One Day in Fes (or Two): The Perfect Itinerary

Fes ideally deserves three days, but many travellers only spend a day there, between two stops on a tour or on a day trip from Meknes or Chefchaouen. The good news: with a well-organised day, you can see the essentials of the medina and come away with lasting memories. Here is the plan we recommend, hour by hour, followed by our ideas if you can stay one more night. For the full list of sights, see things to do in Fes.

Can you see Fes in one day?

Yes, as long as you accept making choices. In one day you will see the great monuments of Fes el-Bali, the tanneries and a sunset over the medina. You will not have time for Fes el-Jdid, a hammam or a day trip, but you will understand why Fes is so unique. If you can, sleep in Fes the night before or that evening: you will gain the morning light and the dusk, the two most beautiful moments of the day.

The plan at a glance

• 8:30 am: Bab Bou Jeloud and the Bou Inania Madrasa.
• 10 am: down Talaa Kebira, the Nejjarine fountain and museum.
• 11:30 am: the Al-Attarine Madrasa and the doors of Al-Quaraouiyine.
• 12:30 pm: a Fassi lunch.
• 2 pm: Seffarine square and the Chouara tanneries.
• 3:30 pm: the dyers’ souk, Rcif and a little shopping.
• 5:30 pm: sunset at the Marinid tombs or on a rooftop.
• 8 pm: dinner.

Morning: from the gates to the madrasas

Start early at Bab Bou Jeloud, the Blue Gate, still calm at this hour. Just behind it, the Bou Inania Madrasa, a fourteenth-century Marinid masterpiece, generally opens in the morning. Then walk down Talaa Kebira, the main street, watching the stalls come to life: butchers, dried-fruit sellers, cobblers and weavers.

Stop at Nejjarine square to admire its zellige fountain and, if you have time, go up to the terrace of the Museum of Wooden Arts and Crafts. Continue to the Al-Attarine Madrasa, a small marvel of stucco and cedar, then pass the doors of Al-Quaraouiyine to glimpse its courtyard. All the details are in the madrasas and monuments of Fes.

Lunch: taste Fassi cuisine

Fes is known as Morocco’s culinary capital. Make the most of lunch to try a pastilla, a tajine with prunes or a plate of skewers in a bustling local eatery. Our ideas are in what to eat in Fes.

Afternoon: Seffarine, the tanneries and the souks

Head to Seffarine square, where coppersmiths hammer away in the shade of a large tree, then to the Chouara tanneries, which you watch from the terraces of the leather shops. Take the sprig of mint you are offered for the smell, and do not feel obliged to buy. Our tips are in the Fes tanneries.

Finish the afternoon near Rcif and the dyers’ souk, where skeins of coloured wool dry above the lane. It is also the moment for a purchase or two; see shopping in the Fes souks.

The golden hour: sunset

To round off the day, take a petit taxi to the Marinid tombs, north of the medina, or to Borj Sud, to the south. The view over Fes el-Bali at sunset, as the calls to prayer rise from the minarets, is unforgettable. A simpler option is a rooftop terrace in the medina. Our best viewpoints are in the best views in Fes.

If you are visiting Fes on a day trip

If you arrive in the morning by train, from Meknes for example, or by car, get dropped at Bab Bou Jeloud to follow the plan above in order, and plan to leave from Rcif or Bab Bou Jeloud by taxi. For such a packed day, a licensed guide booked in advance is strongly recommended: they will save you precious time in the maze. Our Fes medina guide explains how to find your way, and how to get to Fes covers the journeys.

What if you have two days?

With an extra day, add:

• Fes el-Jdid in the morning: the golden doors of the Royal Palace, the Mellah and the Ibn Danan synagogue; see Fes el-Jdid, the Mellah and the Royal Palace;
• a cooking class or a hammam in the afternoon; see cooking classes in Fes and the hammam in Fes;
• or a day trip to Volubilis and Meknes.

With three days, follow our three-day Fes itinerary.

Our tips for a successful day

• Start early: the medina is more pleasant and more photogenic in the morning.
• Wear comfortable shoes with grippy soles.
• Carry dirhams in cash for entrance fees, lunch and small purchases.
• Avoid Fridays if you can, when many stalls close around midday.
• Save some energy for sunset, the best moment of the day.

Spending a night in Fes

To turn this day into a real discovery, a night in the medina changes everything. La Petite Maison is a five-minute walk from Rcif square, close to Seffarine and the tanneries: you can follow this plan straight from the riad, come back for a rest at midday and enjoy sunset from our terrace. Browse our rooms, read our guide on where to stay in Fes or write to us with your dates.