Fez el-Bali is the world's largest car-free urban zone, a maze of tanneries, libraries, madrasas and craftspeople. It is more authentic and less touristy than Marrakech; spring and autumn are most comfortable.
Good to know
- Hire a licensed guide for the medina; the lanes are confusing.
- Tannery viewing is best in the morning; accept the offered mint sprig.
- Respect photo etiquette and ask before photographing artisans.
Eat this
Places the planner can use
Mark places as a must or something to skip. The itinerary is built only from this list; ★ marks the destination’s highlights.
Medieval leather dye pits viewed from nearby terraces.
Exquisite 14th-century school with carved cedar and zellige tile.
Home to the world's oldest continuously operating university and library.
Iconic blue gate that marks the western entrance to the medina.
Shop in the souk, then cook tagine and pastilla.
Traditional steam bath with a black-soap scrub and massage, a welcome rest after hours in the lanes.
Guided taste of the medina's street snacks: sfenj doughnuts, kebabs, snail soup and honeyed sweets.
Hilltop fort with a sweeping view over the medina's rooftops and minarets, especially golden at sunset.
Gold-and-brass palace doors and the old Jewish quarter.
Moroccan arts in a palace with an Andalusian garden.
Watch potters throw and paint pieces for the city's famous blue-and-white work.
Day trip to the Roman mosaics of Volubilis and the imperial city of Meknes, best with a driver.