Fez

Likes & Dislikes

Likes

Fez - Medina - k.k. photo

1. It didn’t bother us that we got lost in the maze of plenty of streets in the Medina.

2. Traders in the souks of Fez are a bit less aggressive than in Marrakesh (still irritating)

3. Overall Fez is not an unpleasant tourist destination, especially in comparison of the somewhat overrated Marrakesh

4. The panoramic view from the ramparts of the Mérénides tombs

5. The big, 14th-century Medersa Bou Inania (Koranic school) was very impressive.

6. The old tannery is just as it was in the Middle Age (believed to be the oldest leather tannery in the world)

7. The medina is car-free

8. Sunset from the rooftop of our hotel

9. The fresh orange juices every morning

Dislikes

1. Being wretched infidels, we could not visit the Kairaouine Mosque (Mosque of al-Qarawiyyin)

2. In the medina, it is tiring to get rid of the volunteer guides

3. The butcher counters look pretty distasteful (it is unlikely that there is any hygiene check)

4. We regretted not being able to see the royal palace from the inside

5. In the tanneries the smells are quite strong (take a bit of mint)

6. Rugs are overpriced

7.. Too greasy lamb meats

v.j. photo

Opinions

Morocco - Fez - Elter photo

Morocco - Fez - alley

, FEZ... Of all the places we visited on our tour of Morocco, it was here that I felt that this is what I came here for! If you’re traveling to Morocco, don’t miss out on Fez!

We stayed in a 5-room guest house on the Blue Gate side of the huge medina, the Medina al Kadina. A totally surreal scene unfolded before our eyes when we knocked on the door, and it was opened by a kindly, smiling figure from centuries ago. I’ve been to plenty of hotels in my time, but this takes the biscuit – in terms of the place, the city, and even the country. And what fabulous hospitality! Unique on the whole trip.

Of course, that night, we headed out into the heart of the medina! I mean... wow. It has to be seen to be believed. Madness squared! When we arrived at the train station, a scam taxi driver tried to latch onto us and even tried to shake hands with the women in our group. Totally inappropriate behavior in Morocco, and he got nothing for his efforts.

The next morning the hotel organized a guide for us, which is ABSOLUTELY INDISPENSABLE if you want to see the medina by day. Of course, he tried to persuade us to pay for a few extra sights, but we’re experienced travelers, and it was fine. The cost of the tour was 400 dirhams (about 45 USD). If you want to see Fez, you definitely need someone who knows the city! He took us to a copper workshop, a tannery, a carpet weaver’s, etc. It was great! (b.v. 2017)

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“Fez is interesting because it has the world’s largest medina or old town. There are several thousand streets or rather alleys, and no map shows them all, so it isn’t advised to go exploring after dark – you’ll never find your way back! It’s not so scary here as elsewhere – like Rio, for instance, where if the GPS leads you astray, you risk being attacked in a favela. Here it’s safe to get lost in the labyrinth: all you have to do is ask a local to lead you out – remember to give a tip! On the other hand, everything is closed at night, and there’s nobody to give directions.

During the day, practically half the city turns into a giant marketplace, where merchants pull their wares through the streets on big carts or the backs of donkeys and shouting ‘balak, balak, balak! (caution)’ At such times it’s advisable to duck out of the way because you’re liable to be hit by an oncoming donkey. It’s impossible to visit Fez and miss out on the tannery, even if the stink of it will likely turn your stomach. The bazaar districts all have different themes, so there’s a street of carpet weavers, other goldsmiths, or spice merchants, or leather goods shops.

It’s possible to hire a guide for the whole day – you can ask for a reliable guide at the hotel, and it costs about 300 dirhams (about 34 USD). If you want a tannery guide, you can get one for around 50 dirhams (about 6 USD). Elsewhere you don’t really need local knowledge to explore the city.

Practicals

Transport

Food

"Our local guide told us we should not eat in the bazaar because it's dangerous. Instead, he took us to a restaurant run by a relative of his, where we were served fries and burger patties. It was nothing special, and we told him it seemed expensive. He immediately returned inside and brought us half the price we had paid. They had been trying their luck. The next day, at the bazaar, I bought lamb meatballs cooked over hot embers, and the camel and mule herders clapped when they saw me eating their traditional food."

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It's Maundy Thursday. It's the Last Supper, not with my twelve disciples, but with almost the entire Muslim community of Fez, who sat down to eat at sunset, just like me...
I was hungry, and today's menu was plentiful. I tried both Moroccan specialties. First, the chicken and green bean Tajine served in a cone-shaped clay pot. This was followed by beef couscous and the indispensable mint tea.
Every evening before sunset, the preparations for breaking the fast of Ramadan are ceremonial. An hour before sunset, the market is bustling with a vast crowd. Bread, pastries, fruits, and Harrira, the lentil soup, vendors flood the souk, and buyers purchase everything for the evening meal. Then the call to break the fast echoes, and suddenly, people disappear from the streets, gathering at home to feast with their families! (Ata, 29 March, 2024)

Moroccco - Fez - Restaurant Dar Naji

Fez - bean soup - k.k. photo

Shopping

Morocco - Fez - souvenirs - Elter photo

Fez - mobile sale of figs - k.k. photo

Fez - Medina - k.k. photo

Fun

There are many bars and clubs in Fez.

Public safety

,, Moroccan medinas, or old towns, are essentially mazes – labyrinths in which none of the streets have names, and every house looks exactly the same. This was where we had to find our accommodation. In Marrakesh we somehow managed by asking passers-by, but we reached Fez after dark. The taxi driver promised us he’d take us right to the door of our hotel, but in the end he just set us down somewhere in the middle of town. We had a kind of GPS, but it was very basic, and we were totally unable to find our hotel. Two young guys appeared. They had hard, lean faces, and didn’t seem the type that would be easily chased off. We’d been on the train all day, we were tired, and we didn’t want any trouble. We asked them to leave, but they came after us. When we finally made it to our hotel, they demanded €2 for bringing us there (they’d followed us all the way). We said no and rang the doorbell. The proprietress opened the door but didn’t say a word as these two guys yelled at us and said that if they saw us again it wouldn’t end well for us. Described this way, it wasn’t so dangerous, and I might deal with it differently now, but at the time it was pretty scary.” (Lili, 2018)

Others

Fez - Mellah Quarter - road to the cooking pot - k.k. photo

Fez - donkeys - s.i. photo

Background

Morocco - Fez - tanning baths - Elter photo

Destination in brief

Fez - or Fes - is a city in Morocco. The city is located in the north of Morocco, though not along the coast.

Population (in 2020): 1,2 million

Average net monthly salary (in 2020): 440 USD

The medina of Fez is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Nowadays

Morocco - Fez - satellite dishes - Elter photo

Tourist etiquette

1. Moroccans don't like to be photographed - ask permission

Attractions

Old City

Fez - Semmarin Medina Gate - k.k. photo

Fez - Old City - Bab Bou Jeloud (Blue Gate) - k.k. photo

Medina

Fez - Medina - craftsmen - ceramists - k.k. photo

Mosque and University Karaouiyn

Fez - Mosque and University Karaouiyn - k.k. photo

Fez el Jdid (Jewish Quarter)

Through the gate of Semmarine, the visitor enters another world: Fez el Jdid, or the new city. The former home of a Jewish community of nearly 250,000 inhabitants emerged later than Medina. In the 15th century, the latest quarter was built outside the then-city walls.

The Jewish population of Fez significantly increased because, after 1492, in addition to the already significant Toshabim community, more Jews were expelled from Spain, known as the Megorashim, and arrived in the royal capital. Over the centuries, the two communities remained largely separate, residing on either side of the main street and having their synagogues.

On the main thoroughfare of commerce, Rue de Merindes, the multi-story houses of former wealthy Jewish merchants, albeit somewhat neglected, are still visible today. In some storefronts, it is evident that Muslims have taken over the shops, scraping off the Star of David from the facades.

Today, the Jewish population in the neighborhood has dwindled to just a few hundred, and Muslims predominantly inhabit the quarter. The former significant community reveals itself when walking through one of the largest Jewish cemeteries in Africa and, indeed, globally. Thousands of white-painted graves cover a vast area on the southern hill of the Medina. Here, the Toshabim and Megorashim communities blend seamlessly.

The most renowned Megorashim family in Fez were the Danans, who have their family crypt in the cemetery. Since family members served as chief rabbis for centuries, they had designated seats in the Ben Danan synagogue.

The royal palace and gardens occupy almost half of the former Jewish quarter's territory. Each Moroccan ruler traditionally had a palace in major cities, but Fez's is the most significant as it served as the royal capital until 1912. The magnificent Al-Andalusian-style gateway of the royal palace has become a symbol of Fez.

Morocco - Fez - Mellah (Jewish Quarter)- rue des Merinides - k.k. photo