Things to do in Fes
Long the way to the Blue Pearl of Morocco, you will be sightseeing and enjoying some magnificent landscapes, the beauty of Mother Nature and the serenity of the mountains. During Chefchaouen Day trip, you will discover one of the most fascinating features of the blue city. The blue paint is just one aspect that adds to Chefchaouen’s charm. The narrow streets have a European feel to them, but with an obvious Arabic touch. At every turn, at every inch, a photo opportunity awaits.
Much of the old Moroccan architecture remains, although new features have been added over the years. We will guide you through the amazing forests and purity of fresh mountain air. Upon our remarkable Chefchaouen Day Trip, we will show you closely the local handicraft and local buildings made with unique and traditional design that you can find only in Chefchaouen.
Fes is the spiritual capital of Morocco, the leading city in terms of education and intellect and arguably Morocco’s most historically rich and valued city. Fes is one of Morocco’s oldest cities as well, built 12 centuries ago, exactly on 789 by Idriss I, who fled the Abbasids of Baghdad. Fes was made capital in the years to follow by the Merinides and with that it reached its zenith as an intellectual hub and a commerce and industry center. During its Zenith, the Medina of Fes was home to over 500000 residents from diverse ethnicities, with muslims as a majority, there were many jews and turks as well, all living in a harmonious lifestyle that marginalized no group of people.
Today, Fes is still one of the most interesting and important Moroccan cities, a pioneer in traditional handcrafts and Moroccan cuisine. It attracts tourists from all over the world for its vivid history and its landmarks as the Medina is still one of the busiest and most crowded places in Morocco, with a current population of over 300k residents and around 400 riads that are home to foreign guests and visitors.
Here is a list of the top things to do in Fes:
1- Visit the Medina :
The medina of Fes, a world UNESCO heritage site, is the biggest and busiest of all old Medinas in Morocco. It is home to many of Morocco best monuments and to a micro-industrial world like no other. The medina is channeled by a labyrinthine of over 9000 streets with the 2 main streets passing through most of its interesting sections and meeting at its heart. Walking down the main road, Talaa Kbira, you will find the beautiful Coranic school, Medersa Bou Na Nia, which is famous for its lavish tile work and splendid Andalusian architecture. Moving into the heart of the Medina, you’ll find the Qarawiyin university, the first ever university in the world, built by Fatima El-Fihriya in the 11th century, it attracted students and scholars from all over the world.
2- Visit the Tanneries :
As Fes was a commerce center in Morocco. It was widely due to its leather industry. Along with pottery, ceramic, tiling, mosaic, jewelry and clothing, the leather business was a huge business in the Medina of Fes and the tanneries were the hotspots of the industry where the leather is treated and made convenient for the traditional industrials to work with them, creating leather shoes, sandals, bags and many other items. The tanneries do not function in the same capacity they used to, but they still support many families and help create the leather goods we use.
3- Visit a Medersa :
In Fes, there are many schools “Medersa”, which used to teach Quran and Islamic studies like the Bou Na Nia Coranic School, which is an architectural masterpiece that is open for tourists. The Qarawiyin library is open for tourists as well and it was the first ever library in the world where many of old books were translated to Arabic from Greek and Latin. The scholars of the Qarawiyin University went to Al Attarine Medersa as well which was a beautiful school and dormitory.
4- Visit museums :
Museums are the best places in Fes to peruse the details of beautiful handicrafts’ products like the beautiful woodwork masterpieces found at the Nejjarine museum, the traditional dresses, models of tailoring and jewelry of the Batha museum and the traditional arms of various cultures in the museum of the northern tower, which also offers a stunning panoramic view over the whole Medina.
5- Stay at a riad :
Your visit to Fes is incomplete if you do not spend your nights in one of the beautiful riads of the medina, that offer an experience of what it means to live in a traditional Fassi villa. The impressive Andalusian and Arabic architecture, the gorgeous mosaic and delicate tile work of the riads along with the handicrafts decorations, artworks and handmade carpets make the beauty and coziness of a riad irresistible.
6- Visit Jnan Sbil Garden :
During your stay in Fes, you might want to escape the daily hustle and bustle of the medina, for that, Jnan Sbil garden is your refuge. Located by the edge of the Medina, these meticulously manicured lush gardens are a breath of fresh air and serenity. The garden has a small lake in its center and is rich with various species of plants and trees.
7- Go to Hammam :
It is a must to get a relaxing massage and traditional shower in one of the luxurious traditional Hammams and Spas of the Medina.
8- Try local food and get a cooking class :
Food is one of Fes’ specialties, the indigenous home to the delicious Pastilla and prunes tagine. The local Chefs are masters of Moroccan food and would be eager to share their dishes with you and teach you how to cook them.