Fes Guided Walking Tour

Fes: The Soul of Morocco

If Marrakech is the heartbeat of Morocco, Fes is its soul. Often described as the best-preserved medieval city in the Arab world, Fes is a sensory overload in the best possible way. It is a place where the 9th and 21st centuries exist simultaneously, separated only by the thick, honey-colored walls of its ancient Medina.

Fes el-Bali: The World’s Largest Labyrinth

The heart of the city is Fes el-Bali, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the largest car-free urban area on the planet. With over 9,000 narrow alleyways, it is a literal maze where Google Maps often fails.

The Experience: You’ll share the streets with donkeys carrying spice sacks and artisans hammering copper. The air is a thick perfume of cedarwood, orange blossom, and raw leather.

Bab Bou Jeloud: Start your journey at the "Blue Gate." Its iconic blue tiles (the color of Fes) welcome you into the medina, while the reverse side is green—the color of Islam.

The Oldest University in the World

Hidden behind nondescript walls in the center of the medina is the University of Al-Quaraouiyine. Founded in 859 AD by a woman, Fatima al-Fihri, it is recognized by UNESCO and Guinness World Records as the oldest continuously operating degree-granting institution in the world. While non-Muslims cannot enter the prayer hall, you can glimpse its stunning courtyard and green-tiled roofs through its many open doors.

Chouara Tannery: A Sensory Spectacle

The most iconic image of Fes is the Chouara Tannery. Here, leather has been processed the same way for a thousand years.

The View: From the terraces of surrounding leather shops, you’ll look down upon hundreds of stone vats filled with vibrant natural dyes like saffron (yellow), indigo (blue), and poppy (red).

The Tip: Grab the sprig of fresh mint offered at the entrance; you’ll need it to mask the pungent smell of the traditional tanning agents (pigeon droppings and cow urine).

Sunset at the Merenid Tombs

To truly grasp the scale of Fes, head uphill to the Merenid Tombs at dusk. As the sun dips behind the Rif Mountains, the entire medina begins to glow. The sound of hundreds of muezzins calling for prayer simultaneously from the city's many minarets creates a hauntingly beautiful "symphony of Fes" that echoes across the valley.

We highly recommend exploring the city with an authorised guide. Fes Medina is the largest in African and it is a maze of narrow streets and alleyways where one can easily get lost. There are said to be 9,400 streets that contain mosques, Koranic universities, fountains, palaces, and tanneries.

Program:

Your guide will meet you at your hotel/riad at 9H30 and together with him explore the splendour of the city.

Among the sights you will visit are the Blue Gate (the most well-known door to the medina), Bou Inania medersa, an example of Marinid architecture, and the Gourna Mosque, a wonderful religious building situated on one of the main streets of Talaa Kebira. The famous Mosque in Fes Ash- Sherabliyin that features a white minaret with green ornaments. We will also view the Foundouk el Nejjarine, a fascinating museum, housed in 14th century that displays diverse and creative woodwork,

We view the University and Mosque of Al Karaouine as the first university in the world, located in Fes that was founded in 859. It continues to be one of the leading spiritual and educational centres of the Muslim world.

Of course visit to Fes would not be complete without viewing the tanneries where fine handmade leather is made.