Best for: Atmosphere seekers, first-timers wanting immersion, those happy to walk in
The medina
Sleep inside A car-free medieval medina, in a restored riad or dar.
Fes, Morocco· Concierge · Mon–Sat · 09:00–18:00 GMT+1
Fes el Bali · Photo: Hiroki Ogawa, CC BY 3.0
The medina vs The Ville Nouvelle
Stay in a riad inside the medina if you want the call to prayer at dawn and the souks outside your door. Choose the Ville Nouvelle if you are driving, want quiet and modern amenities, or bring heavy luggage, limited mobility or young children. Many travellers split the stay: medina nights in the middle, a new-town night at either end.
- Written from Fes
- Private or small-group trips
- Quoted for your group
The two sides
Fes is really two cities layered on top of one another. Fes el-Bali — the old medina, founded in the 9th century — is car-free: a dense labyrinth of thousands of lanes where deliveries still move by handcart and mule, and where staying means booking a restored riad or dar behind an unmarked door. The Ville Nouvelle (the 'new town') was laid out by the French during the Protectorate in the early 20th century, with wide boulevards, parking, modern hotels and cafés — and it sits roughly a 10–15 minute taxi ride from the medina gates. Choosing where to sleep shapes your entire trip: one option puts you inside the living medieval city at the cost of convenience; the other gives you comfort and ease at the cost of character. There is no single right answer, only a right answer for you.
Best for: Drivers, travellers wanting comfort and quiet, families with lots of luggage
The Ville Nouvelle
The French-built new town — modern hotels, drivable streets, calm and amenities.
Fes el Bali.
Fes el BaliSide by side, one question at a time
What shapes a trip, with The medina and The Ville Nouvelle answered together.
Atmosphere
The medina. Deeply atmospheric — you sleep inside a 1,200-year-old medina, steps from souks and madrasas
The Ville Nouvelle. Modern and functional; pleasant tree-lined boulevards but little historic character
Proximity to the sights
The medina. On the doorstep — tanneries, Qarawiyyin, Bou Inania and the souks are a short walk away
The Ville Nouvelle. Roughly a 10–15 minute taxi from the medina sights; you commute in each day
Arrival, cars & bags
The medina. Cars can't reach most riad doors — you walk in from the nearest gate and a porter carts your bags
The Ville Nouvelle. Drivable streets and parking; you can pull up to the hotel entrance with your luggage
Noise & calm
The medina. Can be intense — call to prayer, busy lanes and souk noise are part of the experience
The Ville Nouvelle. Generally calmer and quieter, with more predictable, modern surroundings
Accommodation style
The medina. Restored riads and dars built around tiled courtyards; characterful but often labyrinthine inside
The Ville Nouvelle. Conventional hotels and apartments with lifts, parking and familiar layouts
Amenities & practicality
The medina. Atmospheric but services are scattered through the maze; navigation takes effort
The Ville Nouvelle. Easier day-to-day — banks, pharmacies, supermarkets, car hire and wide pavements close by
Who it suits
The medina. Travellers prioritising immersion and willing to trade convenience for being inside the medina
The Ville Nouvelle. Travellers prioritising comfort, easy driving and quiet over historic atmosphere
Which to choose
For most visitors, the classic Fes choice is to stay in a riad inside the medina — being woken by the call to prayer and stepping straight out into the souks is the experience people come to Fes for, and it is hard to replicate from the new town. Choose the Ville Nouvelle if you are driving and want easy parking, if you value calm and modern amenities, or if mobility, lots of luggage or young children make a labyrinth impractical. A popular compromise is to split your stay: a couple of nights deep in the medina for the atmosphere, then a night in the Ville Nouvelle on either side for an easy arrival or departure.
Read the full guide to The medina.
Other choices people weigh
More side-by-side comparisons, written from Fes.
Marrakech or Fes?Both are UNESCO-listed imperial cities brimming with medinas, souks and centuries of Moroccan history — but they attract very different travellers.Read the comparison
Merzouga or Zagora?Both Merzouga and Zagora offer Saharan dune experiences, camel rides and stargazing camps — but they differ significantly in scale, remoteness and what a visit looks like.Read the comparison
Marrakech or Essaouira?Marrakech and Essaouira are only 2.5 hours apart yet feel like different countries — one a frenetic imperial city, the other a wind-swept Atlantic port with a relaxed Gnawa soul.Read the comparison
Chefchaouen or Fes?Chefchaouen and Fes are the two most visited cities of northern Morocco — one an intimate Rif mountain village famous for its blue-washed walls, the other a large imperial city with a medieval medina still lived in.Read the comparison
Fes or Meknes?Fes and Meknes are only 60 km apart and both carry UNESCO World Heritage status as imperial capitals — yet Meknes sees a fraction of Fes's visitors and rewards those who stop.Read the comparisonAgadir or Essaouira?Both Agadir and Essaouira sit on Morocco's Atlantic coast — but one is a purpose-built resort city with a 10 km beach and the other is a UNESCO-listed medieval port with an arts scene and steady alizé winds.Read the comparisonThe medina or The Ville Nouvelle: your questions
The questions people ask us most before they plan a trip.
Is it better to stay in the medina or the Ville Nouvelle in Fes?
It depends on what you want. The medina (Fes el-Bali) is far more atmospheric and puts you steps from the tanneries, madrasas and souks, but cars can't reach most doors and it can feel intense. The Ville Nouvelle is calmer, easier to drive to and has more modern amenities, but it sits a short taxi ride from the sights and has little historic character. Most first-time visitors choose a medina riad for the experience.
Can a taxi or car reach my riad in the Fes medina?
Usually not all the way. Fes el-Bali is car-free, so taxis drop you at the nearest gate and you walk the final stretch through the lanes. Many riads will send someone to meet you, and a porter with a handcart can carry your bags to the door. If kerb-to-door access matters to you, the Ville Nouvelle is the easier choice.
How far is the Ville Nouvelle from the Fes medina?
The Ville Nouvelle is roughly a 10–15 minute taxi ride from the main medina gates, depending on traffic and which gate you're heading for. Petit taxis are inexpensive and plentiful, so commuting in each day is straightforward — it simply adds a short ride at the start and end of each outing.
Is staying in the Fes medina noisy?
It can be. Inside the medina you are surrounded by the life of a working medieval city — the call to prayer, busy lanes and souk activity are all part of staying there. Many riads have thick walls and quiet inner courtyards that buffer the noise, but if you are a light sleeper or want guaranteed calm, the Ville Nouvelle is generally quieter.
Should I split my stay between the medina and the Ville Nouvelle?
It's a sensible option for some travellers. Spending the core of your trip in a medina riad gives you the atmosphere and proximity to the sights, while a night in the Ville Nouvelle on arrival or departure can make driving, parking and early or late transfers much easier. If you only have two or three nights, though, most people simply pick the medina.
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- Tell us what drew you in. Your dates, who is travelling and what you want to see.
- A person reads it. We write a day-by-day plan for your group, private or small-group.
- You change anything. Then we confirm the guides, drivers and riads.