Medinas & craftsEditorial pick · go independently
Into Fes el-Bali: a first walk through the old medina
Enter through the blue gate of Bab Bou Jeloud and follow the slope of one of the largest and best preserved historic towns of the Arab-Muslim world.
- AllowAbout 4 h
- Best timeMorning, when workshops are open and the light reaches into the lanes; spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons.
- How it worksGo independently: nothing to book through MoroccanPlans.
Why go
Fes el-Bali is the old walled city founded under the Idrisids and largely shaped under the Merinids, between the 13th and 15th centuries. UNESCO describes the medina, listed in 1981, as one of the most extensive and best conserved historic towns of the Arab-Muslim world: its madrasas, fondouks, palaces, mosques and fountains still sit inside a dense, living city.
The classic first walk starts at Bab Bou Jeloud and follows one of the two main streets, Talaa Kebira or Talaa Seghira, gently downhill towards the heart of the medina. Workshops and shops are grouped by trade, and the views open onto the dyers’ and tanners’ quarters.
It is easy to lose your bearings, and that is part of the experience; with a rough plan and the main streets as landmarks, a half-day is enough for a first impression.
What to expect
Narrow, sloping lanes shared with mules and handcarts (stand aside when you hear “balak!”). Many people will offer to guide you; a polite, firm “no thank you” is enough. Some lanes are steep, so good shoes help.
Our advice
- Hire a guide through your accommodation or the official tourist channels if you want context rather than a sales route.
- Take a photo of the gate you entered by: it makes asking the way back much easier.
- Viewing terraces over the tanneries are usually inside leather shops; you are not obliged to buy.
- Friday is quieter in the souks, as many shops close for part of the day.
Advice from our editors, not official rules: check opening times and conditions locally.
Where it is
Loading…
Sources
The facts on this page were checked against official sources on 25 October 2026.
- Medina of Fez — UNESCO World Heritage Centre · checked 25 Oct 2026
Descriptions are our own words. Opening hours, prices and access can change: the official website is the reference.
More around Fez
Heritage & architectureFez
The Merinid madrasas of Fes: Bou Inania and Al-Attarine
Two former theological colleges where carved cedar, stucco and zellige reach a level of craft few buildings anywhere can match.
Meknes
Roman mosaics in their place at Volubilis
Walk the streets of a Mauretanian capital turned Roman outpost, where many mosaic floors are still where they were laid.
More experiences: medinas & crafts
Rabat
Blue lanes and the Andalusian garden of the Kasbah of the Udayas
Climb through the Almohad gate of Rabat’s oldest quarter to white-and-blue lanes, a terraced garden and a bastion above the Bou Regreg estuary.
Chefchaouen
Chefchaouen’s blue medina, then sunset from the Spanish Mosque
Wander blue-washed lanes below the Rif mountains, visit the kasbah on Outa el Hammam square and climb to a hilltop viewpoint at dusk.
