Come with me and I take you right into the Aladdin fairy tale! I started my story like this as this is exactly how I felt wandering in the narrow streets of the historical medina of Fez! Read on to know why we chose Fez! You´ll also find recommendations on where to stay, what to see and where to eat!

Why Fez?

Marrakech might be a more obvious choice when you want to see Morocco, but we chose Fez and here is why:
* it’s less touristy
* it’s the ancient capital
* it’s the center of art, culture, religion & handicraft

To visit Morocco is still like turning the pages of some illuminated Persian manuscript all embroidered with bright shapes and subtle lines

Edith Wharton

We spent 5 days in Fez and around and I feel it was enough time to get to know the place a little. Add a few more days and you´ll be able to dig deeper in the culture and visit more different souks and historical sights.

What to see in Fez?

Loose yourself in medina!
Stroll the almost 10000 narrow streets of Fez medina – the biggest in the world. Medina is a pedestrian area as it´s not wide enough for cars. This means that there are many donkeys helping the local people. This means that it´s a wise thing to look where you step! 🙂 PS! Google Maps almost doesn’t work there as there are too many tiny streets very close to each other. Have a map with you and stay calm! Sooner or later you´ll get out of the maze!

Chouara tannery
This is a must see when you visit Fez! Here you are able to see up close how the leather is processed and dyed. Great place for buying all things leather! In order to see it you must enter to one of the leather shops around the tannery. The shop keeper is very glad if you buy something from him after!
PS! it smells very very bad, fortunately the shopkeepers will give you a piece of fresh mint to keep under your nose!

A few more ideas:
* the garden of Jardin Jnan Sbil for some greenery
* the University of al-Qarawiyyin – known to be the world’s oldest university

A day trip
Hire a car (with a driver/guide) and take a day trip to Atlas mountains stopping at Imouzzer for local market, Ifrane (the local Switzerland) and Azrou for feeding the beautiful mountain monkeys.

What to eat in Fez?

Do not miss:
*fresh orange or pomegranate juice
*fresh peeled cactus fruits from street vendors
*Tagine of course – this is the most famous Moroccan food of meat and vegetables, prepared in a special tagine pot which cooks the food slowly in steam
*Moroccan breakfast – think orange jam, cardamom honey, different local pancakes, eggs, local cheese, olives, bread, yoghurt, pomegranate, persimmons…
*Rfissa – a dish of thin pancakes, lentils, ras el hanout chicken and eggs

Where to eat in Fez?

* Cafe Clock near the Blue Gate. The food and vibes are amazing, they also have a cooking school, concerts and exhibitions. It’s a cross cultural cafe + doing a lot of charity, part of the sales goes to children´s library, to orphans, to “education for all”. The entrance is super hard to find, you might have to ask the locals for directions.
* Fez Cafe – in a lush courtyard garden of a historical mansion, now a luxury hotel Le Jardin des Biehn
* Ruined garden for amazing ambience & design
* Maison moi Anan if you feel like Thai food for a change (it´s also great for fashion lovers)

Where to stay?

Riad Anata – small & super stylish Riad in the medina. Great roof terrace and a famous cooking class! An additional plus is that it´s situtated near the border of the Medina so you don´t have to walk for too long with your luggage!
Riad Tizwa – a bigger riad with amazing service, rooftop terrace and breakfast any time (isn t this like the best service ever?)! Imagine arriving to Fez for the first time in your life and the people of the riad already know your name. They´ll help you find a trustworthy local guide for discovering the medina as well!
Dar el Mandar near Fez in the Atlas mountains! Do not miss this place! The views, the pool, the music, the interior, the food, the hospitality… I´d say this is the highlight of my stay in Fez! The owner Jaoued is local, but he has lived in Toulouse for many years and I´d say it´s a perfect mix of both! While the design and food is undoubtedly Moroccan (and don´t forget the amazing views), the mindset and service fits so well for Europeans! Can you imagine this: when we were in Dar el Mandar, there was another couple staying the night and one family spending the day. All day long Jaoued received phone calls from people wanting to spend the sunny day, but he declined. When I asked about it (there would have been room for more people) he said that if there were more people, the vibe would be lost! And he was absolutely right! The space, the food, the smells, the views, the music… everything together was such a vibe! And what a memorable stargazing on the thick Moroccan carpets after a beautiful sunset! Memories for a lifetime! This was Morocco for me!

Pro tips

* Do not forget to bargain! It´s part of the culture. But let it be a light and fun game, do not offend the sellers!
* Remember that not telling the truth is part of Moroccan culture! It was hard for me!