One day 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

      Hire an official licensed guide for the first morning to get your bearings, then explore on your own using the main streets as reference lines. Allow A full day.

   2. Late morning

      Chouara Tannery

      Come in the morning when the most work is happening and the colours are brightest; accept the sprig of mint offered against the smell. Allow 45 minutes.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Pastilla

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

   4. Afternoon

      Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque and University

      Look through the main doors from the lane outside without stepping in, and avoid prayer times. Allow 20 minutes.

   5. Late afternoon

      Al-Attarine Madrasa

      Combine it with the Qarawiyyin doorways next door and Place Seffarine a few minutes away. Allow 30–45 minutes.

   6. Evening

      Riad rooftop sunset

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

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 8–10 hours of visiting over one day, 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

• 2 days in Fes
• 3 days in Fes

Questions travellers ask