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The Chouara tannery in bright sun, rows of dye pits between the old tannery houses

Activities in Fes, with your hands, ears and feet

12 things to do in and around Fes: zellige, pottery, calligraphy and leather in working workshops, a hammam, a music evening, a photography walk, and riding and hiking in the Middle Atlas cedars. Each runs private or small-group, and we quote it for your party.

Plan my daysSee the activities
  • Private or small-group
  • Working workshops
  • Local guides
Chouara tannery, Fes. Photo: Holger Uwe Schmitt, CC BY-SA 4.0

At a bench, with the people who do it

Fes el-Bali is not a museum. Tile cutters, potters, calligraphers, tanners and weavers still work in the medina and in the potters' quarter of Ain Nokbi. Sit with one for a couple of hours and try the craft.

Cut-tile zellige below a carved calligraphy band and stucco on a pillar of the Al-Attarine madrasaAbout 2.5–3.5 hours · FesZellige mosaic workshopWatch master cutters chip glazed tiles into geometric pieces by hand, then try the hammer yourself and set a small mosaic of your own.See how it runsAn elderly potter in a white coat and glasses shaping clay in a Fes workshop, rows of unfired cups beside himAbout 2.5–3.5 hours · FesPottery at Ain NokbiClay, kick wheel, kiln and the cobalt 'Fes blue': see the whole ceramic process in the potters' quarter and throw a bowl of your own.See how it runsCarved stucco calligraphy above a band of cut zellige in the Bou Inania madrasa, looking upAbout 2–3 hours · FesCalligraphy workshopCut a reed pen, mix the ink and learn to write your name in Maghrebi script, then see the great Kufic inscriptions of the Fes madrasas with new eyes.See how it runsRows of dye pits and white lime vats at the Chouara tannery, FesAbout 2–3 hours · FesLeather & tanneriesLook down on the dye pits of the Chouara tannery, then follow the leather to a workshop where it is cut and stitched into bags and babouches.See how it runsA weaver in a knitted cap working a wooden hand loom in Fes, embroidered cloths hanging behindAbout 2.5–3.5 hours · FesWeaving & Fassi stitchSit at a loom with a weaver, then learn the terz fassi, the double-sided Fes embroidery stitched so the back looks the same as the front.See how it runs
Fes el Bali at blue hour, its lanes and minarets lit up beneath the dark hills

When the workshops close, the medina lights up.

Fes el Bali

Steam, music and the evening light

The city keeps its rituals: the neighbourhood hammam, music in a riad courtyard, a slow walk with a camera, and sunset from the hill of Borj Nord.

The restored reception hall of Hammam Saffarin in Fes: carved stucco arches, a brass chandelier and a zellige fountain wallAbout 1.5–2.5 hours · FesTraditional hammamSteam, black soap and a kessa scrub: the Moroccan bathhouse ritual, either in a neighbourhood hammam with a guide to show you how or in a quieter private hammam.See how it runsMusicians in striped djellabas playing horns at the Moulay Idriss moussem procession, Place BoujloudAbout 2–3 hours · FesAndalusian & Gnawa musicAn evening of live Moroccan music in a riad: the refined Andalusian tradition Fes is known for, or the hypnotic guembri and iron castanets of Gnawa.See how it runsThe view through the Bab Boujloud arch: a balconied café and the Bou Inania minaret above the laneAbout 3–4 hours · FesMedina photography walkGates, fountains, dye vats and rooftops in the best light, with a local guide who knows the angles and how to photograph people respectfully.See how it runsThe ruined arches of the Merinid Tombs above Fes at duskAbout 1.5–2.5 hours · FesSunset at the Merinid TombsClimb to the hill above Fes el-Bali for the city's great sunset view, with the Saadian fort of Borj Nord and the Merinid ruins on the way.See how it runs
Layered ridges of the Middle Atlas between Azrou and Ifrane under a golden sunset

An hour south of the medina, the cedars begin.

Middle Atlas

Out to the Middle Atlas

Cedar forest, lakes and open upland for riding and walking, around Ifrane and Azrou. A day out with a private driver, back in Fes for dinner.

Saddled horses and visitors among the tall trunks of the Azrou cedar forestFull day, with 1.5–3 hours in the saddle · Middle AtlasHorse ridingRide through cedar forest and open upland meadows above Ifrane and Azrou, at a pace matched to your experience, beginner or confident rider.See how it runsA pure Atlas cedar forest around a green clearing in Ifrane National ParkFull day, with 3–5 hours walking · Middle AtlasMiddle Atlas hikingA guided day walk through cedar and holm-oak forest, volcanic hills and the lakes around Dayet Aoua, a short drive from Fes.See how it runsSaddled horses and visitors among the tall trunks of the Azrou cedar forestHalf day to full day, with 1–2 hours walking · Middle AtlasAzrou cedar forest walkAn easy walk among the ancient Atlas cedars above Azrou, where Barbary macaques live in the trees, on a half-day or full-day trip from Fes.See how it runs

Before you knock

The questions people ask us most before they plan a trip.

What are the best activities in Fes besides sightseeing?
Fes is a working craft city, so the most rewarding things to do are hands-on: a zellige or pottery workshop in the Ain Nokbi potters' quarter, calligraphy, a visit to a leather workshop above the tanneries, Fassi embroidery, and a traditional hammam. In the evening, an Andalusian or Gnawa music session; for a day out, the cedar forests and lakes of the Middle Atlas.
Can I combine several activities in one day?
Yes. A morning workshop and an afternoon hammam, or a craft visit followed by sunset at the Merinid Tombs, fit easily into one day. Tell us what you'd like and we'll sequence it with your guide and driver.
Are the activities private?
Each one is offered private, for just your party, or small group, shared with a few other travellers. We quote both on request; there's no fixed price list.
Which activities are good for children?
Pottery and zellige workshops, the cedar-forest walk where you may see Barbary macaques, gentle riding and the sunset viewpoints all work well with children. Each activity page says whether it suits families.
How far are the Middle Atlas activities from Fes?
Ifrane and its national park are about an hour's drive south of Fes, and Azrou's cedar forest a little further. Riding, hiking and the cedar walk are all done as a day out with a private driver.

Plan around it

A tour, a cooking class and the guides that pair with these activities.

Coppersmiths' cauldrons and pans stacked in the metalworkers' square of Fes el BaliTour · Full dayFes artisan workshops tourA full day in the workshops that made Fes famous: zellige, pottery and brass.See how the day runsCones of spices and sacks of grain at a spice stall in the Fes medinaHalf dayCooking classes in FesShop the souk, then cook tagine and bread in a riad kitchen.See the classesA young weaver at a loom strung with bright blue warp, textiles shelved behindGuideFes artisans and craftsWhere the potters, coppersmiths and weavers still work.Read the guideFes el Bali seen through a gap in the Merinid Tomb ruins, minarets and green roofs belowGuideBorj Nord and the Merinid TombsThe hill above the medina, best at sunset.Read the guideAlpine-style pitched roofs and café terraces in the centre of IfraneGuideThings to do in IfraneThe alpine town of the Middle Atlas, its cedars and lakes.Read the guide

Pick one or several. We'll fit them into your Fes days.

  1. Tell us what drew you in. Your dates, who is travelling and what you want to see.
  2. A person reads it. We write a day-by-day plan for your group, private or small-group.
  3. You change anything. Then we confirm the guides, drivers and riads.
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