"A medieval city in Morocco" Top 5 Page for this destination Fes by barryg23

Fes Travel Guide: 441 reviews and 1,109 photos

A tale of three cities

The city of Fes is composed of three distinct parts.

Fes Ville Nouvelle is what most visitors to Fes first see, as the train and bus stations are located there, as well as most of the more expensive hotels and restaurants. The Ville Nouvelle was designed by the French colonisers, and it's layout is a traditional French model with wide boulevards and tree lined avenues.

Fes el-Bali, or the medina, the heart of Fes, now a UNESCO world heritage site, is what attracts most visitors to Fes. But the medina does not exist just for the tourists. It's a working city, where work continues in ways which have changed little for centuries. It has often been compared to a medieval city and indeed when you see the medina for the first time it can feel like you've been transported to the middle ages. Covering an area of 750 acres, with a population of over 150,000, Fes el-Bali contains over 10,000 streets, alleys and lanes.

Finally, there is Fes el-Jdid, between the Ville Nouvelle & the medina. Few tourists stop here though there are a couple of interesting things to see such as the Royal Palace & the old Jewish quarter.

Our brief visit to Fes

Entrance to the medina

I’ve visited Fes twice: first, back in 2005 on our first trip to Morocco, and more recently in 2007, when we started a two week visit here. On our first trip we were a little wary of the city (after having being led around Tangier by a faux guide) so we hired an official guide for a half-day tour before exploring on our own. Though tourists here do receive occasional hassle, it was nothing compared to Tangier, which we were glad to see the back of. If your time in Fes is limited a half day's tour is a good idea, especially as it can be difficult to find your way around the medina, and once you leave the main streets it's easy to get lost. On our most recent trip we explored the city, the medina especially, in much more depth.

Pros and Cons

Pros:Historic medina
Cons:Occasional hassle from faux guides
In a nutshell:Like stepping back in time

Last visit to Fes: Mar 2007
Intro Updated May 10, 2007
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Reviews (43)

La Cheminee Restaurants (4)

La Cheminee is said to be one of the better restaurants in Fes though you wouldn’t think it from walking past it as from... more travel advice

Car Hire in Fes Transportation (4)

Car hire rates vary widely in Fes and even the lowest rates can be quite expensive. We were looking to hire a car - the... more travel advice

From Sais Airport to Fes Transportation (4)

Petit taxis don't go to and from Fes airport so if you're depending on public transport you have two options: one is to... more travel advice

Fes Airport Transportation (4)

Fes has a small airport - Sais - about 15 km south of the city, near the N8 road. Ryanair has been flying to Fes since... more travel advice

Warnings and Dangers (5)
See All Driving in Fes
Things to Do (13)
See All Borj Nord
Hotels (3)
See All Hotel Amor
What to Pack (1)
The Spider's House and Guide Books for...

Favorites (5)
See All The guy with the mattress
Off The Beaten Path (7)
See All Ash Sherabliyin Mosque
Nightlife (1)
Ibis Bar
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Comments (19)

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hindu1936 Jul 20, 2008 at 4:59 AM

thanks for the good tips and in particular the ones about places to stay. Doesn't matter how nice a city is if you cant get a good nights sleep. Is there only one cafe at FEs station?
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oceania26 Aug 17, 2007 at 10:42 AM

Great tips...I enjoyed your stories...the mattress one made me laugh out loud..haha
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JLBG Mar 1, 2007 at 7:46 AM

A very good page with even a glimpse to Fes El-Jdid ! I agree that Fes requires a guide but what is fine is to have a little more time and to stroll in the town without a guide on another day!
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Dabs Jan 25, 2007 at 7:48 PM

Beautiful opening shot of the tannery! I've had Morocco on my list for years, it just keeps getting bumped out of the way. Seeing a severed camel head might have been too much for me...
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Luchonda Dec 21, 2006 at 3:33 AM

Great page !!! Nice pictures and good info ! Top destination and page - The medina is a must greetz from Belgium
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matcrazy1 Dec 8, 2006 at 7:52 PM

I enjoyed a lot reading your tips which reminded me my Fes adventures a lot. I didn't hire a guide to medina and surely I got lost there which was not that bad... :-)
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kit_mc Dec 5, 2006 at 6:20 PM

I'm still allowing my blood pressure to go down before completing my Fes pages! Good tips and observations you've got there.
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patat Aug 25, 2006 at 10:27 AM

Le Kasbah is counting on the location for succes.Ate there twice;cheated both times.Prices arn't the same on the menu & the bill.IF you can get a bill.They just give an amount & take the change for a tip.Was not even worth the price.Skip the place
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Christina1881 Aug 13, 2006 at 6:56 AM

Fes is just an amazing place on earth. Getting lost in the Medina is always an adventure ;)
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MM212 Jul 25, 2006 at 5:55 AM

Fes looks impressive. Tempting!!!