CCourses
Clock KitchenCOOKING
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 63 78 55; www.cafeclock.com; Derb el-Magana, Talaa Kebira; half-day course Dh600)
Held in Café Clock, these classes are the place to perfect your tajine and couscous-making skills. After planning your menu, you shop for ingredients in the souq, spend the morning honing your technique and finish up enjoying the feast you’ve prepared. Other options include a two-hour bread-baking class and patisserie workshops.
Ruined GardenCOOKING
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0649 19 14 10; www.ruinedgarden.com; 13 Derb Idrissi; lunch course Dh550)
One of Fez' best dining spots now offers cooking classes, giving aspiring chefs the run of the restaurant garden before opening time. To our knowledge, Ruined Garden is the only place in Fez to focus on vegetarian cuisine. Aided by in-house chef Najia, and Fatima for translation, you cook up a two-course feast including maâkouda (potato fritters), dips and a veggie tajine.
Or you can try your hand at bread-making, covering five different types of Moroccan breads and a trip to the local ferran (communal bread oven).
Dar Namir Gastronomic RetreatsCOOKING
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; [email protected]; 24 Derb Chikh el-Fouki; full-day class 2-4 people €350; live-in residencies incl breakfast from €450 per day)
Established food writer Tara Stevens offers tailor-made luxury cooking experiences in her custom-built school. Tara's passion is modern Moroccan cuisine (she wrote the Café Clock cookbook). Courses also include Moroccan wine, and occasionally cheese, tastings. Tara has also launched an online Moroccan homewares business, www.anajamhome.com.
Fez DownloadLANGUAGE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 63 78 55; www.cafeclock.com; Derb el-Magana, Talaa Kebira; per person, minimum 2, incl refreshments Dh150)
Spend 90 minutes with the affable Khalid learning basic phrases in Moroccan Arabic, etiquette and customs. At Café Clock.
Arabic Language InstituteLANGUAGE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 62 48 50; www.alif-fes.com; 2 Rue Ahmed Hiba; 3-/6-week course Dh6300/10,900)
Offers longer courses aimed at foreigners, and can assist in finding accommodation for students, in apartments or homestays. Lessons are held at the American Language Center where there's also a superb English-language bookshop stocking titles about Morocco.
Subul AssalamLANGUAGE
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 63 79 36; www.sacal-fez.com; 19 Gzem Benameur; 3-week group course Dh6000, hourly lessons Dh250)
This language school in R'cif touts its services in cross-cultural understanding. Subul Assalam (‘Pathways to Peace’) can arrange homestays for its longer courses, which are offered in Darija (Moroccan Arabic), modern standard and classical Arabic, as well as Tamazight Berber.
ArabophonLANGUAGE
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 60 34 75; www.arabophon.com; 80 Rue Jaâfer ben Atiah, Aït Skato; half-/3-day course Dh500/Dh1500, 10-session online course Dh1100)
Intensive Moroccan and Modern Standard Arabic courses, online courses and shorter courses aimed at travellers: the half-day Curious Explorer and three-day Serious Explorer. There are also classes in Tamazight Berber. Lessons are offered in English, French and Spanish, and the centre is south of the ville nouvelle.
THE FOUNTAINS OF FEZ
It seems like you can barely turn a corner in the Fez medina without coming across a seqqâya (public fountain) – Fassis have historically had something of an obsession for them. It was largely the Almoravid (1061–1147) and Almohad (1147–1248) dynasties that were the great water engineers. To supply their cities with water they diverted rivers, created lakes and constructed vast canal systems. While they did this across the country, fountain construction reached its zenith in imperial Fez.
There are well over 60 public fountains inside the medina. Along with the hammam, they are usually located near the neighbourhood mosque. Many were paid for by princes and wealthy merchants. Some of these fountains are simple basins against a wall. The majority are beautifully decorated structures of coloured tiles, often under a canopy of intricately carved wood. One of the finest is the Nejjarine fountain. Built in the 18th century, it features zellij (tilework) and stucco that form patterns as delicate as lacework.
Some fountains are still used for water collection and washing by their neighbourhoods; at some, the water supply has been cut as houses gain their own water supply.
Nejjarine fountain, Fez | JULIAN LOVE/LONELY PLANET ©
TTours
There are a series of well-signed self-guided walks through the old city; each highlights different aspects of traditional Fez:
Blue Knowledge and learning
Brown Monuments and souqs
Green Palaces and Andalucian gardens
Orange Walls and ramparts
Purple Fès el-Jdid
Red Artisanal crafts
The overhead signs are easy to follow, showing the direction of the next major landmark, and there are excellent English information boards at regular intervals. For an overview of the different trails, visit the main route map info board just off Talaa Kebira, where the Ain-Azleten parking is.
As well as pointing out incredible architecture and clandestine corners, guides can answer cultural questions, help overcome language barriers, and – perhaps most importantly – ward off other would-be guides. The standard rate for an official guide in Fez is Dh250 for a half-day tour, or Dh500 for a full day – always ask to see identification.
The quality of guides can vary considerably, so communication is very important to ensure that you get the best out of the experience. If you’re not interested in shopping, say so firmly at the outset, although be aware that the guide who won’t take a tourist to a single shop probably hasn’t been born yet. It may be necessary to pay an extra Dh50 to Dh100 as a ‘no shopping’ supplement. If possible, arrange a guide through your hotel or guesthouse.
oPlan-it MoroccoTOURS
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 63 87 08; www.plan-it-morocco.com; Blvd Ahmed Mekouar, Batha; h9am-6pm)
Plan-it Morocco has carved out a niche organising unique cultural experiences in Fez and further afield, with excellent guides and unfaltering service. Excursions include streetside tanjia cooking, winery tours and architectural trails – the entertaining night-time street-food tasting trail is a highlight. Tours are private and exclusive and consequently not cheap, but they become more reasonable if there's two or more of you.
Artisanal AffairsCRAFTS
(%0535 68 33 75; http://culturevulturesfez.org; 1-2 people Dh1500, 3 people Dh1800)
This in-depth, highly interactive half-day tour explores the artisanal crafts of the Fez medina. It's a chance to meet and talk to coppersmiths, tanners, mosaic-tile-makers, cobblers, carpet makers and weavers. Note that it's not a traditional guided tour; the set-up is designed to enable tourists to ask questions and you'll get out of it what you put in.
There's no shopping involved, and groups are restricted to four. The organisers operate a similar tour in Sefrou, too.
Photography Walking TourTOURS
(%0659 66 15 02; www.omarchennafi.com; 3hr tour Dh700)
See the medina through the eyes of a local photographer on this laid-back three-hour walking tour, led by professional snapper Omar Chennafi. You'll learn plenty about local Fassi life while you're walking and Omar manages a good balance between technical advice and artistic insights. Tours can be tailored to your interests, focusing on geographical areas or subjects such as architecture or people.
Fes RandoWALKING
(%0674 79 79 83; www.fesrando.com; per person from Dh300)
A specialist walking-tour operator based out of Fez, offering day hikes on Mt Zalagh above Fez and further afield into the Middle Atlas. Longer treks to destinations such as Azrou's cedar forests and Tazekka National Park are also offered, and prices are reasonable.
THE MEDINA REVAMPED
Although visitors find medina life romantic, many residents have been happy to sell u
p to foreigners and swap their sometimes medieval living conditions for a modern apartment in the ville nouvelle. Certainly, years of neglect have taken their toll on Fès el-Bali (Old Fez) and restoration and modernisation efforts have been a long time coming.
The medina's riads were the first buildings to receive some tender loving care, mainly fuelled by money from expats, but now the city's fondouqs (rooming houses) and souqs are getting their slice of the action thanks to a government-backed drive to restore the medina to what it would have looked like in medieval times.
Souq by souq, metal doors are being ripped out of shops and replaced with the honey-coloured cedar wood that would have once been ubiquitous (a move that has caused the price of Morocco's most sought-after wood to skyrocket). Some workshops, little more than rough-hewn caves, are being rebuilt from scratch. The Chaouwara Tanneries have emerged from a year-long renovation to enhance the viewing platforms and workshops that surround it. Meanwhile, the river that bisects the city, for years virtually an open sewer hidden behind a high wall, is being cleaned up and revealed piece by piece. Riverside walkways designed to one day house artisan shops have been restored around Pl R'Cif.
There is much to commend in this plan – for one thing, pollutants from the souqs (such as the newly restored Dyers' Souq) are now being diverted away from communities using the river to places where the water can be treated outside the city. Workers inside the medina are pleased to see Fès el-Bali finally receive some loving care and, for themselves, an improvement in working conditions. Yet there is also a fear that visitors will see the medina lose some of its charm for the sake of (mostly) cosmetic enhancements. Let's hope the authorities can strike the right balance between progress and preservation.
zFestivals & Events
Fès Festival of World Sacred MusicMUSIC
(%0535 74 05 35; www.fesfestival.com; Fez; hMay/Jun)
The Fès Festival of World Sacred Music brings together music groups and artists from all corners of the globe, and it has become one of the most successful world music festivals around. Based on the idea that music can engender harmony between different cultures, the festival has attracted big international stars such as Ravi Shankar, Bjork and Patti Smith.
Festival of Amazigh CultureMUSIC
(hJul)
The festival, run in association with the Institut Royal de la Culture Amazighe, aims to promote and protect Amazigh (Berber) culture. Its program includes musical performances, art workshops and handicraft exhibitions.
Moussem of Moulay Idriss IIRELIGIOUS
(hvaries)
Fez’ biggest religious festival is also one of the country’s largest. The moussem (festival in honour of a saint) of the city’s founder, Moulay Idriss, draws huge crowds. Local artisans create special tributes and there’s a huge procession through the medina. Traditional music is played and followers dance and shower the musicians (and onlookers) with orange-blossom water.
It’s currently in September but the date moves according to the Islamic calendar.
Festival of Sufi CultureMUSIC
(hOct)
A series of events each year including talks and debates, and some spectacular concerts held in the garden of the Batha Museum with Sufi musicians from across the world. It used to be held in April but since 2016 the festival has been held in October.
4Sleeping
Fez doesn’t lack for variety in its accommodation options, but rates are higher than in many other areas of Morocco.. Your main choice is whether to stay in the colour and chaos of the medina, or a petit-taxi ride away in the ville nouvelle (where budgets tend to go further). Booking in advance is advised during high season, and especially during the Festival of World Sacred Music.
RIAD BOOKING SERVICES
Fez Riads (%0672 51 33 57; www.fez-riads.com) A percentage of profits is donated to the High Atlas Foundation, which supports grassroots development projects in rural Moroccan communities.
Medina
Most of the cheapest options are within touching distance of Bab Bou Jeloud, placing you right in the middle of the action.
Riads in the Fez medina are expensive compared with elsewhere in the region. If you're on a budget but want a private room, look to the growing collection of backpacker riads, which often have one or two private rooms – some with en suites – at very reasonable prices.
oFunky FesHOSTEL€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 63 31 96; www.funkyfes.com; 60 Arset Lamdelssi; dm Dh85-120, d Dh300; W)
Fez' original, Spanish-owned hostel is still the best, offering up good cheap backpacker beds close to Bab el-Jdid. It's a youthful and social place, with more dorm beds than you might imagine, and offers local tours, activities, cooking classes and more. Cheap in-house dinners cost Dh40 and the en-suite double on the terrace is a great deal.
Dar JannatGUESTHOUSE€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 63 6000; www.riadjannat.com; 89 Derb Ahl Tadla, Talaa Seghira; dm €12, r from €24; aW)
This well-signposted cheapie is a real bargain. The welcome is warm, the atmosphere tranquil, and rooms are simple yet charmingly furnished with traditional textiles. A couple of rooms share bathrooms, and there's a dorm as well as a larger family room sleeping up to four. Bathrooms are very decent. Ask the owners if you need transfers or tours.
Ziyarates FesHOMESTAY€
(%0620 30 37 92, 0535 63 46 67; www.ziyaratesfes.com; s/d from Dh300/350)
If you really want to experience medina life up close, this innovative homestay scheme can help. Around 25 Fassi families rent rooms in their homes to welcome foreign guests, while support from the regional tourism authorities is meant to ensure the quality of the places signed up. Organisation is excellent and you can expect a warm welcome wherever you stay, but cleanliness varies.
You might practise your Arabic, learn to cook or just help the kids with their homework in this unique cultural exchange. Exact prices vary, but all family homes are listed (with photos) on the organisation’s website. Some rooms have shared bathrooms, while others might be en suite for the same price; it depends on the host.
Dar El HanaGUESTHOUSE€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 63 58 54, 0665 81 98 36; www.darelhana.com; 22 Rue Ferrance Couicha, Chrabliyine; r incl breakfast Dh400-550; W)
If there’s a cosier and more intimate guesthouse in Fez than this dar (small house), we’d like to know about it. There are three rooms upstairs in the main house and another at ground level (though this last one feels ever so slightly cavelike), all charmingly presented. Guests are free to use the kitchen as they please; this is a real home away from home.
Dar BouânaniaGUESTHOUSE€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 63 72 82; [email protected]; 21 Derb Bensalem, Talaa Kebira; s/d Dh300/400, without bathroom Dh200/300, all incl breakfast; aW)
A popular choice with backpackers, this is a budget-style riad, though the array of intricate painted woodwork could make you think it's pricier than it is. The rooms are well sized and those that with en suite also have air-con; the rooms on the ground floor were being converted into a restaurant during our visit. Shared bathrooms are clean, and there are a couple of roof terraces.
Hôtel Bab BoujloudHOTEL€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 63 31 18; 49 Pl Isesco, Bab Bou Jeloud; s Dh170-200, d Dh300-350, all incl breakfast; aW)
Fantastically located, this hotel sits just outside Bab Bou Jeloud with all the medina action right on your doorstep. The rooms are as simple as the price tag suggests, but cosy enough and great value. There's also a good roof terrace.
Pension CampiniGUESTHOUSE€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 63 73 42; [email protected]; Rue Campini, Batha; s/d Dh200/300; W)
A short walk from the Batha Museum, this simple guesthouse is in a quiet location slightly outside the medina proper. Rooms have an en suite and are airy. There’s a small terrace, with views just over the walls of Jnan Sbil (Bou Jeloud Gardens).
Hôtel CascadeHOTEL€
( MAP GOOG
LE MAP ; %0535 63 84 42; 26 Rue Serrajine, Bab Bou Jeloud; s/d Dh120/240)
One of the grand-daddies of the Morocco shoestring hotels, the Cascade's Bab Bou Jeloud location is hard to beat and it benefits from a pleasant rustic rooftop terrace restaurant with great views of the bab (gate). However, it’s exceedingly basic so adjust your expectations accordingly: if you're impervious to the stench of urine, this place has merit.
Dar RoumanaGUESTHOUSE€€
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0535 74 16 37; www.darroumana.com; 30 Derb el-Amer, Zqaq Roumane; r incl breakfast €85-145; aW)
Occupying a quiet corner within touching distance of the northern medina walls, Dar Roumana is a beautiful restoration job with hard-to-beat views from its roof terrace. Uncommonly, three of the rooms have wonderful baths (one a roll-top) and a couple of the rooms have external-facing windows. Push the boat out for the Yasmina suite, with its four-poster bed and leafy balcony.
A perennial favourite, it also has one of the medina's best restaurants to boot (reservations well in advance).
Dar SeffarineGUESTHOUSE€€
Lonely Planet Morocco Page 58