2 days in Fes

Day by day

1. Day 1: Fes el-Bali medina and Chouara Tannery

   Fes el-Bali medina, Chouara Tannery, Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque and University and Al-Attarine Madrasa, then Riad rooftop sunset in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Fes el-Bali medina

      Each trade has its own quarter, from dyers and coppersmiths to leatherworkers and carpenters.

   2. Late morning

      Chouara Tannery

      Visitors watch from the terraces of the surrounding leather shops, which give access in exchange for a look at their goods.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Pastilla

      Riad restaurants and traditional dining rooms in the medina; often ordered in advance.

   4. Afternoon

      Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque and University

      The mosque is open to Muslims only, but non-Muslims can glimpse its tiled courtyard and fountains through the open doorways.

   5. Late afternoon

      Al-Attarine Madrasa

      Upper floors held student rooms.

   6. Evening

      Riad rooftop sunset

      Watch the medina turn gold as the calls to prayer echo from dozens of minarets.

2. Day 2: Bab Bou Jeloud (Blue Gate) and Bou Inania Madrasa

   Bab Bou Jeloud (Blue Gate), Bou Inania Madrasa, Jnan Sbil Gardens and Royal Palace gates (Dar al-Makhzen), then Courtyard dinner in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Bab Bou Jeloud (Blue Gate)

      Cafés and food stalls cluster just inside.

   2. Late morning

      Bou Inania Madrasa

      Opposite, the remains of a 14th-century water clock hang on the facade of Dar al-Magana.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Bissara

      Small bissara stalls in the medina lanes, mainly in the morning and in winter.

   4. Afternoon

      Jnan Sbil Gardens

      It is a calm, free break from the medina lanes.

   5. Late afternoon

      Royal Palace gates (Dar al-Makhzen)

      The Royal Palace is not open to the public, but its main facade on Place des Alaouites, with seven huge brass doors framed by zellij and carved cedar, is one of the most photographed sights in Fes.

   6. Evening

      Courtyard dinner

      A candlelit multi-course dinner by the fountain of a restored palace riad.

If it rains

• Swap in Nejjarine Museum of Wooden Arts and Crafts (Fes el-Bali): Finish on the rooftop terrace for mint tea and one of the best views in the centre of the medina.
• Swap in Traditional hammam (Fes el-Bali): For a first visit, a riad or spa hammam explains the process; bring flip-flops and a change of underwear for a public one.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 10–12 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.9 hours in December to 14.4 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Walking. Everything inside the medina is on foot; from Bab Bou Jeloud down Talaa Kebira to the Qarawiyyin takes about 20–30 minutes without stops.

More or fewer days

• One day in Fes
• 3 days in Fes

Questions travellers ask