Things to do · Fes
Fes is known as Morocco's spiritual and cultural capital: home to one of the oldest universities in the world, the largest medieval medina in North Africa and craft traditions that have barely changed in centuries. Here is what makes Fes famous, and what each means for a visit.
Why it's famous
Al-Qarawiyyin, founded in 859 by Fatima al-Fihri, is often cited as the oldest continuously operating university in the world. Its mosque is closed to non-Muslims, but you can glimpse the courtyard through the doors.
The walled old city, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1981, is one of the largest car-free urban areas in the world, a labyrinth of lanes where donkeys and handcarts still carry goods.
The honeycomb of stone dye vats where leather is cured and coloured by hand is Fes's most famous image. View it from the terraces of the surrounding leather shops, ideally in the morning.
The Bou Inania and Al-Attarine madrasas are masterpieces of 14th-century carved cedar, stucco and zellige tilework, and among the finest Islamic buildings open to visitors in Morocco.
The city's cobalt-blue ceramics and geometric tile mosaics are made in workshops on the edge of the medina, where you can watch the cutting and glazing.
Fes is regarded as the home of refined Moroccan cooking, with dishes such as pastilla, a sweet-savoury pie dusted with cinnamon and sugar.
The red felt cap that takes its name from the city was once dyed here. You will still see it on musicians and at ceremonies.
Founded at the end of the 8th century, Fes was the capital of several dynasties, including the Idrisids and the Marinids, and remains the religious and intellectual heart of Morocco.
The Fes Festival of World Sacred Music, usually held in late spring, brings performers from around the world to the city's palaces and squares.
Fes is most famous for its medieval medina, Fes el-Bali, a UNESCO World Heritage site; the Al-Qarawiyyin university, founded in 859; the Chouara tannery; and its crafts, madrasas and cuisine.
Because of its long role as a centre of Islamic learning and religion, anchored by the Al-Qarawiyyin mosque and university and the shrine of Moulay Idriss II, and its many historic madrasas.
Yes, especially for history, architecture and crafts. Spend at least two full days, and consider a guide for your first visit to the medina.
Yes. The hat is named after the city, where the red dye used to colour it was traditionally produced.
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