Best things to do in Fez, including free and rainy-day options

Fez rewards slow walking, not a checklist. Most travellers do the medina on day one, then choose between craft workshops, the Mellah and a hammam on day two. Prices below are 2026 estimates in dirham (MAD).

Start at Bab Bou Jeloud, the blue gate, early in the morning before the shops open. Walk down Talaa Kebira, the main artery, and let yourself get lost on the side lanes; that is the point of the medina. The two medersas, Bou Inania and Al-Attarine, are the easiest monuments to see and the best introduction to Moroccan tile and plaster work. Both are small, so 30–45 minutes each is enough.

The Chouara tannery is the sight most people come for. Leather shops around the pits let you onto their terraces for the view; a small tip is normal, and the smell is strong, so take the mint sprig offered at the door. The souks around it sell leather, brass, carpets and spices, and bargaining is expected. If you would rather not negotiate alone, a licensed guide for the first half day pays for itself in orientation and in avoiding dead ends.

On a second day, cross to the Mellah, the old Jewish quarter, and the royal palace gates, then take a taxi or a long walk to the pottery workshops outside Bab Ftouh, where you can watch tiles and ceramics being made. Finish with a hammam: the traditional ones are cheap and basic, the tourist ones cost more and are easier to book. For a change of scene, Meknes and the Roman site of Volubilis are an easy day out, and Taza sits on the road east.

The medina itself is free to enter, so a day of walking can cost almost nothing beyond food. Budget for monument tickets, a guide if you want one, and taxis to the outer sights. Prices are 2026 estimates and change; treat them as a band, not a quote.

Wear shoes you can walk in for hours; the medina is cobbled, stepped and car-free, and a full day is easily 5–10 km. Start early, take a mid-afternoon break at your riad, and go out again in the evening when the lanes quiet down.

You will be offered help constantly. A polite no is fine, and if you accept a guide, agree the price and the route before you start. Keep bags in front of you in crowds, and use a licensed guide rather than someone who attaches themselves to you on the street. For the practical side of the city, see fez public transport and is fez safe.