FEZ
We have put together this brief guide to Fez in order to give you an overview of the main sights in and around the city. Further details can be found in the information pack which you will find on your arrival at DAR 47.
We also recommend the Lonely Planet ‘Fez Encounter Guide’, and ‘Fez from Bab to Bab: Walks in the Medina’. Copies of both of these books can be found in the library at DAR 47 and are available for your use during your stay. Guests are also provided with a complimentary map of the medina.
THE ANCIENT MEDINA of Fez is the largest pedestrianised area in the world. A warren of almost 10,000 streets pulsating with the energy of a working city which has hardly changed for centuries. It is home to 250,000 people, living, working, and learning within its ancient walls. No guidebook can prepare visitors for the sensory assault that awaits them. Sights, sounds, and smells will amaze and sometimes offend.
Below you will find a list of the main sights but simply walking the streets and getting lost for an afternoon is the best way to experience the beguiling atmosphere.
Merenid Tombs
The tombs (on the hillside visible from DAR 47) provide excellent panoramic views over the medina and the wider city, as well as the surrounding olive tree lined hills. Easy uphill walk from Bab Guissa.
Kairaouine Mosque
The important mosque in Morocco built in 857 AD. Non-Muslims are not permitted to enter the mosque, but it has beautifully
decorated exteriors.
Bou Inania Medersa
A breathtaking 14th-century religious college. The best example of Islamic architecture a non-Muslim can see in Fez, with wooden walls elaborately carved with geometric patterns and Arabic calligraphy, and a beautiful minaret.
Water Clock
Part of the Bou Inania religious college on Tala’a Kbira. It has now been restored.
Tanneries
There are a number of tanneries in Fes where leather has been tanned in the traditional way for hundreds of years. The best way to see them is from the terraces at any of the leather shops adjoining the tannery. They will usually give you a sprig for mint as the smell can be overpowering. The easiest tannery to visit is the Chouwara Tannery located close to Seffarine Square – entrance to the leather shops is on Derb Chouwara.
The Mellah
The Jewish Quarter in Fes since the Merenid period. The main street is especially interesting with its balconies and Art Deco zellij mosaic. Don’t miss the Ibn Danan Synagogue, a recently restored 17th century synagogue.
Dar Batha Museum
This Hispano-Moorish palace houses a fine collection of traditional Fez crafts, the most admirable being the country’s famous cobalt blue pottery.
Nejjarine Museum
18th century caravanserai, beautifully restored, housing a fine collection of traditional woodworking.
Belghazi Museum
A large traditional riad converted into a museum of traditional crafts.
Souk al Henna
Originally a psychiatric hospital in the 13th century, this recently-restored square is now a beautiful souk selling henna and pottery.
Seffarine Square
A picturesque square where copper and brass objects are made.
Bab Bou Jeloud
Built in 1913, this blue and green zellij gate marks the entrance to the old medina. The original gate stands next to it.
Palais Mnebbi
A grand 19th century house on Tala’a Sghira. Once the house of the minister of finance and defense, and later of General Lyautey, at the beginning of the Protectorate.
LA VILLE NOUVELLE: Most visitors to Fez only pass through the Ville Nouvelle on their way to and from the airport. Whilst it can’t match the historical intrigue of the Medina it is a pleasant place to spend a few hours. Foodies will enjoy sampling Moroccan cheeses in the Marché Central, or indulging in patisserie at one of the many excellent cafés.
It is also worth stopping at the Ensemble Artisanal. Here you’ll see a range of Moroccan goods on offer which helps as a price comparison when haggling for goods in the medina. There are also a number of artisan workshops behind the shop, working with everything from leather to copper and pottery.
The Ville Nouvelle is also home to the Nausikaa Spa which offers traditional treatments in more luxurious surroundings than the hammams of the Medina.
OUTSIDE THE CITY Most guests find they need to escape the intensity of the Medina for at least a day during their stay in Fez. Traditionally trips to Meknes, Volubilis, and the cedar forests near Ifrane have been the excursions of choice. However, it is now possible to visit an award winning winery, learn to make couscous in a traditional village, swim in a freshwater lake, or watch the sunset from Mount Zalagh.
Please contact us if you require further information and we can ensure reservations are made prior to your arrival at DAR 47.
Meknes:
Meknes was the capital of Morocco under the reign of Moulay Ismail (1672-1727) before it was relocated to Rabat. Sights not to be missed include the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail (one of the very few religious buildings you are allowed to enter in Morocco), the Royal Granaries (Dar el Ma) and Medersa Bou Inania.
Volubilis:
UNESCO World Heritage site dating from the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD. The ruins are well-regarded for the number of original and very impressive mosaics that are still in situ.
Moulay Idriss:
A small whitewashed town, scenically nestled in a fold of the Rif Mountains and visible from the ancient ruins of nearby Volubulis. Named after the man who brought Islam to Morocco, Moulay Idriss is considered the holiest town in Morocco.
Ifrane & Azrou:
Particularly recommended during the springtime when the flowers are in abundance. Ifrane has a remarkable European style, as if it were an Alpine village – the town experiences snow during the winter months and a cool climate during the summer. The view from the road linking Ifrane and Azrou is spectacular and you’ll drive through cedar forests where you can see monkeys. Azrou, a Berber mountain town, is famous for its carpets.
Other suggestions:
Sefrou – a Berber town 30 km. from Fes; pleasant medina and mellah.
Taza – a pleasant town to the east of Fez. Nearby Taza is the Gouffre du Friouato, the deepest cavern in North Africa.
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