Fes 3-day itinerary

Enter the medina through the iconic blue-tiled Bab Bou Jeloud gate — the main entrance to Fes el-Bali. The gate itself is a striking contrast of blue zellige on the exterior (the colour of Fes) and green on the interior (the colour of Islam). Walk downhill along Talaa Kebira, the medina's primary artery, stopping at Bou Inania Madrasa to admire the extraordinary Marinid-era tilework, carved stucco, and cedar mashrabiya screens. Continue past the Dar al-Magana water clock — a 14th-century hydraulic timekeeping device with 13 windows and brass bowls, recently restored.

Head to the Chouara Tanneries via the dyers' souk — follow the smell. View the ancient dyeing vats from the surrounding leather workshops, where staff hand you fresh mint sprigs to hold under your nose. The honeycomb of circular stone vats has been in continuous use since at least the 11th century, making Chouara one of the oldest industrial sites still operating in the world. Afterwards, explore the artisan quarters: the wood-turners' alley near Nejjarine Square (stop at the restored Nejjarine Fondouk, now a woodworking museum), the brass and copperware souk of Place Seffarine, and the weavers' quarter where silk and cotton are still worked on traditional looms.

As dusk falls, the medina transforms. Street food stalls fire up along the main lanes — order a bowl of harira (the thick tomato and lentil soup eaten across Morocco at sunset during Ramadan but available year-round in Fes), accompanied by fresh msemen flatbread and dates. Walk the quieter residential lanes as families emerge onto doorsteps, children play in the alleyways, and the calls to Maghrib prayer overlap from dozens of neighbourhood mosques. Return to your riad for mint tea on the rooftop terrace as the medina lights flicker below.

Start at the Dar Batha Museum, housed in a 19th-century Hispano-Moorish palace built by Sultan Moulay Hassan. The collection showcases Fassi craftsmanship: intricate zellige tile panels, carved cedarwood, embroidered textiles, Berber jewellery, and a stunning collection of the distinctive blue-and-white Fes pottery that has been produced in the city since the 10th century. The Andalusian-style garden courtyard with its orange trees and central fountain is a cool respite from the medina lanes.

Cross to Fes el-Jdid (New Fes, built in the 13th century) and explore the Mellah — the old Jewish quarter, established in 1438 and one of the first in Morocco. The architecture differs from the medina: houses have outward-facing balconies and windows (unusual in Moroccan Islamic architecture), and the narrow lanes open to a large 17th-century Jewish cemetery with white-washed tombs on the hillside. Continue to the golden gates of the Royal Palace (Dar el-Makhzen) — seven enormous brass doors with geometric patterns that gleam in the afternoon sun. The palace is not open to visitors but the gates are spectacular.

Wander the Moulay Abdallah quarter of Fes el-Jdid where local families shop at the fruit and vegetable souks free from tourist traffic. This area feels like a different city from the medina — wider streets, less intensity, and a distinctly local atmosphere. For dinner, seek out a restaurant offering live Andalusian classical music — Fes is the heartland of this refined musical tradition brought by refugees from Islamic Spain. The combination of oud, violin, and sung qasida poetry with a slow-cooked Fassi feast is unforgettable.

Rise before dawn and taxi to the Merenid Tombs on the hill north of the medina. The 14th-century ruins of the Marinid dynasty's royal necropolis are modest, but the viewpoint is the finest in Fes — the entire medina spread below like a living map, a sea of white buildings punctuated by green-tiled minarets, with the Middle Atlas mountains behind. At sunrise, the light hits the medina walls golden-amber and the mist rises from the valleys. This is the photograph that defines Fes.

Visit one of the pottery cooperatives on the outskirts of Fes — the Art Naji or Fes Pottery cooperative are both excellent. Watch artisans hand-painting the signature Fassi blue-and-white geometric patterns on plates, bowls, vases, and fountain tiles. The entire process is demonstrated: clay preparation, wheel throwing, painting with natural cobalt pigment, and kiln firing. The geometric patterns follow strict mathematical rules — each design is built from a small number of repeating elements combined to create infinite complexity, a physical expression of Islamic art philosophy.

Return to the medina for a final unguided walk through the lanes you have come to recognise over three days. Stop at a traditional hammam for a steam bath and scrub — the Hammam Sidi Aziz in the medina is an authentic neighbourhood hammam used by locals. Afterwards, have a farewell dinner of mechoui (slow-roasted lamb) with cumin and salt, couscous with seven vegetables (the Friday dish served any day in restaurants), and orange blossom-scented pastries with mint tea.