you get lost.

• Location: Fes el-Bali enter via Bab Bou Jeloud
• Hours: Open 24 hours best visited 8 AM–6 PM
• Entrance: Free
• Time needed: 2–3 full days to explore properly

2. Visit the Chouara Tanneries

The Chouara Tanneries are the most iconic image of Fes and one of the most extraordinary sights in all of Morocco. Dating back to the 11th century, these are the world’s oldest leather tanneries still in operation, using methods almost completely unchanged for over a thousand years.

Leather hides are soaked in white chalk to remove hair, then transferred to stone vats filled with natural dyes: poppy for red, indigo for blue, saffron for yellow, mint for green, and cedarwood for brown. The result is Morocco’s world-famous leather sold in every souk in the country.

The best view is from the leather shop terraces above the tanneries most shops allow free access to their terrace if you browse. A sprig of fresh mint is often handed to visitors to counteract the strong smell of the dye vats.

• Location: Hay Lablida quarter, Fes el-Bali
• Best time: Morning (8–11 AM) the colours are brightest and workers most active
• Entrance: Free (via leather shop terraces)
• Time needed: 30–45 minutes
• Tip: Avoid visiting after heavy rain the vats smell significantly worse

3. Visit Bou Inania Madrasa

The Bou Inania Madrasa is the finest example of Marinid Islamic architecture in Morocco and one of the most beautiful buildings on the African continent. Built between 1350 and 1357 AD as a theological college, it showcases three distinct layers of decoration that leave every visitor breathless:

• The lower third: intricate zellij tilework in geometric patterns of blue, white, and green
• The middle section: carved stucco plasterwork with calligraphy and arabesque patterns
• The upper third: hand-carved cedar wood screens and window grilles

The central courtyard with its marble fountain, the students’ cells arranged over two floors, and the carved wooden minbar (pulpit) are all extraordinary. This is the most accessible religious monument in Fes for non-Muslim visitors.

• Location: Talaa Kebira, Fes el-Bali
• Hours: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM (closed during prayer times)
• Entrance: 20 MAD (~$2)
• Time needed: 30–45 minutes

4. See the Bab Bou Jeloud (Blue Gate)

The Bab Bou Jeloud popularly known as the Blue Gate is the most photographed landmark in Fes and the main ceremonial entrance to Fes el-Bali. Built in 1913, it is decorated with stunning tilework in two colours that carry deep symbolism: blue on the exterior (the colour of Fes) and green on the interior (the colour of Islam).

The gate frames the beginning of Talaa Kebira, the medina’s main artery, and the view through it towards the minarets beyond is one of Morocco’s great photographic moments.

• Location: Western entrance of Fes el-Bali
• Hours: Always accessible
• Entrance: Free
• Tip: Best photographed at golden hour arrive 30 minutes before sunset for the warmest light

5. Discover Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque & University

Founded in 859 AD by Fatima al-Fihri, Al-Qarawiyyin is recognised by UNESCO and the Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest continuously operating university. It predates Oxford by over 300 years. The mosque itself can accommodate 22,000 worshippers and is one of the largest in Africa.

Non-Muslims cannot enter the mosque or university, but the experience of standing at the ornate doorways hearing the call to prayer echo across the medina, glimpsing the carved plasterwork and tiled courtyards within is profoundly moving. A licensed guide will bring the 1,200-year history to life.

• Location: Heart of Fes el-Bali, near Rcif Square
• Hours: Viewable from outside at any time
• Entrance: Free (exterior only for non-Muslims)
• Tip: Visit during the call to prayer (adhan) for an unforgettable atmospheric experience

6. Walk Through the Mellah – Jewish Quarter

The Mellah is Fes’s historic Jewish quarter, established in the 15th century and one of the oldest Jewish quarters in Morocco. It offers a fascinating counterpoint to the Islamic medina: distinctive balconied architecture, narrower streets with European influences, and a layered history of Sephardic Jewish, Moroccan, and Andalusian culture.

Highlights include the Ibn Danan Synagogue (one of Morocco’s oldest, beautifully restored) and the Jewish cemetery. The Mellah is now predominantly Muslim but has been carefully preserved as a cultural heritage site.

• Location: Adjacent to the Royal Palace, Fes el-Jdid
• Hours: Ibn Danan Synagogue: 8 AM – 5 PM (closed Saturday)
• Entrance: 10 MAD for the synagogue
• Time needed: 1–1.5 hours

7. Admire the Royal Palace Doors (Dar el-Makhzen)

The Royal Palace of Fes is one of Morocco’s most impressive monuments though as a working royal residence, the interior is closed to the public. What visitors come to see are the seven monumental brass doors, each set within an ornate mosaic facade of hand-cut zellij tilework in gold, blue, and green. The scale and craftsmanship are staggering.

The palace complex covers 80 hectares and its outer walls stretch for kilometres. The main gate square is one of the best photography spots in Fes, particularly in the late afternoon light.

• Location: Place des Alaouites, Fes el-Jdid
• Hours: Exterior always accessible
• Entrance: Free (exterior only)
• Tip: Visit in late afternoon the golden brass doors glow magnificently in the warm light

8. Climb to the Merenid Tombs for Panoramic Views

For the most spectacular panoramic view of Fes, climb to the Merenid Tombs on the hilltop north of the medina. These 14th-century royal mausoleums are partially ruined but the view they command over Fes el-Bali is breathtaking the medina’s sea of rooftops, minarets, and the surrounding hills stretching to the horizon.

This is the best spot in Fes for sunset arrive 45 minutes before dusk and watch the city turn gold.

• Location: North of Fes el-Bali 20 min walk uphill from Bab Guissa
• Hours: Always accessible
• Entrance: Free
• Tip: Take a petit taxi up and walk back down through Bab Guissa into the medina a memorable entry

9. Visit the Nejjarine Museum of Wooden Arts & Crafts

Set inside a beautifully restored 18th-century funduq (a caravanserai historic inn for travelling merchants), the Nejjarine Museum is one of Fes’s hidden gems. It displays an extraordinary collection of traditional Moroccan woodworking: carved furniture, musical instruments, doors, and decorative objects spanning several centuries.

The building itself is as impressive as the collection three levels of carved cedar galleries surrounding a tiled central courtyard with a sculpted fountain. The rooftop terrace café offers excellent views over the medina rooftops.

• Location: Place Nejjarine, Fes el-Bali
• Hours: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (closed Tuesday)
• Entrance: 20 MAD (~$2)
• Time needed: 45–60 minutes

10. Experience a Traditional Hammam

A hammam (Moroccan steam bath) is one of the most authentic cultural experiences you can have in Fes and one that locals genuinely use several times a week. The ritual involves a steam room, a vigorous kessa (exfoliating mitt) scrub that removes dead skin, and a beldi black soap massage.

There are two types in Fes:

• Local neighbourhood hammams: 15–30 MAD authentic, basic, and shared with locals. Ask your riad host to recommend the nearest one and give you a phrase guide.
• Upscale hammams (in riads or spas): 200–500 MAD more comfortable, private, English-speaking staff, full treatment packages available.

💡 Local Tip: Bring your own flip-flops, a change of clothes, and a towel. The hammam experience typically takes 1–1.5 hours. Most hammams have separate hours or sections for men and women.

11. Shop in the Medina Souks

Shopping in Fes is an experience in itself and the quality of craftsmanship here surpasses anything you’ll find in Marrakech’s more touristy souks. Each craft has its own dedicated quarter in the medina:

• Ceramics: The blue-and-white Fassi pottery is world-famous. Visit the pottery district near Bab Ftouh or the cooperative workshops for factory prices.
• Leather: Bags, belts, babouches (slippers), and jackets made from tannery leather. Best bought near the Chouara Tannery district.
• Carpets & Textiles: Hand-woven rugs, kaftans, and djellabahs. The carpet souks near Bab Bou Jeloud have the widest selection.
• Metalwork: Hand-hammered copper and brass lanterns, teapots, and decorative plates. The coppersmiths’ quarter (Seffarine Square) is where artisans work in the open.
• Spices & Argan Oil: The spice souks near Rcif Square sell every spice used in Moroccan cooking, plus argan oil, rose water, and traditional cosmetics.

💡 Bargaining Tips: Bargaining is expected start at 40–50% of the asking price and meet somewhere in the middle. Never feel pressured. Walking away often brings the price down further. Fixed-price cooperatives exist if you prefer not to bargain.

12. Take a Day Trip to Meknes & Volubilis

Just 60 km from Fes, this is the most rewarding day trip from the city and one of the best days you can have in Morocco.

• Meknes: Morocco’s fourth imperial city often overlooked but magnificent. The monumental Bab Mansour gate is one of the finest in North Africa. The medina is smaller and less crowded than Fes, making it easy to explore independently. Allow 2–3 hours.
• Volubilis: Morocco’s finest Roman ruins, a UNESCO World Heritage Site dating to the 3rd century AD. Extraordinary floor mosaics, triumphal arches, and columns rising from a sea of wildflowers (in spring). Allow 1.5–2 hours.

How to do it: Grand taxi from Fes to Meknes (25–35 MAD per seat, 1 hour). From Meknes, hire a grand taxi to Volubilis (150–200 MAD return, including waiting time). Return to Fes by train or taxi.

• Distance: Meknes 60 km, Volubilis 90 km from Fes
• Volubilis entrance: 70 MAD (~$7)
• Full day trip: Depart by 8:30 AM, return by 6:00 PM

13. Visit the Borj Nord Arms Museum

The Borj Nord is a 16th-century Portuguese-built fortress on the hill north of the medina. It now houses an interesting Arms Museum with an impressive collection of historic weapons, armour, and cannons including a cannon reputedly captured from the Portuguese at the Battle of the Three Kings (1578).

But the main reason to visit is the view: from the fortress ramparts, the entire medina of Fes spreads out below you a sea of rooftops, minarets, and the surrounding hills. Combined with the nearby Merenid Tombs walk, this makes for an excellent half-morning excursion.

• Location: North hills above Fes el-Bali
• Hours: 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM (closed Tuesday)
• Entrance: 20 MAD (~$2)
• Time needed: 45–60 minutes

14. Take a Moroccan Cooking Class

One of the best ways to deepen your experience of Fes is to learn to cook its iconic dishes. Several riads and cooking schools offer half-day classes that begin with a guided visit to the medina spice market, followed by hands-on cooking of 3–4 traditional Fassi dishes tagine, couscous, bastilla, and Moroccan salads culminating in eating your creation for lunch.

• Dar Roummana one of Fes’s most respected cooking class venues, run by an experienced Fassi chef
• Fes Cooking School dedicated cooking school with market tours and hands-on classes
• Your riad host many family-run riads offer informal cooking sessions on request

• Price: 350–600 MAD per person (~$35–60)
• Duration: Half day (3–4 hours including market visit)
• Tip: Book at least 2 days in advance classes fill quickly in high season

15. Day Trip to Ifrane & the Cedar Forest of Azrou

For a complete change of scenery, the Middle Atlas mountains are just 60–90 minutes from Fes by grand taxi and the contrast with the ancient medina is extraordinary.

• Ifrane: Morocco’s “Little Switzerland” an anomalous Alpine-style resort town at 1,650m altitude, built by the French Protectorate in the 1930s. Chalets, snow in winter, clean mountain air, and a famous stone lion sculpture in the town centre. Fascinating and surreal.
• Azrou Cedar Forest: A magnificent ancient cedar forest where wild Barbary macaques (Barbary apes) roam freely and approach visitors looking for food. One of Morocco’s most charming wildlife encounters.

• Distance: Ifrane 68 km, Azrou 80 km from Fes
• Transport: Grand taxi Fes–Ifrane: 35–50 MAD per seat
• Cost: No entrance fees free day trip
• Best season: Spring and autumn winter brings snow, summer brings cool relief from Fes heat

Top Tips for Sightseeing in Fes

• Start early: Begin sightseeing by 8–9 AM before the heat and tour groups arrive. The medina in the morning is magical.
• Hire a licensed guide for day one: Ask your riad to arrange a licensed guide (never accept street offers). A good guide transforms your understanding of everything you see.
• Wear comfortable shoes: You will walk 8–15 km per day on uneven cobblestones. Trainers or comfortable walking shoes are essential.
• Carry cash: Most attractions and medina shops are cash only. ATMs are in Ville Nouvelle withdraw before entering the medina.
• Download Google Maps offline: The medina has no clear street addresses. Offline maps are your most reliable navigation tool.
• Dress modestly: Shoulders and knees covered out of genuine respect for a religious city, not just as a rule.
• Carry water: Especially in summer. Public fountains (sebils) are decorative but not safe to drink from buy bottled water.

Plan Your Complete Fes Trip

• Complete Fes Travel Guide Everything you need to know: getting there, getting around, costs, safety and more
• The 12 Best Places to Stay in Fes Top riads and hotels for every budget
• 15 Best Restaurants in Fes From palace fine dining to cheap local eats, with prices and must-order dishes

Useful Resources

• UNESCO — Medina of Fes World Heritage Site
• TripAdvisor — Fes Attractions & Reviews
• Visit Morocco — Official Fes Tourism Page
• Google Maps — Navigate Fes Medina