Dar Sqaf and the zawiya quarter
Dar Sqaf is the oldest quarter of the medina, where the founder of the brotherhood is said to have settled; its mosque is known for an octagonal minaret, and the zawiya quarter beside it was the brotherhood's seat.
Fes, Morocco· Concierge · Mon–Sat · 09:00–18:00 GMT+1
Ouezzane, Morocco
Ouezzane is a hill town about 2 h 30 north-west of Fes, on the edge of the Rif, holy to Muslims and Jews alike. It grew around the zawiya Moulay Abdallah Chérif founded in 1649, Jewish pilgrims visit the nearby tomb of Rabbi Amram ben Diwan, and it is known across Morocco for its woollen djellabas.
- Private or small-group
- A written quote for your dates
- WhatsApp support during your trip
Why go to Ouezzane
Ouezzane is built like an amphitheatre on the slopes of Jbel Bouhlal, at about 614 m, on the southern margin of the Jebala country. In 1649 Moulay Abdallah Chérif, a Sufi master descended from Idris II, founded a zawiya here; it became the cradle of a major brotherhood and, in the 18th and 19th centuries, an important religious and political centre. The town was known as Dar Dmana, the House of Safety, and it is one of the few old Moroccan towns never enclosed by ramparts, probably because its brotherhood's standing protected it. It is holy to Moroccan Jews too: Rabbi Amram ben Diwan, an 18th-century rabbi, lived here and is buried at Azjen, a few kilometres away. Ouezzane became the capital of its own province in 2009 and had about 60,000 people at the 2014 census.
- Best time
- March–June and September–November
- How long
- A long day from Fes, or a stop on the way to Chefchaouen
- Nearest airport
- Fès-Saïs (FEZ), then about 2 h 30 by road
- Region
- Edge of the western Rif · Ouezzane Province
The road from Fes to Ouezzane, drawn to scale
Out of the medina by Bab Mahrouk, on the OpenStreetMap car route. Each town sits at its real distance along the road.
126 km
about 2 h 30 at the wheel, without traffic or stops
من فاس، باب المحروق إلى وزان
Road distance and free-flow time from the OSM car router (OSRM), Bab Mahrouk to Ouezzane. A real day takes longer: traffic leaving Fes, a viewpoint, a slow lorry on the bends. We plan the day around it.
- Fes, Bab Mahroukفاس، باب المحروق0 km
- Jorf El Melhaجرف الملحة82 km
- Ouezzaneوزان126 km
What you'll see in Ouezzane
A town without ramparts
Unlike almost every old Moroccan town, Ouezzane has no crenellated walls or great fortified gates. Old gates such as Bab Fatha and Bab Jmouaa close the lanes between the house walls instead.
The djellaba ouazzania
The commercial streets, given over entirely to trade, are lined with small shops selling the woollen djellaba the town is known for.
Rabbi Amram ben Diwan
The 18th-century rabbi lived in Ouezzane and is buried at Azjen nearby. His tomb is a place of Jewish pilgrimage, and the town is considered holy by many Moroccan Jews.
Tours that reach Ouezzane
Each one runs private or small-group and stops properly in Ouezzane. Open one for the day-by-day plan, then ask us to quote it for your dates.
Before you go
Getting there. About 126 km from Bab Mahrouk, roughly 2 h 30 by car on the OpenStreetMap car route through Jorf El Melha
Religious sites. The zawiya and the saints' tombs are places of prayer; visit with respect and dress modestly
Pairs with. Chefchaouen, further north in the Rif
Read next. Is Volubilis Worth Visiting, and How Do You Do a Meknes & Volubilis Day Trip from Fes?; Can You See Wild Monkeys Near Fes, and Is the Ifrane & Azrou Cedar Forest Day Trip Worth It?; Is the Fes Medina Overwhelming, and How Do You Avoid Getting Lost?.
Pair Ouezzane with
The places closest to Ouezzane, easy to join on one private route.
Questions about Ouezzane
What people ask us before they add Ouezzane to a trip.
How far is Ouezzane from Fes?
About 126 km by road from Bab Mahrouk, roughly 2 h 30 by car without stops.
Why is Ouezzane a holy town?
It grew around the zawiya founded in 1649 by Moulay Abdallah Chérif, the centre of a major Sufi brotherhood, and it is a place of Jewish pilgrimage to the tomb of Rabbi Amram ben Diwan at nearby Azjen.
Does Ouezzane have a medina?
Yes, but no ramparts. The old quarters of Dar Sqaf, the zawiya and the former Mellah meet around the commercial streets.
Tell us your dates. We'll plan Ouezzane with you.
- 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.