Fes with Kids: Family Travel Tips, Activities and Where to Stay

Can you visit Fes with kids? Yes, and often with more enjoyment than you might expect. A city without cars, donkeys and mules carrying goods, craftsmen hammering copper in front of you, rooftop terraces: the medina is a fascinating adventure playground for children. It simply needs a little planning. Here is what we tell the families who stay with us. For choosing accommodation in general, see also where to stay in Fes.

Is Fes a good destination with children?

Moroccans adore children, and families are warmly welcomed everywhere. The medina is pedestrian, which removes the danger of cars in the lanes, although you do need to make way for donkeys and handcarts. The points to watch are elsewhere: crowds at peak times in the main streets, narrow lanes where it is easy to get separated, the smell of the tanneries and the heat in midsummer. Nothing insurmountable, but worth knowing. Our article is Fes safe? answers the other safety questions.

When to visit Fes as a family

Spring (March to May) and autumn (late September to November) are ideal: pleasant temperatures, soft light and reasonably long days, and they line up well with Easter and autumn half-term breaks. In July and August, afternoon temperatures often top 35 °C (95 °F): plan outings early in the morning and late in the day, with a long break at the riad in between. A month-by-month breakdown is in the best time to visit Fes.

Where to stay in Fes with kids

For families, a riad is often more enjoyable than a hotel: life revolves around the courtyard, children love the fountain and the terrace, and the welcome is more personal. A few points to check:

• a family suite or two nearby rooms rather than two rooms on different floors;
• the number of steps and the height of the railings on the terrace and stairs;
• the distance to the nearest taxi-accessible gate, to limit walking with luggage;
• air conditioning in summer and heating in winter.

Our full checklist is in how to choose a riad in Fes.

Activities kids love in Fes

Watching craftsmen at work

On Seffarine square, coppersmiths hammer huge copper cauldrons in a cheerful racket. Further on, weavers clack their looms, carpenters carve cedar and dyers lift skeins of coloured wool from their vats. Children can watch for ages; always ask before taking a photo. For more about workshops and buying, see shopping in the Fes souks.

The tanneries from above

From the terraces of the leather shops, the view over the coloured pits of the Chouara tanneries impresses young and old. The smell is strong: you will be handed a sprig of mint to sniff, which children find great fun. All our tips are in the Fes tanneries.

The Jnan Sbil gardens

Between Fes el-Bali and Fes el-Jdid, the Jnan Sbil gardens offer shade, paths, ponds and benches: a welcome break between visits, where local families come for a stroll in the late afternoon.

A cooking class

Rolling couscous, shaping bread, making a tajine: a cooking class is a perfect family activity, especially during the hot afternoon hours. See our article on cooking classes in Fes.

The monkeys of the cedar forest

Just over an hour’s drive away, the cedar forest near Azrou is home to wild Barbary macaques. Combined with the little town of Ifrane, it is a day out children love; we describe it in our day trips from Fes.

Eating in Fes with children

Moroccan food generally goes down well with children: kefta skewers, chicken with lemon, couscous, msemen and baghrir with honey, freshly squeezed orange juice. Dishes are not spicy-hot, and the spices are mild. Drink bottled water and favour food that is cooked and served hot. Our dish ideas are in what to eat in Fes.

Practical tips for the medina with kids

• Leave the stroller at home: the lanes have steps and uneven paving. A baby carrier is far more practical.
• Give children a card with the riad’s name and phone number, and agree on an easy meeting point such as a gate or a square.
• Pack hats, sunscreen, hand sanitiser and snacks.
• Take a break at the riad in the early afternoon: the kids rest, and you enjoy the calm of the courtyard.
• On a first visit, a licensed guide for half a day helps you get around without getting lost; guides are happy to adapt the pace to children.

A two-day family plan

• Day 1: a morning in the medina with a guide (Bab Bou Jeloud, Bou Inania Madrasa, Seffarine square, the tanneries); lunch; a rest at the riad; late afternoon in the Jnan Sbil gardens; dinner at the riad.
• Day 2: a day trip to Ifrane and the cedar forest to see the monkeys; back in the late afternoon for sunset on the terrace.

For a fuller programme, adapt our three-day Fes itinerary.

La Petite Maison for families

Our Essaouira Suite is the largest space in the riad: a king bed, a lounge corner with a sofa bed and a private bathroom, designed with families in mind. Our guests’ children often love the courtyard fountain. A word of honesty: like every medina house, the riad has steps and a staircase up to the terrace, where little ones need to be accompanied. We arrange your airport transfer with a porter for the luggage, and we cook dinner on request for evenings when nobody wants to go out again. Browse our rooms or contact us with your children’s ages and we will give you our best advice.