Fes el Bali, the old city of Fes, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981. Its thousands of lanes, closed to vehicles, make it an unforgettable visit and a real logistics challenge for a group. Here is how to make the most of it in one day.
Where does a coach group enter the medina?
Coaches cannot enter the medina. The group gets off near one of the main gates, such as Bab Boujloud, the famous blue gate, then carries on on foot with an official guide. The drop point and the collection point are not always the same: planning both ahead saves walking the whole group back against the flow at the end of the day.
What pace works for a day?
A classic day starts early, before the crowds: the medina in the morning, lunch in a palace or a riad, then a quieter visit later in the day, such as the Merinid tombs for the view over the city, or the Mellah, the old Jewish quarter. Fewer stops beat trying to see everything.
Which highlights should you plan?
- The tanneries, seen from the terraces of the neighbouring shops.
- The Bou Inania or Attarine madrasa, jewels of Merinid architecture.
- Seffarine square and its coppersmiths hammering away.
- The souks, organised by trade: dyers, weavers, carpenters.
How do you keep everyone together in the medina?
A group of more than twenty people is usually split into several smaller groups, each with its own official guide. Set an easy meeting point, a precise time, and make sure everyone has the guide's number. Earpieces let the guide speak without raising their voice in the busy lanes.
In Fes, a group's best memory is not the number of monuments seen, but the time spent watching the craftsmen at work.
