Things to do · Fes
Fes is not a party city. The medina winds down after dark, most shops close by early evening and alcohol is limited to hotels and a few licensed restaurants. But evenings here have their own magic: sunset over thousands of rooftops, slow dinners in palace courtyards, music, steam baths and the lively squares of the new town. These are the best ways to spend an evening in Fes, with practical advice on staying comfortable after dark.
After dark
The hillside ruins north of the medina give the classic sunset view over Fes el-Bali, with the call to prayer rising from hundreds of mosques. Go by taxi or with a guide and come back down before it is fully dark.
Fassi cuisine is one of Morocco's finest: pastilla, slow-cooked tagines and delicate salads. An evening meal in a restored courtyard house is the signature Fes night out. Book ahead and ask your riad to arrange an escort through the lanes if it is deep in the medina.
The square inside the Blue Gate is the liveliest corner of the medina after sunset, with grill stalls, snail soup, cafés and families out walking. A good first taste of evening street food.
Several riads and cafés have rooftop terraces open in the early evening. Watching the light fade over the green roofs of the Qarawiyyin and the hills beyond is one of the simplest pleasures in Fes.
Fes is the heartland of Andalusian classical music. Some riads and cultural venues host performances, and during the Festival of World Sacred Music, usually in late spring, the city fills with evening concerts.
After a day in the medina, a traditional steam bath with black soap and a scrub is the best way to unwind. Many riads offer a private hammam, or ask for a reputable spa nearby.
The French-era new town comes alive at night: families stroll the fountains of Avenue Hassan II, cafés stay open late and you will find more restaurants, including licensed ones, than in the medina.
The medina's lanes are poorly lit and easy to get lost in after dark. A licensed guide can lead an evening walk through quieter quarters and get you safely back to your riad.
Not in the bar-and-club sense. Fes is a conservative, traditional city. Evenings are about dinner, rooftops, music, hammams and the cafés of the new town. Licensed bars are mostly in hotels and the Ville Nouvelle.
The main lanes are generally safe in the early evening, but the medina is poorly lit and confusing after dark, and some people offer unwanted 'help'. Stick to main routes, ask your riad for directions or an escort, and use a guide for evening walks.
Most souk shops close in the early evening, and the medina becomes quiet soon after dark, with cafés and food stalls around Bab Boujloud staying open later.
Mainly in hotel bars, some licensed riads and restaurants, and in the Ville Nouvelle. Public drinking is not allowed.
See it with a local
We'll build a private, guided plan around the experiences you care about — with a driver, hand-picked riads and a written quote in 24 hours.
Contact us for pricingMore cities