Fes el-Bali medina
Walk the Talaa Kebira from Bab Boujloud down through the souks to the Karaouine — the world's oldest continuously operating university (859 AD).
Marrakech, MoroccoConcierge · 7 Days · 9–21H GMT+1
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Imperial city · Northern Morocco
Fes, Morocco
The world's largest car-free medieval city, and Morocco's spiritual capital.
Best time
April–May and September–October
Recommended
2–3 days
Airport
Fès-Saïs (FEZ)
Region
Imperial city · Northern Morocco
Founded in 789 AD, Fes is the oldest of Morocco's four imperial cities and home to Fes el-Bali — a UNESCO-listed medina of more than 9,000 alleys, with no cars and barely any motorbikes. It's where Morocco's craft traditions are still practiced daily: tanneries, brass-beating, weaving, and the bookbinders of the Karaouine. Fes is best done slowly, with a historian, and stays in a restored riad inside the walls.
What to see
Highlights of Fes
Chouara tanneries
The famous pigment vats viewed from a leather shop terrace. Best in the morning when the light hits the pits.
Medersa Bou Inania & el-Attarine
Two 14th-century Marinid madrasas with carved cedar, stucco and zellige at its finest.
Volubilis & Meknes
A perfect day trip: Roman mosaics at Volubilis, then lunch and the imperial gates of Meknes.
Pottery quarter & blue gates
Watch the cobalt-and-white Fassi ceramics being thrown, glazed and fired across the river from the medina.
Itineraries
13 tours that visit Fes
Every itinerary below is privately operated, fully customisable, and includes a deep stop in Fes. Click any tour for the day-by-day plan, the map, dates and pricing.
8 daysSignatureMulti-day
Imperial Cities, Privately
Eight nights tracing the imperial route — Marrakech, Meknes, Volubilis, Fes and Chefchaouen — with private historians, riads inside every medina and a dedicated driver throughout.
from $2,450 4.9 · view →
3 daysCities
Fes, Slowly
Three nights inside the medina. Private medieval-history guide, tannery, kissaria textiles, dinner with a Fassi family.
from $980 4.8 · view →
2 daysNorth
The Blue City & The Rif
From Tangier into the Rif mountains for two slow days in the blue medina, with a forest hike to the Spanish mosque.
from $620 4.7 · view →
5 daysPopularMulti-day
Imperial Cities in Five Days
Five days covering the four Moroccan imperial capitals — Casablanca, Rabat, Meknes and Fes — plus the Roman city of Volubilis, with private historian guides in each city.
from $1,480 4.9 · view →
7 daysSignatureMulti-day
The Grand Tour — Seven Days
Our most comprehensive private circuit: Marrakech, High Atlas, Dades and Todra gorges, Merzouga Sahara dunes, and Fes — seven days, one dedicated driver, no compromises.
from $2,180 5 · view →
8 daysSignatureNorth
The North & Imperial Circuit
An eight-day private journey through Morocco's north: Tangier's kasbah, Chefchaouen's blue medina, Roman Volubilis, the imperial cities of Meknes and Fes, and the Atlantic capital Rabat — all in one private vehicle.
from $2,190 4.9 · view →
10 daysBestsellerMulti-day
Full Morocco — Ten Days
The complete Morocco experience: Marrakech medina, High Atlas, Aït Ben Haddou, Sahara dunes at Merzouga, Fes, Chefchaouen, and the Atlantic coast — ten days in one private vehicle with a dedicated driver-guide.
from $3,180 5 · view →
4 daysNorth
Chefchaouen & the Northern Rif
Four private days across Morocco's overlooked north: the blue-washed lanes of Chefchaouen, the Andalusian medina of Tetouan, the whitewashed Atlantic art town of Asilah, and a Rif cedar-forest hike.
from $980 4.8 · view →
12 daysSignatureMulti-day
The Ultimate Morocco Grand Tour — 12 Days | Maison Atlas
Morocco's defining circuit from north to south: Tangier, Chefchaouen, Fes, the Sahara at Merzouga, High Atlas, Marrakech and the Atlantic coast — twelve days with one dedicated driver-guide and hand-picked accommodation throughout.
from $3,980 5 · view →
3 daysNorth
Fes & Chefchaouen Northern Loop — 3 Days | Maison Atlas
Three private days covering Morocco's two most compelling northern cities: a full day in Fes el-Bali with a medieval historian, the blue medina of Chefchaouen with a sunrise walk, and the Roman ruins of Volubilis at golden hour — all in a circular loop from Fes.
from $890 4.8 · view →
9 daysSignatureMulti-day
Cities & Coast — Imperial Morocco & the Atlantic | Maison Atlas
Nine private days combining Morocco's four imperial capitals, the Atlantic port of Essaouira and the windswept Oualidia lagoon — the definitive slow circuit of the country's cultural and coastal highlights.
from $2,680 4.9 · view →
4 daysPopularMulti-day
Fes & the Sahara — 4 Days | Maison Atlas
Four private days combining a full day in Fes el-Bali with a medieval historian, the cedar forests of the Middle Atlas, and two nights at a luxury camp in the Erg Chebbi dunes — the most dramatic short circuit in Morocco.
from $1,290 4.9 · view →
5 daysNorth
Northern Morocco — Tangier, Chefchaouen & Fes | Maison Atlas
Five private days through Morocco's compelling north: the cosmopolitan port of Tangier, two nights in Chefchaouen's blue medina at sunrise and sunset, the Roman ruins of Volubilis at golden hour, and a full day inside the medieval labyrinth of Fes el-Bali.
from $1,480 4.8 · view →
Before you go
Practical notes
- Getting there: Fly into FEZ, or 4h drive from Tangier, 7h from Marrakech
- Where to stay: Inside the medina in a restored dar or riad
- Dress code: Respectful — shoulders and knees covered near religious sites
Concierge
Have your Fes trip designed by a local
Tell us your dates, group size and pace. We'll send back a written proposal within 24 hours — private guides, transfers, riads, the lot.
Request a proposal →FAQ
Fes — common questions
Is Fes worth visiting if I've already seen Marrakech?+
Yes — they are completely different cities. Marrakech is open, theatrical and modern around the edges. Fes is denser, older, more religious, and still very much a living medieval city.
Do I need a guide for the Fes medina?+
Strongly recommended for at least the first day. Without one you will get lost — that's part of its charm but also costs you the context.
How do I get from Marrakech to Fes?+
Either a 7-hour private transfer (with stops in Beni Mellal or Ifrane), or fly Marrakech → Casablanca → Fes in around 3 hours door-to-door.