The Best Views in Fes: Sunset Spots and Rooftop Terraces

Seen from above, Fes el-Bali is a breathtaking sight: a sea of white and ochre rooftops filling an entire valley, dotted with minarets and green-tiled roofs, ringed by hills and walls. At sunset, when the light turns golden and the calls to prayer rise from minaret to minaret, the scene becomes unforgettable. Here are our favourite viewpoints and our tips for enjoying them. For the rest of your sightseeing, see things to do in Fes.

The Marinid tombs: the most famous view

On the hill overlooking the medina to the north, the ruins of the Marinid tombs date from the fourteenth century. Only sections of wall and a few arches remain, but the view over Fes el-Bali is the most complete: you take in the whole old city, from Bab Bou Jeloud to the Andalusian bank, with Al-Quaraouiyine below.

It is the classic sunset spot. You get there by petit taxi in a few minutes, or on foot from Bab Guissa along a path that climbs for about twenty minutes. In the evening the area is popular with local families and groups of friends; stay with other visitors and take a taxi back down as night falls.

Borj Nord: the fortress above the city

Close to the tombs, Borj Nord is a fortress built in the sixteenth century under the Saadian dynasty to keep watch over the city. Its surroundings offer a slightly different view of the medina, and the two sites are easily combined in the late afternoon.

Borj Sud: the quietest view

Across the valley on the southern hill, Borj Sud is Borj Nord’s counterpart. It sees fewer visitors and offers a magnificent view over the whole medina, with the hills and the Marinid tombs in the background. It is an excellent choice for a quieter moment, in the late afternoon or the morning.

Rooftop terraces in the medina

You do not need to leave the old city to rise above it. Many terraces offer superb views:

• the Nejjarine Museum terrace, with its café, in the heart of the medina;
• the leather shops’ terraces around the Chouara tanneries, looking straight down on the coloured pits; see the Fes tanneries;
• the upper floors of the Al-Attarine Madrasa, when open, from where you can glimpse the green roofs of Al-Quaraouiyine; see the madrasas and monuments of Fes;
• rooftop cafés around Bab Bou Jeloud, ideal for watching the bustle of the Blue Gate;
• hilltop hotels on the northern edge of the medina, near Bab Guissa, some of whose terraces welcome visitors for a drink.

Your riad’s terrace

For many of our guests, the most beautiful view of Fes is the one from their riad’s terrace, mint tea in hand. You watch the sun set over the rooftops, swallows wheel above the minarets, then the medina light up little by little. At the evening prayer, the call of the muezzin spreads from one mosque to the next in a kind of cascade of sound that remains one of the strongest memories of a stay in Fes. We describe this in our article on a romantic getaway in Fes too.

An evening walk from Bab Guissa to the tombs

For keen walkers, a lovely loop is to leave the medina through Bab Guissa in the late afternoon, climb gently towards Borj Nord, then follow the hillside to the Marinid tombs for sunset. Along the way the view widens at every bend over the rooftops, the white cemeteries and the olive-covered hills. Allow an hour at a gentle pace, with comfortable shoes and a bottle of water. To get back, take a petit taxi to the gate nearest your riad: walking down in the dark is not recommended.

When to go

• Sunset is the most spectacular moment. It falls around 5:30 pm in midwinter and after 8:30 pm in early summer: check the exact time on the day.
• The blue hour just afterwards, when the medina lights up, is often even better for photos.
• In the morning, the light is softer and the sites are almost deserted.

Photography tips

• A short telephoto lens lets you isolate the minarets and the roofs of Al-Quaraouiyine.
• A wide angle captures the immensity of the medina from the Marinid tombs.
• Always ask before photographing people, including on terraces.
• Keep an eye on your belongings at busy viewpoints.

For a full photo walk, see the best photo spots in Fes.

Fitting the viewpoints into your stay

The Marinid tombs are the evening stop on day two of our three-day Fes itinerary, and the finale of our plan for one day in Fes. To find your way in the medina and reach the gates, see our Fes medina guide.

The view from La Petite Maison

Our rooftop terrace is open from sunrise until a little after sunset. You have breakfast facing the medina rooftops, come back in the late afternoon for tea, and watch the city light up. Discover the riad and its terrace, browse our rooms or write to us to book your stay.