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A loaded donkey threading through a souk lane of djellaba shops in the Fes medina

A family day in the Fes medina

A family tour of the Fes medina works when it is short, hands-on and paced for children. Watch bread go into the communal oven, meet the donkeys that still carry the medina's loads, try cutting a zellige tile in a workshop, and eat an early lunch in a riad. Private, with a custom quote.

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Kids remember the bread oven, the donkeys and the tile they chipped themselves.Get my custom quote

  • Length: Half day or a gentle full day
  • Pace: Short walks, frequent stops
  • Ages: Planned for your children's ages
  • Format: Private
Fes el Bali

A medina made for curious children

The Fes medina is the largest car-free city on earth, and to a child it feels like a maze from a story. Donkeys squeeze past with gas bottles, bakers slide trays into the wood oven, coppersmiths hammer in the open.

We keep the walks short, pick the lanes with something to see, and build in a snack, a sit-down and a workshop where they make something to take home.

Painted ceramic tagines and water jars outside a shop in the Fes medina

Length: Half day or a gentle full day.

Fes

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How the morning goes

09:00

Bab Boujloud

Meet your guide at the blue gate, with a quick story of the city.

09:30

The communal bread oven

Families still send their dough here; children can watch the loaves go in and come out.

10:15

Donkeys and the souks

The lanes where loads still move by mule and donkey, with a juice stop.

11:00

A tile or pottery workshop

Children try shaping or chipping a piece and keep what they make.

12:15

Early lunch in a riad

Simple food children like, in a courtyard where they can sit and rest.

Who's with you

A Fes guide who is used to families and adjusts the walk to your children's ages and stamina. We name your guide in the written proposal and pass on anything we should know, from allergies to buggies.

What we arrange

  • A private Fes guide for your family
  • A workshop session for the children
  • A route planned for your children's ages

Tell us what matters

  • Half day or full day
  • A tannery view (with mint for the smell)
  • A kids' cooking class
  • Buggy-friendly route

How we work

  • Private family tour
  • Operated by Serenity Morocco Tours
  • Riad pickup in the medina
  • Paced and planned for your children

Before you ask us

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

Is the Fes medina good for kids?
Yes, with the right pace. Children love the donkeys, the bread ovens and the workshops, and the medina has no cars. The lanes can be crowded and steep, so we keep walks short, avoid the busiest hours and build in rest stops. A guide also stops you getting lost, which matters with children.
How long should a family medina tour be?
Three to four hours suits most families with younger children: a morning walk, a workshop and an early lunch, then back to the riad for a rest. Older children can manage a full day with a break at lunch. We plan it around your children's ages and your own pace.
Can we bring a buggy or stroller into the medina?
A compact buggy works on the main lanes, such as Talaa Kebira, but there are steps, slopes and crowded corners elsewhere. A baby carrier is easier for toddlers. Tell us what you have and we plan a route that avoids the stairs, with somewhere to stop for a break.
Is the tannery suitable for children?
The Chouara tannery is fascinating from the terraces above it, but the smell is strong. Shops hand out sprigs of mint to hold under your nose, and children usually find that part funny. If yours are sensitive to smells we can skip it or keep the visit short.

Keep planning

Photo credits (Wikimedia Commons)

Tell us your dates. We'll plan it with you.

  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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